Patterns of working and living conditions: a holistic, multivariate approach to occupational health studies

The objective of the study was to develop a multivariate approach to occupational health studies that is: capable of identifying groups with similar working conditions; relevant for studies of associations between working and living conditions and health; and an appropriate basis for preventive actions. Data at the individual level were obtained through measurements, observations, interviews and questionnaires, and at the organizational level, through interviews with managers. Cluster analyses were applied with the purpose of identifying groups of individuals with small, within-group differences. Eighty work sites and a sample of employees at each site were strategically selected. The study group comprised 203 men and women, and was characterized by large variation. The final analysis produced eight clusters of individuals, denoted according to their best-defining characteristic, i.e. 'decent', 'boundary-less', 'locked', 'exposed', 'heavy and monotonous', 'changed', 'mobile' and 'restrained'. The clusters differed with regard to 'what' characterized working conditions, 'where' on the labour market they were found, and 'who' clustered in these groups. The holistic approach revealed conditions that were important for health and had higher explanatory power in relation to ill-health than applying socio-economic groupings or the demand-control-support model. It showed how psychosocial, ergonomic-physical and occupational hygiene factors combine and interact to create settings with different risks of ill-health. The chosen strategy is recommended for future occupational health studies and is particularly suitable as guidance for preventive actions relevant to specific clusters of working and living conditions.     

A Cross-Cultural Study of the Psychosocial and Spiritual Impact of Natural Disaster

We report a cross-cultural comparison of coping with natural disaster involving two populations—survivors from the 1999 earthquake in Turkey and from the 1994 Northridge earthquake in California. The research project was explorative in design and included 222 people—123 individuals from Turkey and 99 from California. A main focus of the study was how age, gender, marital status, and cultural differences impact on levels of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Concomitantly, the association of many other variables was explored including cultural education, presence and degree of loss, extent of damage to one's home, whether individuals did or did not receive assistance, etc., and how these impacted their coping. Statistical analysis revealed strong associations between PTSD and age for both studies. It was found that the highest level of PTSD in the California sample occurred among individuals at least 60 years old. In the Turkey sample, those in their fifties showed the highest level of PTSD. The article highlights similarities and differences between the post-earthquake coping responses in California and Turkey and concludes by discussing forms of assistance to earthquake victims.     

Overcoming temptation: on masculinity and sexuality among Muslims in Stockholm

Abstract In this article I deal with transnational processes in contemporary Stockholm and focus on notions of masculinity and sexuality among transmigrant Arab Muslims. A key idea among the men is that their desires have to be controlled. Five ways to overcome temptations are presented: visions of paradise, polygamous marriages, storytelling, sermons in the mosque, and stereotyping Swedish women. The emphasis placed on resisting temptation is understood to be a result of transmigration and an expression of a gender‐based cultural logic. Men, in contrast to women, can restrain their desires and thereby also establish a stable relationship with God. For this reason they can both assume responsibility for public life and be the leaders of their families. The legitimate foundation of this power position is their ability to resist temptation.     

Latin American Productivity from 1990 to 1998 in the Mexican Journal of Psychology

Published uninterruptedly since 1984, the Mexican Journal of Psychology (MJP) has been recognized as one of the most important periodicals in Spanish-language psychology. After coping with financial impediments and a lack of scientific contributions, the significance of the MJP emerged. The journal remains vital in the development of Latin American psychology. It is today recognized as having the highest impact of all Latin American psychology journals as well as having the second highest impact of all psychology journals in the Spanish language. The goal of the present study was to review the profiles of the MJP from 1990 to 1998 by using a bibliometric classification procedure. Four indicators were employed in the present analysis of the articles including measurement techniques, methodology, field of psychology, and main results.     

Professional status at midcareer: The influence of social and academic origins on lawyers' achievement

Research on intraoccupational status attainment within the legal profession is extensive, but it has not generated consistent findings on the effects of social backgrounds and academic performance in college and law school on types of legal employment. This research has been either carried out on lawyers employed in geographically circumscribed communities or has been limited to particular types of lawyers. This study investigates the effects of social backgrounds and academic achievement on types of legal practice for a national sample of lawyers a quarter of a century after their graduation from college. We find that occupational inheritance and religion predict academic achievement in college and law school, and that these variables in combination influence the allocation of lawyers to solo and firm practice. An important contextual feature structuring legal careers is the population size of the communities in which these lawyers practice.An earlier version of this article was presented at the annual meeting of the Eastern Sociological Society, Providence, Rhode Island, April 1991. The authors are listed alphabetically.     

How can sociology contribute to integrating service learning into Academic curricula?

This article argues that sociology can make a unique contribution to the integration of service experiences into the academic content of courses across the curriculum. By virtue of its theoretical, conceptual, methodological and pedagogical legacies, sociology contributes to an understanding of the potential and promise of community service for academic inquiry. The article describes a unique venture in which an interdisciplinary team of faculty and students designed a major and minor in Public and Community Service Studies using service learning pedagogy.

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