Methodological Pluralism and the Possibilities and Limits of Interviewing

Against the background of recent methodological debates pitting ethnography against interviewing, this paper offers a defense of the latter and argues for methodological pluralism and pragmatism and against methodological tribalism. Drawing on our own work and on other sources, we discuss some of the strengths and weaknesses of interviewing. We argue that concern over whether attitudes correspond to behavior is an overly narrow and misguided question. Instead we offer that we should instead consider what interviewing and other data gathering techniques are best suited for. In our own work, we suggest, we have used somewhat unusual interviewing techniques to reveal how institutional systems and the construction of social categories, boundaries, and status hierarchies organize social experience. We also point to new methodological challenges, particularly concerning the incorporation of historical and institutional dimensions into interview-based studies. We finally describe fruitful directions for future research, which may result in methodological advances while bringing together the strengths of various data collection techniques.     

Nineteenth Century Wood Engravers at Work: Mass Production of Illustrated Periodicals (1840–1880)

This paper traces the labour processes and working conditions of wood engravers in France and England during the 19^th century as the process of production of the illustrated periodicals became increasingly industrialized. It argues that the bulk of 19^th century wood engravers should be considered as one of the first classes of proletarians in the mass media industry. The paper first looks at the general socio‐economic conditions from which 19^th century wood engravers emerged as proletarians. Second, it examines wood engraving workshops, wood engravers' working conditions, their training and type of production. Lastly, it discusses the hierarchical relations between editors‐publishers and wood engravers, the wood engravers economic conditions, their socio‐cultural attitudes towards their work and the control exercised on them in the labour process. With the industrialization of the production of illustrated periodicals, wood engravers formed a class of waged workers who owned no means of production, had little autonomy or creativity in their work and sold their labour power to fabricate illustrations. Workshops operated as factories, training apprentices to mechanically reproduce fragmented segments of illustrations in an assembly‐line type of labour and based on a rigid hierarchy in which engraver‐apprentices were at the bottom.     

Therapeutic Engagement of Adolescents with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

Youth engagement is increasingly recognized as a preferred approach and often necessary step in the treatment of emotional and behavioral disorders. The purpose of this study was to explore the degree and quality of youth engagement in the therapeutic process, compare engagement scores between youth accessing residential and day treatment, and explore the association between engagement and interpersonal difficulties in a sample of youth with an emotional and/or behavior disorder in residential and day treatment programs based in Southern Ontario. Cross-sectional surveys of standardized measures were administered to youth and a separate survey to their Prime Workers. Relevant constructs included client engagement (as rated by youth and Prime Workers), and youth-rated behavioral screen, interpersonal problems and family functioning. Both Prime Workers and youth rated youth as moderately high in their level of engagement in therapy. Furthermore, Prime Worker and youth ratings did not significantly differ statistically, suggesting that youth may have actually engaged at a moderate level. Interpersonal problems were shown to be negatively associated with youth engagement, and family functioning approached significance for only youth in residential treatment. Assessing youth engagement during the treatment process as an intervention technique may highlight areas where greater clinical efforts are needed. Future considerations include testing methods of sharing and discussing results of an engagement measure within the context of a one-on-one clinical encounter with youth.     

School Reintegration and Perceived Needs: The Perspectives of Child and Adolescent Patients During Psychiatric Hospitalization

Youth hospitalized with psychiatric illness often experience disruption in their school attendance. Knowledge from the youths’ perspective of concerns for returning to school after hospitalization is very limited. Exploring youths’ concerns for school reintegration may inform transition practices for youth with psychiatric illness. The purpose for this study was to explore youths’ concerns for school reintegration and to report their perceived needs for support before leaving hospital. A questionnaire was developed to capture qualitative perceptions and quantitative self-reports of youths’ concerns for school reintegration. Child and adolescent patients accessing in-patient psychiatric care completed surveys containing open-ended questions about their concerns and service needs at discharge, and self-ratings of their concerns for their studies, friends, other students and emotions. One hundred and sixty-one youth (mean age 15.41, SD 1.4; 75% female; 57% with a primary diagnosis of major depression) reported considerable concerns about anticipated social situations at school, academic standing, feeling overwhelmed with school and great difficulty with managing their emotions. Youth identified a need for ongoing supports from mental health professionals and school personnel, social support from friends and family, and educational assistance or modifications. High rates of intense worries reported about school issues and school reintegration suggest this vulnerable population may benefit from increased attention to transition planning. Two important developmental domains, social development and educational outcomes, appear at-risk and this risk highlights the need for a greater emphasis on continuity of care.     

Elder Abuse and Neglect in Institutional Settings: The Resident's Perspective

This article strives to share research findings concerning the rights and empowerment of the elderly living in various long-term care (LTC) or residential care facilities (public and private sectors) in Quebec, Canada. Inspired by the theories of constructivism, the research aims to understand the residents’ perception of abuse, as well as the strategies they are developing to exercise their rights and liberties. Data from semistructured interviews with 20 residents, mostly very old women aged 80 to 98, are presented. Results show that residents’ perception of abuse: (1) is conditioned by sensationalistic media coverage; (2) is limited to physical mistreatment; and (3) tends to legitimize day-to-day infringements of their rights, as these “minor” violations seem inoffensive when compared to the “real” acts of violence reported in the media. Tensions that can build up among residents, sometimes resulting in intimidation or even bullying, were addressed.     

Outside of the corporate mainstream and excluded from the work community: A study of diversity,job satisfaction and well-being

Research over the past two decades indicates that exclusion from organizational information networks and from important decision-making processes is one of the most significant problems facing today's diverse workforce. Employees' sense of exclusion may play a critical role in explaining the connection between lack of opportunities experienced by employees who are different from the corporate 'main stream' and their job satisfaction and well-being. This study examines the relationship between diversity characteristics, sense of inclusion, fairness, stress and social support and the outcome variables of job satisfaction and well-being. A sample of 3400 employees of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds in the high-tech industry in Southern California completed a self-report questionnaire. Findings support the hypotheses that women and members of racial/ethnic minorities are more likely to feel excluded, and that exclusion is linked to job dissatisfaction and lower sense of well-being. The study further explores the potential role of exclusion as a mediator variable. These findings have implications for future research on workforce diversity and for organizational diagnosis and interventions aimed at creating a more inclusive workplace culture. Investigácion durante los últimos veinte anos indica que exclusión de cadena información del organización y exclusión de decisións importantes es uno de los problemas mas significante en el diverso mundo de trabajo. El sentido de exclusión de los empleados puede estar criticó en la explicación del connexión entre la falta de opportunidades para los empleados que son differentes del corriente principal y su satisfacion con trabajo y su bienestar. Este investigación explora el relation entre característicos diversos, sentido de inclusión, justicia, esfuerzo, y assistencia social, y los variables resultados de satisfacion con trabajo y bienestar. Este prueba de 3400 empleados de ethnicidades y razas differentes de un industria tecnológico en el sur de California han completo un cuestionario de su mismo. Conclusiones dar soporte al hipótesis que es mas probable que mujeres y los minorías de raza y ethnicidad sientan exculido, y que exclusión tiene connexión con desagrado con el trabajo y mas pequeno sentido de bienestar. Este prueba averiguares el posición de exclusión como un variable mediador. Estos conclusions tienen implicaciónes para los investigaciónes en el futuro con diversidad en trabajadores y para diagnosis con los organizaciónes y intervenciónes que quieren crear una cultura mas inclusivo en el organización.     

Generational Differences in Accounts of the Development of U.S. Cultural Sociology—Let Me Count the Ways: Response to Lizardo’s and Mische’s Comments

This essay provides a response to comments offered by Omar Lizardo (2011) and Ann Mische (2011) with reference to my piece “How Has Bourdieu Been Good to Think With? The Case of the United States” ( Lamont, 2011 ). All essays appear in this issue.