CSR and Accounting: Drawing on Weber and Aristotle to Rethink Generally Accepted Accounting Principles

The purpose of this article is to discuss and provide an alternative, less materialist–individualist approach to interpret the four assumptions of generally accepted accounting principles: economic entity, unit measure, periodic reporting, and going concern. The article draws from and builds on arguments first developed by Weber and Aristotle to demonstrate how a materialist–individualist moral point of view influences the conventional interpretation of the four basic assumptions for generally accepted accounting principles. We then propose an ideal‐type conceptual framework upon which to critique mainstream accounting theory and to develop alternative accounting theory that balances multiple forms of well‐being (including financial, but also social, physical, spiritual, and ecological well‐being) for multiple stakeholders (including owners, employees, customers, suppliers, competitors, neighbors, future generations, and so forth).     

The public problem of ‘Aboriginal gambling‘: winning the struggle for an urban space

Gambling by Aboriginal people is increasingly identified as a significant public problem in Australia, eliciting responses mainly concerned with measurement and harm minimisation. We adopt the utilitarian philosophy of John Dewey to critically examine the way this ‘problem’ is socially constructed. We recast our roles as pragmatic researcher‐activists in the ongoing struggle to have Aboriginal practices taken seriously We draw particularly on the work of a group of senior Yolnu Aboriginal consultants and re‐present their story of gambling alongside other research on the Aboriginal use of urban gambling spaces. This helps us develop a nuanced explication of the public problem, one that challenges existing discourses and proposed solutions. We identify an Aboriginal space being produced within existing casinos which is only supported reactively by government and casino owners, and met with anxiety by community service providers. We propose the radical idea of Aboriginal urban gambling venues as indicators of what is needed for a successful, state‐supported, socially inclusionary and non‐exploitative space for Aboriginal people, and what obstacles may stand in the way of achieving this. Through this process, we assess how, as participant researchers, we can help to reformulate of the public problem in a way that is more closely aligned to Aboriginal needs and aspirations.     

Advocacy and surveillance: primary schools teachers’ relationships with asylum-seeking mothers in Ireland

The article analyses the findings of a small-scale qualitative study in Ireland that examines interactions between asylum-seeking mothers and primary school teachers, and highlights the significance of teachers’ understandings of asylum in shaping home-school communications. Mothers and children in this study were living in Direct Provision, collective accommodation for asylum seekers in Ireland. The research identifies a number of concerns including: poor communication between the school and mothers, only English being used as a medium of communication with the mothers, and mothers being directly and indirectly excluded from Parent Associations. Interactions of teachers with asylum-seeker mothers demonstrated a lack of recognition that their situation is different from other migrants/newcomers and is particularly challenging because of the because of living in Direct Provision and under the threat of deportation. The research shows that primary schools are drawn into ambiguous relationships with asylum-seeking mothers in their attempts at advocacy and surveillance, as they are expected to facilitate integration, while at the same time dealing with the uncertainty facing asylum-seeking parents and children.     

Taking up the Challenge of Grief: Film as Therapeutic Metaphor and Action Ritual

The case is presented of an eleven year old boy who has twice suffered the loss of his mother —first through his adoption and second through her subsequent suicide. Four years after these events he presented with a number of behavioural problems attributed to a block in his grieving process. Initially therapy was difficult because of the client's inability to express his feelings verbally and because of a number of restraints noted to be operating within the family system. A breakthrough was made through the use of the film ‘The Never Ending Story’? as a therapeutic metaphor and as the basis of an action ritual. Relevant literature (bereavement, cybernetic theory, metaphor and ritual) is discussed. Therapy is detailed.     

Internships for Future Faculty: Meeting the Career Goals of the Next Generation of Educators in Marriage and Family Therapy

A key component of a doctoral education in marriage and family therapy (MFT) is the completion of an internship. Virtually all MFT doctoral internships are focused on advanced clinical practice and often are located in agencies unconnected with an academic setting. This article describes an MFT doctoral internship specifically designed to foster the skills needed as a faculty member. The primary purpose of this "future faculty" internship is to expose doctoral interns to faculty life, including participation in graduate teaching, clinical supervision, research, and faculty service—while still meeting typical clinical requirements. Results of semistructured qualitative interviews with five doctoral interns associated with the site are reported. Guidelines for the development of other doctoral internships designed for future MFT faculty members are discussed.     

Developing Brokered Community Transportation for Seniors and People With Disabilities

Communities are exploring ways to increase transportation coordination to improve access for seniors. One such effort is a brokered transportation system in which one agency serves as the central point of contact for ride information or actually arranging transportation for clients of multiple programs by use of a combination of transportation services. A team of social work faculty and students from the University of New Hampshire (UNH) Social Work Outreach Center, a center that provides service learning opportunities to students, collaborated with a local coalition to investigate the specific transportation needs of the region's senior citizens. A total of 641 people participated in the survey. Results indicate that the study population experiences problems reliably meeting daily living needs due to inconsistent or unavailable private and public transportation options. Study findings also indicate the promising potential of brokered transportation systems, particularly for isolated seniors in rural and suburban areas with relatively limited public and private transportation options.