Feminist Institutional Activists: Venue Shifting,Strategic Adaptation,and Winning the Pregnancy Discrimination Act

We examine efforts of feminist institutional activists in the 1960s and 1970s as they worked to gain U.S. federal policy to combat workplace pregnancy discrimination. The success of these activists in winning policy change provides a case that allows us to develop a theoretical understanding of how feminist institutional activists can succeed in winning policy change. We find that when institutional activists strategically shifted governmental arenas and adapted their mobilization and discursive strategies to these arenas, they were able to dismantle policy‐specific barriers that impeded their goals. In taking these steps, feminist institutional activists were successful in opening up both contingent and structural opportunities, which ultimately allowed them to gain the policy change they sought.     

Susceptibility to Peer Influence,Self‐Control,and Delinquency

The significance of peers during adolescence is well established in the social science literature. However, relatively few studies have devoted attention to susceptibility to peer influence with regard to both its causes and consequences. The current study aims to add to this literature in two ways. First, it investigates the role of self‐control in the etiology of susceptibility to peer influence. Second, it examines the independent and interactive effects of these two constructs on self‐reported delinquency. Results indicate that individuals who are higher in self‐control are less likely to be susceptible to peer influence, that susceptibility is a stronger predictor of delinquency than self‐control, and that the influence of susceptibility on delinquency is moderated by one's level of self‐control. In particular, the effect of susceptibility to peer influence on delinquency is stronger for individuals with higher levels of self‐control. The implications of the findings for theory and future research are discussed.     

Interview with Susie Orbach,Ph.D., C.S.W.

An interview with Susie Orbach highlights the trajectory of her career and current thinking on body image issues and eating disorders. Dr. Orbach’s work in this area as a clinical social worker, psychoanalyst, best-selling author and social activist has spanned three decades. In this interview she reflects on her earlier books, Fat is a Feminist Issue and Hunger Strike: An Anorectic’s Struggle as a Metaphor for Our Age, and discusses her current work and perspectives within the context of contemporary culture.     

Relatives as Child Care Givers: After Hours Support for Nontraditional Workers

This study uses a sample of 1,841 families from the National Child Care Survey (1990) and accompanying Low-Income Supplement (1990) to determine the amount and timing of child care services offered by relatives to working families with young children. Results indicate that relative care is primarily provided by grandparents. Compared to other parents, single parents and those working nontraditional hours are significantly more likely to use relatives for child care, and their children spend significantly longer periods of time in relative care, especially at nontraditional times of the day. The study conclusion is that relatives are facilitating parental employment by providing child care at times of the day when other market alternatives usually are not available.     

Where’s dad? Exploring the low take-up of inclusive parenting policies in the UK

This research explores approaches to promoting gender equality in the workplace by highlighting barriers to take-up of statutory policies designed to increase fathers’ involvement in childcare. Specifically, the paper examines why take-up of Shared Parental Leave (SPL), designed to improve gender equality in the workplace and home, has been low in the UK. There is a dearth of academic literature in this area. Extant grey literature suggests financial barriers, maternal gatekeeping and the perceived effects of extended leave on fathers’ careers are key, but fails to explore other barriers, or the variations in take-up. We interviewed 70 men and women entitled to SPL to address these limitations. We identify new barriers, notably poor policy communication at an organizational level, perceived policy complexity and societal expectations around maternal identities, while also showing how these barriers affect different groups of parents. We find professional couples are most likely to take SPL, particularly where the mother earns more or the father’s company enhances Shared Parental Pay. The complex, multiple barriers parents face also differ, according to the couple’s educational background and the workplace culture. Finally, we offer recommendations for increasing SPL take-up and driving workplace gender equality in the UK and internationally.     

Technology-Enhanced Active Learning Classrooms: New Directions for Social Work Education

Social work educators are increasingly exploring how to effectively use technology in their classrooms. The purpose of this study was to explore how a technology-enhanced active learning classroom influenced social work students’ engagement and overall learning experiences. An online survey was conducted with 125 social work students from micro and macro courses. When compared to macro courses, students from micro social work courses more positively reported active participation, effective teaching, and technical skills as benefits of the classroom. Furthermore, the dynamic learning environment and instructors’ effective teaching significantly affected students’ positive learning experience. Social work programs should develop various teaching methods for active learning classrooms to develop students’ practice skills that can be transferred to the real world.     

Pregnancy Prevention from the Teen Perspective

One hundred and five teens from primary and secondary pregnancy prevention programs attended focus group interviews. This article reports teens' perceptions of the factors that contribute to adolescent pregnancy and the steps that can be taken to prevent early childbearing. Lack of knowledge and accessibility to contraceptives as well as unfulfilled emotional needs were considered crucial factors. Suggestions for service delivery from findings are explored.