A Reflection of The Rising Spectre of Conservatism: Motivational Accounts of Social Work Students

Summary It has recently been argued that the increasing conservatismof Western society is reflected in those entering social work.Pearson, however, has argued that social work recruits by theirchoice of occupation are politically deviant. In this papermotivational accounts of social work students and intendingpsychologists are examined in light of the emerging politicaltrends. Social work students were more concerned with personalgrowth, and later in training with effecting social change,than the intending psychologist. An examination of motivationalaccounts revealed two groups of social work students. The traditionalbase of the profession was represented by a subgroup who wishedto help others and/or effect social change. A second group ofstudents, concerned with the benefits that could accrue to selfthrough social work practice, was also identified. It is consideredthis privatization reflects the dominant ideological trend beinggiven personal meaning by the student.     

Aspects of Family Formation in Canada*

La fécondité est en déclin au Canada. Nous tentons d'expliquer ce changement, et d'en dégager les implications pour la formulation de politiques. Nous faisons la critique des études canadiennes récemment publiées sur la question en les situant par rapport à une adaptation du cadre de référence Davis et Blake. Ceci nous permet de formuler des hypothèses relatives à deux niveaux dont la distinction est implicite dans le cadre de référence: (1) le niveau de la structure sociale (variables indépendantes), (2) le niveau des phénomènes qui déterminent plus directement la fécondité (variables “intermédiaires”). Les données disponibles nous permettent de vérifier nos hypothèses. Un problème demeure cependant: le déclin de la fécondité est-il lié au fait qu'on veut limiter les naissances ou les différer? Fertility is declining in Canada. We attempt to account for this change and to suggest policy implications. We review recent Canadian studies fitting them into an adaptation of the Davis-Blake framework. This permits the formulation of hypotheses at two levels implicit in the framework: (1) social structural (independent variables); (2) proximate (“intermediate” variables). Hypotheses were tested against available data, but a problem remained: does the decline result from deferring or averting of births?     

Ballot Paper Cues and the Vote in Australia and Britain: Alphabetic Voting, Sex, and Title

When a voter comes to cast a ballot, some information aboutthe candidates is evident on the ballot paper itself. Usingmultiple regression techniques, this study provides quantitativeestimates of the impact of such information in recent Britishand Australian elections. The results suggest that whether thecandidate's name comes first, middle, or last on the ballotpaper has no effect on the vote in Britain. But it does matterin Australia, partly because voters are more likely to choosecandidates whose names come first, but mostly because the majorparties believe voters will do so and select candidates accordingly.In addition, women candidates are at an electoral disadvantagein Britain and at an even greater disadvantage in Australia.Most, but not all, of this disadvantage comes about becausemajor parties are reluctant to nominate women candidates. Finally,in Britain candidates with an honorary title garner an appreciabledeferential vote although candidates with an academic titledo not. These effects range in size from a modest 2.5 percentof the vote to a substantial 12.5 percent.     

Staff Attitudes and Caring Practices in Homes for the Elderly

Correspondence to Tim Booth, Joint Unit for Social Services Research, The University, Sheffield S10 2TN. Summary This article presents the findings from a major survey of staffattitudes and caring practices in homes for the elderly in Fife.The survey was carried out in the wake of the Wagner Reportto examine the diffusion of good practice ideas among residentialstaff and to see how far these ideas are reflected in actualcaring routines. The study points to the existence of a ‘coolingeffect’ whereby adherence to good practice lessens thecloser one gets to operational reality. Finally, the implicationsof these findings for staff training are discussed.     

News and political consensus: C.B.C. television and the 1983 British election

Cet essai propose une analyse structurelle des elections britanniques de 1983 dans les téléjournaux anglophones de Radio-Canada. Nous voulons circonscrire la relation entre les éléments présents et exclus du discours. Ceci, de trois façons: par l'interprétation de sondages d'opinion, par la representation des partis politiques, et par le traitement de la chose économique dans la compagne électorale. Le discours opère idéologiquement de façon à recréer le consensus autour du leader conservateur, Margaret Thatcher, et ignore comment l'émergence d'un troisième parti important incarnè la fragmentation du spectre politique. C'est ainsi que la perspective du consensus perd sa légitimité.
This paper provides a structural analysis of English-language CBC television coverage of the 1983 British election. It focuses on the relationship between the significant presences and absences in the discourse in three ways: the interpretation of the opinion polls, the representation of the political parties, and the assessment of the economic issues in the campaign. It argues that the discourse functioned ideologically to re-consensualise the political situation around the Conservatives and their leader, Margaret Thatcher. In this respect, it overlooked the ways in which the emergence of a major third party pointed to the fragmentation of the political spectrum, and thereby put into question the legitimacy of such a consensual perspective.     

论可持续农业产业化战略

从可持续发展的角度来看,在我国农业产业化的进程中还存在许多问题。因此,在我国推行农业产业化的过程中必须实施可持续农业产业化战略。可持续农业产业化战略的实施应该坚持社会公正、因地制宜、资源与环境永续利用及科教兴农的基本原则。各级政府应在可持续农业产业化战略中发挥主导作用。