The diluted working classes of rural England and Wales

This paper asks, what are the attributes of the rural working class population in England and Wales? Drawing on the Office for National Statistics’ (ONS) Longitudinal Study (LS), household and personal attributes at both the 1991 and 2001 Censuses are examined, with a view to exploring how far the rural working classes can be conceptualised as a cohesive occupational group; in other words, is the traditional vision of the rural working classes, as comprising a cohesive occupational community, still accurate? The results show this understanding is inaccurate. Social dynamism turns out to be high in rural areas, with little uniformity in the rural population with working class occupations, not simply due to occupational change but also as a result of cohabitation with those of other occupational grades and as a consequence of population turnover through migration. The paper indicates that caution is needed over messages in the rural studies literature concerning the magnitude of disadvantages that the rural working classes face, in good part because the composition of rural households with working class constituents is so dynamic.     

Cairo's Zabaleen garbage recyclers: Multi-nationals’ takeover and state relocation plans

The paper investigates recently launched plans to privatize solid-waste management in Cairo, focusing on its adverse effects on the sustainability of the associated recycling economy and urban settlement system of the garbage collectors communities (Zabaleen) located within the Muqattam mountain area which is adjacent to Cairo's old historical quarters. According to official development strategy, the privatization of solid-waste services is regarded as fundamental to overall government plans for Old Cairo's rehabilitation. The objectives of the rehabilitation programme tend to favour tourist-orientated projects, whilst ignoring the local population's interests through the removal of informal Zabaleen settlements in Muqattam mountain, and through the clearing of the Eastern Cemetery of its tomb dwellers and shanty town buildings.The study examines the consequences of recent official intervention in the sustainability of the Muqattam Zabaleen settlement in terms of physical and demographic growth, infrastructural development, and changes in land tenure system. The paper takes into consideration early 1980s programmes funded by the World Bank to improve the Zabaleens’ environment and to upgrade their settlement. These aimed to maintain the existing informal settlement pattern and to develop urban service delivery systems.The empirical study adopts a qualitative analysis employing ethnographic techniques of informal discussions with secondary stakeholder agencies (local municipality, planners, NGOs activists). A field survey of the primary stakeholder group (garbage collectors) involved in-depth interviews with householders and with community leaders in the Zabaleen settlement. The analysis explores narratives expressed by members of the Zabaleen community in response to the threat of enforced eviction resulting from potential state-controlled gentrification programmes for urban development and land speculation in the area.The findings emphasize the significance of local participatory mechanisms in restructuring solid-waste collection and in developing the recycling industry whilst putting vacant and under-used areas into productive use. These mechanisms would support the management of built environment and local resources and would build local capacity through developing new channels for co-operation and partnership between the garbage collectors’ association (Gamm’yya) and grass roots organizations together with the local authorities and multi-national companies. In order to promote sustainable livelihoods and better opportunities for the urban poor the study concludes that there is a need to draw on the sustainable flow of local resources within low-income garbage collectors groups, whilst seeking new means of supporting land acquisition and its development for improved housing standards, basic services and environmental quality.     

Physical aggression, forced sex, and stalking victimization by a dating partner: an analysis of the National Violence Against Women Survey

This study used the National Violence Against Women Survey (NVAWS) of women and men to estimate noncohabitating dating violence prevalence by type (physical, forced sex, and stalking), associations between dating violence and other types of interpersonal violence across the lifespan, and association of dating violence with longer-term mental health including substance abuse. Among respondents aged 18 to 65, 8.3% of 6,790 women and 2.4% of 7,122 men experienced physical aggression, forced sex, or stalking victimization by a dating partner. Few (20.6% of women and 9.7% of men) reported more than one type of dating violence. Childhood physical aggression by a parent or guardian was strongly associated with subsequent dating violence risk for men and women. Dating violence (physical aggression specifically) was associated with current depressive symptoms, current therapeutic drug use (antidepressants, tranquilizers, or pain medications), and current recreation drug use for women. Implications for parents, survivors, health care, and service providers are discussed.     

Nursing home administrators' views of their own and volunteer resident advocates' enhancement of long-term care

Volunteers perform much of the work of federally mandated state ombudsman programs which may include review of resident care in nursing facilities to protect against abuse and neglect. Although volunteers' activities may take place in the nursing facility, Nursing Home Administrators' (NHAs) views of their work are seldom studied. Data from questionnaires completed by 199 NHAs predicted enhancement (improvement) of long-term care by volunteer resident advocates. Administrators also described their advice for improvement of care. NHAs' perceptions of residents' pleasure and families' satisfaction with volunteers' visits were associated with enhancement of long-term care. Effectiveness attributed to volunteers' protection of rights and resolution of complaints was not related to perceived enhancement of long-term care. Answers to a number of remaining questions could enhance the efforts of volunteers in ombudsman programs, improve long-term care, and diminish opportunities for abuse.     

Benefits and Role Performance in Voluntary Organizations: An Exploration of Social Exchange*

This paper reports an exploration of the relationship between members' role performance and the benefits they receive from their organizations. The general relationship is interpreted in the context of a “social exchange model” for voluntary associations. Data for the analysis pertain to members of four voluntary farm organizations: Farm Bureau, Farmers Union, National Farmers Organization, and Grange. The data were obtained in a state-wide survey of Wisconsin farm operators in 1965. In general, the data show a moderate relationship, in a positive direction, between benefits and role performance. The benefits tend to differ in the magnitude and, in some instances, in the direction of their relationships to such performance. The findings indicate the importance of taking into account magnitude and direction of relationship, as well as interaction among the benefits and among costs, in order to devise a viable social exchange model of cost-benefit relations for voluntary associations.