The Social Dynamics of Brazil's Rural Landless Workers' Movement: Ten Hypotheses on Successful Leadership*

Cet article met l'accent sur le caractere social ainsi que sur la dynamique sociale de l'autorité politique dans ce qui est générale‐ment considéré comme les caractéristiques de classe ainsi que les caracteristiques sociales du leadership, à l'intérieur d'un mouvement que nous et d'autres auteurs considérons comme le mouvement social le plus dynamique de nos jours en Amérique latine, le Mouvement des Sans Terre (MST) au Brésil. Nous fonderons notre discussion de cette dynamique sociale sur dix hypothèses qui tracent, en effet, un portrait sociologique du leadership du mouvement. This paper focusses on the social character and dynamics of political leadership in what is widely regarded as the class and social character of the leadership of a movement that we and others regard as the most dynamic social movement in Latin America today—the Rural Landless Workers' Movement (MST) in Brazil. Discussion of these social dynamics is made with reference to ten hypotheses that provide, in effect, a sociological portrait of this movement's leadership.     

Unpredictable endocrinology of the menopause transition: clinical, diagnostic and management implications

The approach to menopause can be divided into the early (E) and late (L) menopausal transitions (MT) on the basis of menstrual irregularity (EMT) and subsequent observation of at least one episode of 60 or more days amenorrhoea (LMT). In total, 40-60% of cycles in the LMT are anovulatory, often with low oestradiol (E2) and high follicle-stimulating hormone concentrations. The ovulatory cycles have variable endocrine characteristics, none of which is specific to EMT or LMT. Hormonal measurements of FSH and E2 are thus of little diagnostic value because of their unpredictable variability. Symptoms during the transitions may result from high or low E2 and can often be satisfactorily managed with low-dose oral contraceptives, which suppress pituitary-ovarian function.     

ESTIMATING THE STOCK‐FLOW MATCHING MODEL USING MICRO DATA

We estimate the stock‐flow matching model using micro‐level data from a well‐defined labor market. Using a dataset of complete labor‐market histories for both sides of the market, we estimate hazard functions for job‐seekers and vacancies. We find that the stock of new vacancies has a significant positive impact on the job‐seeker hazard, over and above that of the total stock of vacancies. There is an even stronger robust result for vacancy hazards. Thus we find evidence in favor of stock‐flow matching, even when controlling for unobserved search heterogeneity and stratifying into submarkets defined by location and occupation.     

Regression-like analysis of birth interval sequences

Employing a family of generalized linear models for the gamma distribution, the structure of birth interval data derived from three historical populations is examined. The relative importance of such factors as current age, parity of the mother, and duration of marriage in determining the length of succeeding intervals is investigated. The results suggest that the three data sets have a common, rather simple structure and various applications of such empirical models are considered.     

Who takes care of the children? The quantity-quality model revisited

We study the Becker and Lewis (1973) quantity-quality model of children adding an explicit child care time constraint for parents. Parents can take care of the children themselves or purchase day care. Our results are: (i) If there only is own care, a quantity-quality trade-off, different from that of Becker and Lewis (1973), arises. The income effect on fertility is positive if child quantity is a closer complement than child quality to the consumption of goods. (ii) If, instead, there is a combination of purchased and own care, the effect of income on fertility is ambiguous, even if quantity of children is a normal good in the standard sense. This is the Becker and Lewis (1973) result extended to a situation with a binding child care time constraint. The conclusion is that the Becker and Lewis (1973) result holds as long as at least some child care is purchased. Received: 12 November 1999/Accepted: 1 September 2000     

Beyond Symptoms: Crime Prevention And Community Development

Crime and crime prevention are currently ‘hot’ political and social issues. Fuelled by public calls for ‘solutions’, the responses by politicians and planners are typically ‘quick‐fix’ with emphasis on management of particular problems as, and where, they arise. We argue for longer term strategies aimed at dealing with the political, social, economic and cultural factors associated with crime. In doing so, we explore the potential of community development to contribute to crime prevention, particularly ‘community’ or ‘street’ crime and violence. Theoretical and practice intersections between community development and certain crime prevention approaches are identified – notably those which link crime and violence with dis‐empowerment, poverty, inequality, exclusion, the learning of violence within families and communities, and lack of opportunity for children and young people to develop their potential. We conclude that there is plenty of evidence to support the view that community development processes should be used more frequently in crime prevention programmes.     

The South Carolina LGBT Needs Assessment: A Descriptive Overview

Limited quantitative information exists about the demographics and needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in South Carolina, a predominately rural Southern state. Responses to a needs assessment survey (n = 715) were analyzed to understand the diversity and needs of members of the LGBT community in SC. The purpose was to inform future programming and guide the development of a more comprehensive portfolio of services to be offered by a local LGBT community center. Findings suggest that a diverse LGBT community exists in SC and needs include increased programming for community members as well as efforts to provide policy-level support and increased acceptability and understanding of LGBT persons in South Carolina.     

Development and Evaluation of the Trauma-Informed System Change Instrument: Factorial Validity and Implications for Use

In this paper, we present the process of developing and evaluating an instrument designed to measure the extent to which a complex community system has changed as a result of a community initiative, and for purposes of this research, doing this within the content area of developing local trauma-informed child welfare systems in specific communities in Michigan. The instrument was designed for the Southwest Michigan Children’s Trauma Assessment Center’s (CTAC) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)-funded initiative to bring a trauma-informed perspective to professionals working with children in child welfare. The Trauma Informed System Change Instrument was developed with the input of experts in trauma-informed system change. Two parts of the instrument were analyzed separately using confirmatory factor analysis. A two factor model was fit for Community Characteristics and a three factor model for Individual Characteristics. Although adequate factorial validity was obtained for the instrument, specific items on the instrument that were problematic in fitting the model were identified, and suggestions for revising the instrument for improved functionality are offered, as are other potential uses of the instrument.     

There goes our family friendly neighborhood: Residents’ perceptions of institutionally driven inner-city revitalization in Buffalo,NY

This article examines residents’ perceptions of inner-city revitalization in legacy cities. The analysis focuses on neighborhoods undergoing revitalization in a legacy city, Buffalo, NY. The article draws from data for a larger research project called Turning the Corner which was sponsored by the Urban Institute. The focus of that project was to identify planning strategies to address negative externalities caused by neighborhood change and heightened risks of displacement due to revitalization. Data were collected through a series of focus groups with residents and stakeholders in working-class, minority neighborhoods which were identified as being in the early stages of revitalization. Two findings emerged from the analysis. First, residents perceived urban revitalization to have a destabilizing effect on traditional neighborhoods. Second, residents perceived revitalization as detrimental to the sustainability of family-friendly neighborhoods. Insights from the analysis are used to prompt planners’ advocacy for revitalization strategies aimed at protecting minority, working-class neighborhoods when institutionally driven revitalization occurs.