Sociology and the study of non-western societies

This paper attacks parochialism, ethnocentrism, and universalism in Western sociology. Conceptual limitations of the discipline are discussed in light of the emergent transnational scene. The author argues that new or revised analytical and theoretical concepts in the discipline are essential for sociological studies in non-Western societies. The professional role of the sociologist undertaking research in a non-Western society is discussed from the standpoint of international competency, language facility, and constraints and challenges. The fledgling movement toward cross-national and world sociology in the United States is indicated in developments such as dependency studies, world system theory, and the activities of the American Sociological Association. The author ofHistorical and Cultural Dictionary of Thailand. His research publications have focused on the Thai rural family, medical professions, and socioeconomic change in Southeast Asia.     

What can child care do for human capital?

This study reviews the evidence on the possible contribution that a publicly supported child care program could make to the stock of human capital that future generations will bring into the nation's labor force, focusing on the development of children most at risk of future poverty and dependency.The analysis first discusses the potential benefits to individuals, and to society at large, of increased human capital investment. Next, evidence is reviewed on how pre-school programs have affected educational attainment. The link between educational attainment and earning capacity is then examined using evidence drawn from census surveys as well as a limited amount from longitudinal studies of pre-school alumni. In conclusion the evidence supports the claim that investment in child care, incorporating tested developmental components, can yield net benefits to society by enhancing the human capital of upcoming generations.     

ESTIMATING THE ANGLE BETWEEN THE MEAN DIRECTIONS OF TWO SPHERICAL DISTRIBUTIONS

This paper considers the problem of calculating a confidence interval for the angular difference between the mean directions of two spherical random variables with rotationally symmetric unimodal distributions. For large sample sizes, it is shown that the asymptotic distribution of 1 – cos α, where α is the sample angular difference, is approximately exponential if the true difference is zero, and approximately normal for a ‘large’ true difference; a scaled beta approximation is determined for the general case. For small sample sizes, a bootstrap approach is recommended. The results are applied to two sets of palaeomagnetic data.     

Community dissatisfaction and depressed mood in Suburbia

Because of contradicting theoretical statements and empirical data, there is a need to specify the exact part that neighborhood and individual characteristics represent in determining mental health related behavior and the livabiiity of residential neighborhoods. This article adds to the understanding of the general problem by exploring the contributions that economic and social status of neighborhoods and individuals make towards depressed mood and community dissatisfaction. The study was limited to men residing in “classic suburbia” in the early 1960s. Seven hypotheses were proposed — the expectancy congruence, the additive, the big reward, and big failure, the atypical person, the reward visibility, and the economic status maintenance hypotheses. Support for the big reward and pan of the additive hypothesis was observed. The relationships presented in the paper clearly demonstrate that to gain an understanding of community dissatisfaction and depressed mood we must examine an individual's social and economic status and that of his neighborhood.     

Symbols of Collective Memory: The Social Process of Memorializing May 4, 1970, at Kent State University

Monument and memorial building is one of the more dramatic forms of symbolic expression. This form of symbolic expression represents aspects of a community's collective history; and its existence thereby serves to crystallize consensus and solidarity. The building of the memorial is a dialectic of symbolic interaction explicated through use of a social process model. This article will first describe the theoretical issues involved with collective representation and memory. The theoretical base when applied to the activity of memorial building generates a social process model. The model is described by application to the building of various memorials, but particular interest will be focused upon the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D. C. The model suggests how creation of this type of symbolic work involves a complicated organization of social norms or conventions. Part of this organization involves merging norms from a specialized genre of the art world with norms of collective representation residing in the non-professional community. Administrative bureaucracies and political institutions play important roles as well. After the authors explicate the social process model, they apply it to the experience of memorializing students killed and wounded at Kent State University on May 4, 1970. Erection of this memorial involves a process of constructing collective memory in such a way as to create moral unity within the community.     

ARE THE HOMELESS TO BLAME?

Dominant ideology and public arenas theories yield different hypotheses concerning the incidence and antecedents of public beliefs about the causes of homelessness. The analysis reported here, which tests these hypotheses with data from a 1988 national telephone survey, shows that (1) more Americans believe structural rather than individualistic factors cause homelessness, (2) personal statuses like gender, political orientation, and party affiliation significantly influence such causal beliefs, but (3) the single strongest determinant is the perceived presence of—and by implication, exposure to—homeless people in one's own community. Causal beliefs in turn affect policy attitudes: respondents who consider homelessness a structural problem are more likely to favor government action than those believing in individualistic causes. While mixed, the results as a whole provide somewhat greater support for the public arenas perspective.     

SIBLING THERAPY WITH MULTIPROBLEM FAMILIES*

Most family therapy deals with the parent-child system. However, with chaotic multiproblem families, this often is not possible. When parents refuse to, or cannot, participate in the therapy, working with just the siblings (Sibling Therapy) offers one way to provide help to troubled children. When parents offer inconsistent or inadequate nuturing, seeing the children together is a way of developing or strengthening the bonds among them and teaching them how to be available to each other. This article proposes setting treatment goals that are consistent with the cultural and family styles of these children, describes methods for developing caring and cohesion, and presents techniques for working with these children.