Religion that strengthens democracy: An analysis of religious political strategies in Israel

Theory and Society -     

Sociopolitical Development and Vocational Expectations Among Lower Socioeconomic Status Adolescents of Color

The well‐documented aspiration‐expectation gap refers to lower socioeconomic status (SES) adolescents of color expecting to attain occupations with lower pay and status than the occupations to which they aspire. Sociopolitical inequity, such as structural racism and asymmetrical access to resources, may explain this gap. This article examines the capacity to cope with sociopolitical inequity (i.e., sociopolitical development) and its relationship to vocational expectations among this population. Analyses revealed that sociopolitical development was associated with higher vocational expectations and may contribute to reducing the vocational aspiration‐expectation gap among lower SES adolescents of color. Furthermore, career counseling, guidance, and psychosocial interventions may be augmented by incorporating sociopolitical development.     

Sociological Knowledge and Scientific Knowledge

Some significant insights in relation to science and its claims emerged in early sociology. However, sociologies of knowledge and science remained separate until the late 1960s. Questioning scientific knowledge raised questions about career interests, language, interaction, class and gender in shaping scientific claims. Offering insights, this new sociology tended towards 'epistemological polarisation'. New waves further distanced themselves from the validity claims of 'scientists'. Insulating within a self-referential field of peers, journals, conferences and subdisciplinary norms, epistemological polarisation, emulated natural sciences, but had a marginalising effect. Attention to symmetry in the social study of scientific beliefs, such that social causation of belief is not said to invalidate such belief, was often ignored, and the sociology of scientific knowledge tended towards debunking. This article challenges this spiral and suggests a 'reflexive epistemological diversity' that recognises the value of many forms of explanation, promoting interaction between different explanations, at different levels of causation, and across the divide between natural and social sciences. Recent feminist science studies go furthest in developing this trend. In line with recent developments in the natural sciences, such an approach does not suggest that 'anything goes', yet opens up explanation beyond narrow conceptions of expertise, reductionism and relativism.     

Building Citizenship: How Student Voice in Service-Learning Develops Civic Values

Objective . Though many decry the decline in political participation and interest, few academic studies present a clear approach to help reverse these trends. This paper examines the impact of service-learning programs on students' self-concept, political engagement, and attitudes toward out-groups. Methods . The data come from a pre and post survey given to more than 200 high school students in 10 different schools. We use Huber regression to assess the impact of student voice in the service-learning project on six dependent variables. Results . We show that if students are involved in service-learning projects in which they have a high degree of voice and ownership, their self-concept and political engagement will improve, and they become more tolerant toward out-groups. Conclusion . In short, having a voice in service-learning programs builds citizenship.     

Stochastic volatility modelling in continuous time with general marginal distributions: Inference,prediction and model selection

We compare results for stochastic volatility models where the underlying volatility process having generalized inverse Gaussian (GIG) and tempered stable marginal laws. We use a continuous time stochastic volatility model where the volatility follows an Ornstein–Uhlenbeck stochastic differential equation driven by a Lévy process. A model for long-range dependence is also considered, its merit and practical relevance discussed. We find that the full GIG and a special case, the inverse gamma, marginal distributions accurately fit real data. Inference is carried out in a Bayesian framework, with computation using Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC). We develop an MCMC algorithm that can be used for a general marginal model.     

Spatio-temporal improvised explosive device monitoring: improving detection to minimise attacks

The improvised explosive device (IED) is a weapon of strategic influence on today's battlefield. IED detonations occur predominantly on roads, footpaths, or trails. Therefore, locations are best described when constrained to the road network, and some spaces on the network are more dangerous at specific times of the day. We propose a statistical model that reduces the spatial location to one dimension and uses a cyclic time as a second dimension. Based on the Poisson process methodology, we develop normalised, inhomogeneous, bivariate intensity functions measuring the threat of attack to support resourcing decisions. A simulation and an analysis of attacks on a main supply route in Baghdad are given to illustrate the proposed methods. Additionally, we provide an overview of the growing demand for the analysis efforts in support of operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, and provide an extensive literature review of developments in counter-IED analysis.     

HIV disclosure and subsequent sexual behaviors among men who have sex with men who meet online

To assess HIV disclosure discussions and related sexual behaviors among men who have sex with men (MSM) who meet sex partners online, 28 qualitative interviews with Seattle-area MSM were analyzed using grounded theory methods and themes and behavior patterns were identified. MSM found a greater ease in communicating and could prescreen partners through the Internet. However, no consistent relationship was found between HIV disclosure and subsequent behaviors: some were safer based on disclosure while perceived HIV status led others to risky behaviors. Interventions need to promote accurate disclosure while acknowledging its limitations and the need for men to self-protect.     

A framework for understanding collective leadership: The selective utilization of leader and team expertise within networks

To date, the dominant approach to leadership research assumes that all aspects of the leadership role within a team are embodied by a single individual. In the real world, however, this is rarely the case. Rather, multiple individuals within the team may serve as leaders in both formal and informal capacities, and the shifting of leadership responsibilities is often rooted in which individual's expertise is most relevant to the given problem. In the present effort, we add to the rapidly growing body of work that focuses on the distribution of the leadership role among multiple individuals. We have reviewed relevant extant literature and proposed an integrated framework for understanding the collective leadership process. Also, in developing this framework we have taken an information and expertise-based approach such that we propose that collective leadership, or the distribution of the leadership role, is a function of selectively utilizing the information or specialized expertise that individuals within the network possess. In reviewing the framework, 55 propositions with regard to the collective leadership process are outlined and suggestions for future research are provided.     

Hawaii QUEST and EPSDT coverage: An overview

Established in August 1994, QUEST is Hawaii's Medicaid 1115 managed care, demonstration waiver. QUEST extends EPSDT (Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment) benefits to nearly 106,000 enrollees in Hawaii, or almost three out of every 10 individuals under the age of 21 in the state. Under QUEST, more beneficiaries in younger age groups are covered, compared to those in older age groups. In the 1999 federal fiscal year, QUEST attained an overall 89% screening rate and a 64% participant rate. Although the screening and participation rates can be improved, steady progress has been achieved in the past five years. More children and youths are now covered and the participant rate has gained 24 points since 1994. Much of this progress is due to QUEST's emphasis on managed care to deliver EPSDT services.