Globalizations Forum on Middle East Protests: Commentary

The ‘Arab spring’ is part of a growing set of challenges to US hegemony and the capitalist world-system. The global economy is fueling the grievances that motivate protests while also providing tools that aid the spread of global protest movements. The global financial and other crises threaten the legitimacy of the entire system, opening up opportunities for challenges by popular groups even in the most authoritarian contexts. As the US and its Western allies confront more limited budgets, and as slower growth undermines stability in countries whose quiescence has been key to ensuring the flows of resources necessary for the operation of the global capitalist economy, we are destined to see more popular challenges to existing authorities. These challenges should be seen not simply as national challenges, but rather as part of a larger struggle for the transformation of the world-system.

La ‘primavera árabe’ es parte de una serie de retos que va en aumento contra la hegemonía de E.E.U.U. y el sistema mundial capitalista. La economía global está avivando los agravios que motivan las protestas mientras que también proveen herramientas que ayudan a difundir los movimientos de protesta globales. Las crisis financieras y otras globales amenazan la legitimidad del sistema entero, abriendo oportunidades para retos por grupos populares, incluso en los contextos más autoritarios. Así como en E.E.U.U. y sus aliados de occidente afrontan mayores presupuestos limitados, y el crecimiento más lento debilita la estabilidad en los países cuyo estado de quietud ha sido la clave para asegurar los flujos de recursos necesarios para el funcionamiento de la economía capitalista global, estamos destinados a ver más desafíos populares a las autoridades existentes. Estos retos no deben ser vistos simplemente como desafíos nacionales, pero como parte de una lucha mayor para la transformación del sistema mundial.

“阿拉伯之春”是对美国霸权和资本主义世界体系一系列日益增长的挑战的一部分。全球经济助长了这种激发抵抗的不满情绪,同时为全球抵抗运动的传播提供了工具。全球金融及其他危机威胁着整个体系的合法性,开启了在最为威权环境下普通大众发起挑战的机会。随着美国及其西方盟友面临更多的预算限制,亦随着渐缓的经济增长破坏着一些国家的稳定——这些国家的沉寂是确保全球资本主义经济运作所需要的资源流动的关键,我们注定会更多地看到大众对现存政权的挑战。这些挑战不应仅被视为国家内部的,而应视为更大的为世界体系转型而斗争的一部分。     

Audience Response Systems: Using “Clickers” to Enhance BSW Education

Among new technologies for enhancing classroom-based education are audience response systems (ARS), also known as “clickers.” These handheld devices record student responses to instructor questions and send them electronically to a receiver that tallies the responses. Summary results are then projected, usually as a graph. Instructors piloted the use of clickers in undergraduate social work research and practice courses. Instructor and student experiences with the clickers were examined by type of course, frequency of use, ease of use, perceived impact on learning, and use by students with disabilities. Instructors and students in both types of courses found the clickers beneficial. Minor differences by type of course were found. Some students with disabilities noted problems using the clickers. More use of clickers and research on their use in social work education is recommended along with continued attention to universal design in course preparation.     

The 100 Most Influential Contemporary Social Work Faculty as Assessed by the H-Index

The names of faculty employed by the 76 member social work programs of the Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education in Social Work were retrieved via a web-search. This resulted in a list of 2204 social work faculty. Their individual H-Indices were then obtained, using either the Publish or Perish software, or via manual calculations from Google Scholar. The top 100 most influential contemporary social work faculty were identified, resulting in a listing of individuals who have published relatively large numbers of scholarly works which themselves have been subsequently highly cited. Apart from recognizing these productive individuals, listing them and their home institutions will permit future researchers to examine the causes and correlates of high academic productivity.     

Using Photovoice to Identify Service Needs of Older African American Methadone Clients

ABSTRACT

This article presents findings from a photovoice project designed to identify service needs of older-adult African American methadone clients, as well as their current barriers to and supports for abstinence. The project involved 10 participants (aged 53 to 63 years old) recruited from a methadone maintenance program in a large Northeastern U.S. city. Thematic analysis techniques were used to analyze participants’ narratives of their pictures. Transportation emerged as a significant challenge to accessing services, and caregiving was a motivation for remaining abstinent. Future research should use similar participatory methods and engage a broader group of aging people struggling with substance abuse.     

Role of Cognitive Styles in Business and Management: Reviewing 40 Years of Research

In line with increased attention on the application of cognitive approaches to industrial, work and organizational psychology, the last 40 years have witnessed a growing interest in application of the cognitive style construct to the field of business and management. The purpose of this paper is threefold. First, we wish to advance understanding of cognitive styles research by elucidating trends and perspectives related to business and management. Second, we identify gaps in the literature and promising areas of research that can be further developed. This is accomplished by means of a review of papers published between 1969 and 2009. Eight themes emerged from our analysis: (a) vocational and occupational issues; (b) national culture; (c) teamwork and interpersonal relationships; (d) learning; (e) decision making; (f) creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship; (g) sales and marketing; and (h) management information systems, information management and use. Third, we identify valid and reliable methods of assessment of cognitive style for use in business and management settings. Finally we draw a number of conclusions regarding the current state of cognitive styles research and promising directions for future research.