Bridging the Gap: a Model for Intergrating Theory and Practice

Summary The important role of theory in social work practice is generallyacknoledged by the process of applying theory to practilce hasonly recently been subjected to rigorous scrutiny. This articleattemps to demonstrate how theory in embedded in practice andsuggests ways in which modern technology and adult methods oflearning can help students to master the process of systematicallyapplying theory to pratice.     

HOUSING MARKET CAPITALIZATION OF ENERGY-SAVING DURABLE GOOD INVESTMENTS

Energy conservation in the residential sector depends, in large measure, upon the willingness of builders and homeowners to invest in the durable goods which result in an energy efficient house. Since these durable goods generally become attached permanently to the dwelling unit and since ownership of the unit is likely to change within the expected lifetime of the installed equipment, the incentive to invest in conservation measures depends upon the efficiency of the housing market in capitalizing the financial benefits of future fuel savings. This paper examines housing market efficiency in this regard by first estimating an hedonic price index with the annual fuel bill included as an explicit attribute of the structure. Then, from the estimated hedonic price of a one-dollar reduction in annual fuel costs and assumed fuel price escalation rates and remaining lifetimes of the equipment, implicit housing market discount rates are calculated. The relatively low estimated discount rates indicate that the housing market performs efficiently in capitalizing future fuel savings.     

FROM RACISM TO TOKENISM: THE CHANGING FACE OF BLACKS IN NEW YORKER CARTOONS

Cartoons published in the weekly magazine New Yorker duringthe years 1946–87 were analyzed to determine how oftenblacks appeared as characters and whether the proportion ofblacks portrayed had changed over time. Cartoons were furtherexamined for possible changes in the styles of characterizationof U.S. blacks since the post-Word War II period. Although blackcharacters were extremely rare throughout the 42 years, therelative numbers of blacks depicted decreased with the passageof each time period. Styles of portraying black characters alsochanged markedly over the years, in keeping with the changingstatus of blacks in the United States. All cartoons from theearliest period presented U.S. blacks in stereotypic occupationalroles, cartoons in the late 1960s and early 1970s were dominatedby racial themes, and blacks appeared in "token" roles in themajority of cartoons from the most recent period investigated.In the entire 42 years, only a single U.S. black appeared asa main character in a cartoon in which race was completely irrelevant.     

Tangible transnational links in the houses of Italian immigrants in Melbourne

The transnational immigrant home is understood analytically, in an extensive literature, as a mobile construct that is not necessarily confined in its application to a single locale or building. The home has significant symbolic meaning for transnationals, as well as referring to their places of residence. In this study, however, we explore the physical structure of the transnational immigrant home and its materiality – the house. We examine two distinct types of homes of Italian immigrants in Melbourne – their past houses in Italy and their current houses in Melbourne. We argue that these houses form tangible links within Italian–Australian social space, and are parts of a network that constructs this transnational space. It is necessary to consider the actual materiality of such houses in order to extend the common understanding of ‘home’, seeing it not only as an abstract idea but also as a specifically located tangible structure and an active participant in the formation of transnational social spaces.