Economic Survival Strategies and Food Insecurity

Abstract

This article reports on a study of 67 Hurricane Katrina survivors who were evacuated to one Texas community. The authors examine the economic survival strategies employed by Katrina evacuees to feed their families during the approximately one week time frame beginning the day before the storm and ending when they were ultimately evacuated from New Orleans. An analysis of their strategies and actions provides insight both into the nature of households and sharing networks under the pressure of this disaster and the shortages that ensue when federal and state systems cannot meet basic needs beyond the resources of the local community.     

Determinants of Perceived Safety Among the Elderly

Abstract

A survey of randomly selected elderly residents (N = 301) of a largely rural county in Northwest Ohio sought to explore the perception of the fear of crime victimization. Those who participated in the study were asked a series of questions about their community, actual experiences of crime victimization, perception of fear related to victimization, and social support. Logistic regression analyses were computed to explore perceptions of neighborhood safety. Most participants reported limited experiences of victimization. As expected, in this rural environment, there was more reliance on informal supports and limited use of existing formal services.     

Grief Support Groups Used by Few—

Abstract

Few adult bereaved attend closed grief support groups, yet many of those who do attend say they are extremely helpful. This research explores factors influencing support group attendance, and the extent to which bereavement support needs are being met. Focus group discussions reveal that a broad scope of sources of support is available to the bereaved. Results show what is seen as unhelpful to them, and what might be more helpful to them. The study indicates many adult bereaved suffer from an overall lack of support and would benefit from more caring overtures from those around them. Findings from this small frontline hospice bereavement study point toward ideas for adjustments in support groups and innovative bereavement education and programming.     

Rural Arab Families Coping with Caregiving

SUMMARY

This research examines the coping patterns of the rural Arab family in caring for a chronically ill elderly relative. The Arab community in Israel is in transition as a result of modernization with changes occurring in the traditional family structure, family norms and living arrangements. This study was conceptualized within the framework of intergenerational solidarity versus ambivalence and utilized a qualitative approach based on the phenomenological paradigm. Data were collected from 10 family units with a chronically ill homebound elder, by means of in-depth interviews. Four people were selected from each unit including the elder, his/her spouse-the primary caregiver-and two other secondary caregivers, usually sons and daughters-in-law. The data indicate the uniqueness of coping patterns among these caregivers in regard to two main components, which are contradictory to findings in the family caregiving literature: differences in the gender of child caregivers and the family readiness to use assistance from formal support systems.     

African American Informal Support Networks

Abstract

This study examined African American informal support network functioning utilizing Vaux's (1998) reciprocal exchange model. Ten African American caregivers of relatives with severe mental illness and their main informal helpers were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. In 8 of the 10 African American families interviewed, one close relative, called a “main supporter,” assumed major responsibility, comparable to that of the primary caregiver, for care and supervision of the family member with mental illness. Main supporters felt that their family helper role, although stressful at times, gave meaning and purpose to their lives. Five main supporter-primary caregiver pairs formed 'joint households' to share economic and human resources and to facilitate caregiving duties. Social work intervention for caregiving families should provide assistance to both primary caregivers and their informal supporters, particularly main supporters.     

对学习分类的再思考

欧美学者对学习的分类存在着两分法和三分法的分歧。两分法没有涵盖非正式学习,三分法虽然涵盖了非正式学习,但在分类标准上却未能保持一致。笔者考察了这些研究者对学习分类的主要观点,认为对学习应该采用两分法和两个层次来分类比较合适,即学习可分为正式学习和非正式学习两大类,而正式学习则可分为正规学习和非正规学习两小类。这种分法既保持了分类标准的一致性,又涵盖了所有的学习类型。     

促进我国非正规就业发展的财政政策选择

经济转型期的中国,失业问题日显突出,非正规就业作为现阶段我国就业增长的主要源泉,引起社会各界的普遍关注.在系统分析了非正规就业的社会经济效果之后,探讨了促进我国非正规就业发展的财政政策选择.     

论民间借贷的立法规制

当前民间借贷中高利率和非法集资等问题的存在,严重影响了市场秩序和社会稳定,亟需规制。反思现行法律制度,立法失当、立法空缺同时存在,不利于促进民间借贷的规范化。规范民间借贷市场,应采取灵活的高利贷认定标准,加强对借贷活动过程的规制。通过专项立法规范企业间借贷行为,并理顺相关立法内容。对企业社会集资的规范,应改现行非法集资的客观认定标准为主客观结合的认定标准,将有合理融资需求的集资纳入《证券法》规制范畴。增加专门立法规范民间合会与借贷中介机构的运作。     

社会资本、非正规就业与乡城流动人口家庭迁移

基于2014年中国劳动力动态调查数据（CLDS）,实证检验原始社会资本、新型社会资本对乡城流动人口家庭迁移的影响以及更高层次的非正规就业对新型社会资本影响乡城流动人口家庭迁移的中介作用。结果表明,原始社会资本对乡城流动人口初次非正规就业效果明显;新型社会资本对乡城流动人口家庭迁移具有显著正向影响,新型社会资本通过影响乡城流动人口获得更高层次的非正规就业进而影响其家庭迁移。因此,需注重新型社会资本的培育,促进乡城流动人口实现“原始社会资本”向“新型社会资本”的延展。此外,应当进一步完善劳动力市场的规范性,消除市场歧视,为乡城流动人口提供更完善的就业信息,最终促进乡城流动人口实现家庭迁移。     

农村民间金融与正规金融共生关系现状及深化研究

作为农村金融体系的基本组成部分,农村民间金融与正规金融之间不只是简单的替代关系,还可以形成一种基于各自核心专长的协同发展的共生关系。构建和深化这种共生关系,不仅有利于提高共生单元自身的盈利水平和发展能力,而且有利于增强农村金融的整体功能。当前,农村民间金融与正规金融在共生合作中还存在着共生模式不完善、共生收益分配机制不合理、正向共生环境营造不力等问题,影响到共生效应的发挥。因此,必须努力提高共生单元质量,积极改进共生收益分配机制,全面营造动态正向共生环境,不断改善农村民间金融与正规金融共生能力,巩固和深化二者共生关系,在此基础上,有效提升农村金融服务能力和效率,为农业现代化建设以及农村经济社会发展提供强有力的支撑与保障。