Becoming Custodial Dads: Exploring Parenting Among Low‐Income and Working‐Class African American Fathers

The authors use an ecological framework and grounded theoretical analysis to explore the circumstances in which working‐class and low‐income custodial African American fathers gain custody of their children, their transition from part‐time to full‐time parents, and the role of support networks in enhancing or inhibiting these men's parenting. Twenty‐four men from an impoverished Midwestern urban area participated in the study. The findings suggest that these men, and perhaps others sharing their demographic profiles, generally become parents by default and are often reluctant to take on a full‐time, single parenting role. Adaptation to the role seems to be enhanced by these men's use of extended kin support networks and shared living arrangements. However, low wages, a lack of sufficient assistance from public assistance programs, and informal custody arrangements often inhibit their fathering.     

Unexpected but authentic use of an ethnically–marked dialect

Recent work on language crossing in the U.S. has examined the temporary appropriation of African American Vernacular English by white youth in an effort to participate in the current popularity and prestige of hip–hop culture, or in order to highlight racial boundaries. While such verbal behavior probably encompasses most white use of AAVE, it is not the only way in which whites (or other non–blacks) can use the variety. This paper presents a case study of the language of a 23 year old white female who makes consistent use of many distinctive linguistic features associated with AAVE. I argue that the interaction of ideologies of race, class, localness and language allow her to be considered an ingroup member despite her biographical race. This suggests that there is a tension between academic linguistic theory and actual speaker practice in assigning authenticity to individuals, and I conclude that language ideologies and other forms of qualitative evidence should be taken into account by sociolinguists looking at the link between language and race.     

The Role of Cancer Risk in the Regulation of Industrial Pollution

The extent of carcinogen regulation under existing U.S. environmental statutes is assessed by developing measures of the scope and stringency of regulation. While concern about cancer risk has played an important political role in obtaining support for pollution control programs, it has not provided the predominant rationale for most regulatory actions taken to date. Less than 20% of all standards established to limit concentrations of chemicals in various media address carcinogens. Restrictions on chemical use are more frequently based on concerns about noncancer human health or ecological effects. Of the chemicals in commercial use which have been identified as potential human carcinogens on the basis of rodent bioassays, only a small proportion are regulated. There is an inverse relationship between the scope of regulatory coverage and the stringency of regulatory requirements: the largest percentages of identified carcinogens are affected by the least stringent requirements, such as information disclosure. Standards based on de minimis cancer risk levels have been established for only 10% of identified carcinogens and are restricted to one medium: water. Complete bans on use have affected very few chemicals. The general role that carcinogenicity now plays in the regulatory process is not dramatically different from that of other adverse human health effects: if a substance is identified as a hazard, it may eventually be subject to economically achievable and technically feasible restrictions.     

Relationship Dissolution as a Life Stage Transition: Effects on Sexual Attitudes and Behaviors

In this paper, with the use of linear regressions to investigate how relationship dissolution affects sexual attitudes and behaviors, the authors address the stereotype that newly single people seek multiple sexual partners. Although the newly single people surveyed did obtain new sexual partners, the rate at which they acquired new partners did not support the stereotype. Specifically, men with custody of their children seemed oriented toward finding a steady partner. Additionally, men and women with low incomes reported relatively high rates of partner acquisition after relationship dissolution. The high rates reported by disadvantaged groups may be more directly related to familial instability accompanying poverty than to cultural characteristics associated with income or race. We argue that a life stage model with categorical stages in a rigid, anachronistic progression provides insufficient means to gain an understanding of newly single people.     

African American family life in societal context: Crisis and hope

Since 1965 hundreds of articles and books have been published about African American families. Nevertheless, our understanding of these families continues to be limited. There is a tendency to gloss over important within-group differences; thus, monolithic, stereotypic and inaccurance portrayals of Black family life are common. This paper sets aside debates of Black family pathology or viability, focusing instead on these families' essential character. The paper seeks to understand Black families on their own terms, locating them in relevant social, historical, political and cultural contexts. Key empirical patterns and trends reveal dramatic changes in Black family geographic location, headship, quality of life and socioeconomic status since 1950.A complex picture is revealed. There has been gradual but steady overall improvement alongside persistent, extreme racial disparties and pronounced class disparities among Black families. The proposed Black Family Socio-Ecological Context model specifies and connects institutional, interpersonal, environmental, temporal and cultural facts that shape the essential character of Black family life in such a way as to produce characteristics simultaneously shared and idiosyncratic. The model also provides an organized, systematic accounting of research and public policy issues relevant to the study of African American families.An early version co-authored with Richard A. English was presented during the National Council on Family Relations Meetings in Portland, Oregon, October 1980.     

The design of organizations and the right to act

Recent innovations in the structure of formal organizations suggest possible directions for the design of schools to bring about high achievement. The structure of output-driven in contrast to administratively-driven schools is described, and designs are described which address both the goal of high achievement and the goal of reduced inequality.An earlier version of this paper was presented as the author's Sorokin Lecture at the annual meeting of the Eastern Sociological Society, Boston, March 1993.     

美国主流媒体对“一带一路”报道的话语建构研究

共建“一带一路”倡议如今已经走过十余年历程,取得了突出成就,为共建国家发展赢得新的机遇。随着美国对“一带一路”的关注度持续上升,分析美国主流媒体对“一带一路”的相关报道可以反映美国对该倡议的态度,便于中国做出有效应对措施。研究运用语料库文本挖掘方法,选取美国两大主流媒体《纽约时报》《华盛顿邮报》中涉及“一带一路”的报道文本,从主题分布、主体建构、搭配词和索引行等维度考察美国主流媒体对该倡议的话语建构方式。研究发现,十年间美国两大媒体对“一带一路”的报道包括“一带一路”建设内容和中国影响力等多个主题。根据时间变化,报道主题存在三个阶段的差异:初期突出中国与亚洲国家的合作,中期重点报道中国的世界影响力,近期涉及新冷战等主题。两大媒体通过勾勒基础设施建设与投资、大国关系和中美贸易等内容建构“中国”和“一带一路”形象,对该倡议的认知从早期的中性态度转向中近期的消极态度。基于此,一方面适时开展舆论反击工作是应对美国舆论的关键,向美国媒体传递高质量“一带一路”信息以回击不实言论;另一方面事实胜于雄辩,继续坚持共建“一带一路”是长期发展之要义,展现大国的胸怀与担当,吸纳更多国家参与“一带一路”,推动共建国家合作共赢,促进文明交流互鉴。     

美国学界先秦道家美学思想研究

西人早在18、19世纪便接触到中国道家经典《老子》与《庄子》,但对其中美学思想之阐发则是20世纪之事。美国学者对先秦道家美学思想进行了一系列研究,主要围绕以下问题展开：道家美学与浪漫主义、道家美学中的＂与道合一＂说、＂神＂的观念、道家言意观、美学思想及其在全球化进程中之意义。其跨学科的研究方法与中西比较的视野有别于国内相关研究。     

中小学校长专业发展的涵义及策略思考——基于江苏省中小学校长的调查研究报告

中小学校长专业发展是一个在学校内外因素影响下 ,校长主体主动专业化的过程 ,在这一过程中表现为 6个方面的特征 ,有 4个持续专业发展的策略