Volunteer Behavior and Factors that Influence Volunteering Among Residents in Continuing Care Retirement Communities

The purpose of this survey was to explore volunteer preferences, perceived benefits and barriers, and the factors that influence volunteering among older adults living in a continuing care retirement community. This was a single group, one-time survey completed via a face-to-face interview. The sample included 127 older adults who were eligible and completed the survey. The majority were women (78%) and White (98%), with an average age of 88.0 (SD = 6.5) years. Engagement in volunteer activities ranged from 0 to 7, with a mean of .94 (SD = 1.30). Just under half (47%) of the participants were engaged in volunteer work, with the majority (87%) volunteering within the facility. Perceived benefits and barriers to volunteering were described. Chronic illness, age, time spent exercising, and resilience accounted for 25% of the variance in volunteer activity. Those who had fewer chronic illnesses, were younger, spent more time exercising, and were more resilient were more likely to volunteer. Findings from this study suggest that there are advantages to offering volunteer activities within senior living facilities. Ongoing study is needed to develop and implement successful facility-specific volunteer programs.     

Chapter 3 Decision-Making and Satisfaction with a Continuing Care Retirement Community

Abstract

We draw on both life course and decision-making theories to examine decision strategies prior to moving to a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) and subsequent satisfaction following the move. Multivariate analyses drawing on panel data for a sample of 92 older adults (age 64 to 94) before and after their move to a CCRC show that frequent residential relocation in the adult years reduces the odds of considering staying in one's own home. Cognitive orientations at time 1 predict subsequent satisfaction with the move to a CCRC: mastery increases the odds, desiring age-integrated housing reduces the odds.     

Community policing in racialized communities: A potential role for police social work

ABSTRACT

Despite lack of strong empirical evidence about its effectiveness, community policing remains the approach of choice for police organizations in managing the complexity of crime and neighborhood disorder. It is also the preferred strategy for improving relations between police and racialized communities. Anchored in ongoing public conversations and protests about the tense relationships between police and racialized communities, this article offers a theoretical analysis of community policing. An overview of its objectives, principles, and use in Canada is first provided. Next, a critical reading of community policing is presented, which suggests that its end may be near, given that it has not fulfilled its promise of improved police-minority relations. Finally, the case of Abdirahman Abdi in Ottawa is discussed, to illustrate this failed promise. The author contends that, in the absence of a change model for transformation in police-minority relations, police social workers are an important but overlooked component of community policing. The article concludes with several recommendations, one of which is to employ police social workers in police organizations, since the challenge of community policing requires a multidisciplinary perspective that the police alone cannot provide.     

Epistemological inclusiveness in researching the African American community

Abstract

African American communities have experienced negative effects from a history of medical abuse, lack of proper research procedures, and misinterpretations of study findings because of racism. These past injustices have led to a mistrust of research and researchers. This paper focuses on how some methodological challenges, in a study funded by a National Institutes of Health grant on two low-income African American communities in Kentucky, were mediated through the collaboration of a multi-racial/ethnic team of researchers engaged in cross-disciplinary research. The information for this paper is based on the reflections of key members of the research team. The reflections show that having researchers with different epistemologies resulted in a culturally aware and sensitive study in which emic and etic research approaches were adopted. The inclusion of race-based epistemologies and close community ties were found to be particularly useful in building trust and getting the support of the two communities. However, these outcomes were only possible because research team members provided each other latitude for intellectual freedom and leadership.     

内生式新型农民自治组织的嬗变

内生式新型农民自治组织是在对传统农民自治组织和外源式新型农民自治组织批判的基础上,伴随着农民利益主体意识、政治主体意识和自治诉求的不断提高而滋生和发展的。它在充分尊重人的主体性,有效回应民众需求的同时,也面临着非均质社会环境和制度供给缺位、外部输入过剩、集体行动的困境等诸多因素的交叉影响和制约。当组织无法将这些外部负效应内部化、内部负效应正效化时,便会偏离既定的轨道而发生嬗变。文章从组织发展的视角切入,明晰了内生式新型农民自治组织嬗变的表象,剖析了嬗变的原因,试图从学理上匡扶它的发展路径,以助益它的健康发展。     

Adoption and adaptation: A computational case study of the spread of Granovetter's weak ties hypothesis

How do new scientific ideas diffuse? Computational studies reveal how network structures facilitate or obstruct diffusion; qualitative studies demonstrate that diffusion entails the continuous translation and transformation of ideas. This article bridges these computational and qualitative approaches to study diffusion as a complex process of continuous adaptation. As a case study, we analyze the spread of Granovetter's Strength of Weak Ties hypothesis, published in American Journal of Sociology in 1973. Through network analysis, topic modeling and a close reading of a diffusion network created using Web of Science data, we study how different communities in this network interpret and develop Granovetter's hypothesis in distinct ways. We further trace how these communities originate, merge and split, and examine how central scholars emerge as community leaders or brokers in the diffusion process.     

民族互嵌式社区铸牢中华民族共同体意识的实现路径——基于整体性治理视角

民族互嵌式社区作为推动各民族交往交流交融的空间场域,目的是打破民族交往过程中社会结构的分隔,实现不同民族的良性互动与共同发展。铸牢中华民族共同体意识背景下,探索符合民族互嵌式社区发展实际的治理路径,对于提升民族互嵌式社区现代化治理水平和推动民族地区加快现代化建设步伐具有重要意义。基于整体性治理研究视角,通过对民族互嵌式社区治理的相关研究梳理和整体性治理的理论内涵分析,发现整体性治理所秉持的以民众需求为价值导向,以协调、整合与创新来引导多主体参与协同共治的理念与民族互嵌式社区治理的价值目标存在一定的耦合关系。通过对民族互嵌式社区整体性治理铸牢中华民族共同体意识的逻辑机理分析,提出强化基层党建引领作用、聚焦民族地区经济建设、健全矛盾纠纷化解机制和完善社区现代治理体系的整体性治理路径,为民族互嵌式社区铸牢中华民族共同体意识探索行之有效的实现方式。     

人情交往在我国农村存在的价值

在传统社会人际关系研究的基础上,探讨农村社会中人情交往的主要形态,并对其在新形势下的文化内涵进行解读;运用社会功能的相关理论对这种人情交往的功能进行了分析,指出了人情交往的功能主要是稳定农业生产、促进信息交流和维护村庄和谐;而更深层的意义还包括促进社区整合和提供心理归属,并由此对农村社区的存在价值进行探讨。     

河南省“三化”协调与中原经济区建设研究进展及问题——以中国地理学会2012年学术年会“三化”协调与中原经济区建设分会成果为视角

河南省在长期探索与系统研究的基础上,确立了以新型农村社区建设为新型城镇化的切入点、城乡一体化的结合点、促进农村发展的增长点和三化协调发展的突破点的战略思想。综述了“三化”协调与中原经济区建设的最新成果和重要意义,并分析了当前中原区经济建设亟待解决的四个问题。