“一五”、“二五”期间洛阳工业移民与人口地缘构成

农业城市向现代都市转型,一个显著的标志就是地缘构成的多样性。地缘的多样性蕴含着文化的多样性。对"一五"、"二五"期间洛阳工业移民的研究表明,人口地缘结构的多样性不仅在生理基因和文化基因两个方面影响洛阳城市人口的自然结构,对洛阳社会结构乃至城市文化的形成也具有重要意义。     

本土性:中亚陕西村移民的经济发展模式

中亚陕西村移民是陕甘回民起义失败后民间自发的一次大规模境外生存移民,其移民经济在发展过程中呈现鲜明的本土性：陕西村早期的农业开发沿用了关中地区的农垦模式,畜牧经营也保留了在陕时农牧结合的传统,手工业商业经营饱含关中传统工艺特点和民族特色,对外经济文化交流深怀浓重的故土情结,主要同中国、特别是陕西进行交流往来,整个移民经济发展呈现浓郁的陕西关中特色。     

Psychosocial risk factors and processes impeding adaptive capacities and contributing to psychosocial distress among later-life Egyptian immigrants

ABSTRACT

This qualitative study explores and describes the transactional and cumulative psychosocial stressors that later-life Egyptian immigrants encounter upon coming to the United States, and how they impede their adaptive capacities, hinder their adjustment efforts, and impact their psychosocial well-being. Such stressors are more pronounced among those who immigrated to the United States from Egypt after reaching the retirement age of 60 for two reasons. First, they experience pre-immigration stressors that force or expedite their departure from Egypt under duress, thus incurring numerous financial and symbolic losses. Secondly, in the last developmental stage, when age-related losses are triggered, they are concomitantly exposed to a starkly different lifestyle, language, cultural norms, living and financial arrangements, roles, and relationships. All such circumstances contribute to a sense of confusion, guilt, shame, and being a burden on others, which culminate in withdrawal, isolation, and distress. The findings of this study can be used to inform psychosocial and therapeutic interventions and guide the development of appropriate social work programs, services, and policies for later-life Egyptian immigrants in particular and older Arabic-speaking immigrants in general.     

Depressive symptoms and help‐seeking behaviors among Korean Americans

Cheung M, Leung P, Cheung A. Depressive symptoms and help‐seeking behaviors among Korean Americans Int J Soc Welfare 2011: 20: 421–429 © 2010 The Author(s), International Journal of Social Welfare © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the International Journal of Social Welfare. Korean Americans represent the fifth largest group of Asian Americans in the USA. This exploratory survey of 205 Korean Americans (92.2 percent foreign born) found that those with depressive symptoms tend to be younger, have lower incomes, and are more concerned about their basic needs, community/social needs, family relationship issues, and healthcare issues than those without depressive symptoms. Income, healthcare concerns, and anxiety were significant predictors of depression. The likelihood of having depressive symptoms among Korean Americans with anxiety was 240 times higher than among those without anxiety, but acculturation was not a significant contributing factor. Most respondents tended to seek advice about their mental health problems from physicians and non‐mental health professionals (friends and religious healers). Implications for social work education, research, practice, and policy are discussed in relation to the need to use evidence‐based practice data to plan culturally relevant services for ethnic minorities.     

Low-status work consequences on immigrant workers' organization: the cases of five immigrant groups in Athens

The article centres on the repercussions low-prestige work has on the collective organization and representation of immigrant workers. This micro-sociological analysis focuses on the cases of Egyptian, Albanian, Bangladeshi, Palestinian, and Philippine immigrants in Athens and how the frame of their work and their employment affects their participation in their immigrant work associations. Evidence from in-depth interviews proves that the majority of immigrants do not claim established workers' rights and do not seek membership in any unions. On the contrary, they rely on a network of friends and relatives for support and develop individual behaviours and alternative solutions to achieve survival and protection.     

Supplemental Security Income Among Older Immigrants From Central and South America: The Impact of Welfare Reform

This article explores the impact of federal welfare policy changes on older immigrants born in Central and South America. Using data from the 1990 and 2000 U.S. Census 5% Public-Use Microdata Samples, the study examines (1) the change in Supplemental Security Income (SSI) uptake rate after welfare reform for noncitizens from Latin America, naturalized Latin Americans, and U.S.-born Hispanics and (2) how much of the change can be attributed to a change in behavior rather than to a change in eligibility rates. Findings show that the decline in SSI receipt after welfare reform was greater for Latin American noncitizens compared to naturalized citizens and Hispanic U.S.-born citizens. Decomposition analyses show that among eligible elderly noncitizens, the decline in recipiency rate was due mostly to a change in behavior rather than a change in eligibility. This pattern is not found for U.S.-born and naturalized citizens, where changes were mostly due to a decline in the proportion of persons eligible for SSI. This suggests that as a result of legislative changes, older immigrants may not be applying for benefits for which they may be legally entitled. Policy implications are discussed.     

Implications of Welfare Reform on the Elderly

Abstract

Whereas many studies of welfare reform have focused on effects on children and families, little research has examined the implications of welfare reform for the elderly. This case study incorporates interviews with service providers for the aging, members of advocacy organizations, and two focus groups of older consumers conducted in the multi-ethnic urban community of San Francisco. Study findings suggest that welfare reform has had both direct and indirect effects on the elderly and their services in the study community. Direct effects derive primarily from changes in the welfare reform legislation that had the effect of undermining both immigrants' eligibility for and claiming of public assistance benefits. Indirect effects on older persons include increased child-care demands upon grandparents. The case study data bear on a significant policy change within the broader trend of devolution at a historical point when anti-immigrant sentiment in the United States was running high.     

Ethnic Sensitive Social Work Practice: Back to the Future

SUMMARY

In this paper we examine the history and future directions of ethnic sensitive social work practice. We highlight the context within which the approach was developed and current sociodemographic trends. The various rights movements of the sixties and seventies pointed to the need to refocus on social class and ethnicity. The new demographic landscape, largely a function policies, reinforces the importance of concepts such as the ethnic reality and other aspects of our work.     

A Preliminary Exploration of Immigrant Substance Abusers from the Former Soviet Union Living in Israel,Germany and the United States: A Multi-National Perspective

SUMMARY

The Former Soviet Union (FSU) has historically been seen as having an unusually large population of individuals with alcohol problems. Since the fall of the communist regime, a growing drug abusing population has become visible. With the large migration of its residents to western countries and to Israel, the rates of alcohol and drug problems among these immigrants appear to be disproportionally high, although reliable data are lacking. The purpose of this article is to summarize exploratory data regarding alcohol and other drug use among immigrants from the Former Soviet Union living in Israel, Germany and the United States, and to identify further research needs and implications for treatment and policy.     

Positive enough? A content analysis of settlement service organizations' inclusivity of LGBTQ immigrants

Little is known about how effective Canadian settlement organizations are in meeting the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) immigrants. The authors conducted a two-stage content analysis of the inclusion of LGBTQ immigrants in 34 settlement organizations in Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador, and on the delivery of services by nine settlement organizations that self-described as LGBTQ-positive spaces. Stage 1 deductive content analysis findings revealed poor inclusion and support for LGBTQ immigrants. Stage 2 inductive content analysis findings revealed four service priority areas: health/well-being, community connections, advocacy/education, and disability. Recommendations for best practices are discussed.