Getting Unstuck: Interdisciplinarity as a New Discipline

Most disciplines and subdisciplines consider their particular specialization to be valuable in itself and superior to other disciplines. But compared with the huge leaps in the physical sciences, the social/behavioral sciences and humanities have made little progress. Since many of the physical science advances were the result of the merging of disciplines, perhaps interdisciplinarity should be tried. One path to connecting disciplines, subdisciplines, and micro‐macro levels is suggested by Spinoza's idea of part/whole methodology, exactly balancing concrete instances with abstract theses. Ideas by B. Pascal, A. Koestler, A. N. Whitehead, and E. O. Wilson may also be helpful. Any discipline, subdiscipline, or level can serve as a valuable stepping‐off place, but to advance further, integration with at least one other viewpoint may be necessary. Two brilliant examples are The Civilizing Process, by the sociologist Norbert Elias, and Freudian Repression, by the psychologist Michael Billig. Koestler's idea of “bi‐sociation” may prove to be particularly rewarding. The way that Virginia Woolf's depiction of role‐taking in interior monologue preceded the idea in social science is an extraordinary example. The need for integration may be the single most important issue facing social science, the humanities, and their subdisciplines. Given the scope of the social/behavioral problems faced by humanity, the sooner the better.     

Shared Family Care: Fostering the Whole Family to Promote Safety and Stability

ABSTRACT

Shared Family Care is an innovative child welfare service that temporarily places whole families in the homes of community mentors who, along with a team of professionals, help the families to obtain the skills and resources they need to move toward self-sufficiency and adequately care for their children. This article provides an overview of this model, identifies existing programs in the United States, discusses key elements of the model, summarizes outcomes and comparative cost information, identifies implementation challenges, and provides tips for starting a Shared Family Care program in any community.     

The Relationship Between Child Sexual Abuse and Alexithymic Symptoms in a Population of Recovering Adult Substance Abusers

ABSTRACT

Recovering substance abusers with a history of childhood sexual abuse (n = 69) or no history of childhood sexual abuse (n = 68) completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) and a background survey assessing demographic data and (In the case of sexually abused respondents) parameters of the childhood abuse experienced. The sexually abused group scored significantly higher than the non-abused group on the TAS. Within the abused group, measured alexithymic symptomatology was found to be related positively to the duration of the abuse. Alexithymia was significantly higher when the sexual abuse first occurred after the victim had reached the age of 12, when a perpetrator of the sexual abuse was a father or stepfather, and when the abuse involved oral, vaginal, and/or anal penetration. Results were interpreted as indicating that the development of alexithymic symptoms may represent another defense victims may employ to insulate themselves from painful affect, along with dissociative symptoms and substance abuse, which have been shown previously to characterize adult survivors of child sexual abuse.     

Co-Occurring Substance Use and Personality Disorders: Current Thinking on Etiology,Diagnosis, and Treatment

ABSTRACT

Despite the high prevalence of personality disorders among substance abusing individuals, the literature on these co-occurring disorders is limited. This paper reviews the literature and provides the most current data on the demographics, the criteria for diagnosing both personality disorders and substance use disorders, and the effects of substance abuse and co-occurring personality disorders, particularly antisocial and borderline, on prognoses and treatment approaches. Recommendations for further research on these co-occurring disorders are provided.     

明清之际"诗史"观的新进展--吴伟业知人论世观内涵新探

吴伟业知人论世观与其以"心史"为"诗史"的文学思想相结合,既突破了传统知人论世批评的政治教化决定论与"文如其人"的思维模式,又突破了明代诗学脱离社会现实的弊端,具有明清之际知人论世批评重经世致用与时运的共同特征,并形成了自己独特的内涵,体现了明清之际"诗史"观的新进展。     

把系统作为过程来对待

系统思维是一个庞大而精深的概念体系,我们有必要将其作为过程来认真对待:(1)把对象系统作为过程来认识是一个重要而易被忽视的系统观点;(2)系统思维要求用过程分析来揭示系统的过程结构;(3)系统思维重在把握过程系统的整体涌现性;(4)人的过程思维能力,必须有意识地培育。     

浅谈《诗经·唐风》和《诗经·魏风》表现出来的地理环境对人物性格的影响

地理环境的差异必然会引起人物性格的差异 ,二者既是双向制约的因果关系又是对立统一的辩证关系、不断发展的动态关系 ,在一定阶段内具有可调控性     

对经济法基石范畴与价值追求的反思

社会整体利益作为经济法的基石范畴,几乎已经成为了所有经济法学者的共识.在此基础之上,经济法则有其独特的价值追求,即社会整体效益,法和效益通过法所保护的利益联系起来,利益是法的基石,而对效益的追求则是法的价值之一.因此,经济法保护的应是社会整体利益,所追求的应是社会整体效益.