Linking family engagement with a rights perspective: macro factors influencing practice

While child welfare practitioners in many countries are struggling to develop methods of effective family engagement, they operate within different national and cultural contexts that influence, both positively and negatively, the ability to engage with families. Increasingly, international comparisons are necessary to further understanding of the development of social work practice. This is particularly necessary because most countries utilize international frameworks (such as the United National Convention on the Rights of the Child) to provide guidance in the development of policies, programs, and interventions. Each country (and locality) struggles to advance practice to be more effective and humane. Our paper offers a comparative analysis focused on family-oriented and rights-based frameworks of different countries. Based on a review of current national policies and a review of the literature regarding family-based practices, we examine similarities and differences among four countries: the United Kingdom, Sweden, the United States, and South Korea. These countries were selected because they have some similarities (advanced industrialized democracies, professional social work, and formal child protection systems) but have some differences in their social welfare systems (policies, specific practices, and socio-cultural context). These differences can be utilized to advance understanding regarding the promise and potential for family engagement strategies. We then discuss the utility of this comparison for theory-building in the arena of child-care practice and conclude by identifying the challenges and limitations of this work.     

Whatever Happened to Drama? A Configurational–Comparative Analysis of Genre Trajectory in American Cinema, 1946–2013

Although usually conceived of and studied as individual types, genres are frequently combined in practice. This research examines how genres are combined in popular American films, and how the popularity of particular combinations changed between 1946 and 2013. Distinguishing between “contextual genres” (which identify a film's subject matter) and “affective genres” (which identify a film's intent), we find marked differences between the postwar and blockbuster eras of the Hollywood film industry. The blockbuster era exhibits less generic diversity than the earlier postwar era. Furthermore, the popular postwar‐era films dealt with serious subjects and were set in realistic settings. The blockbuster era replaced these with intense, nonrealistic films. We also find that the relationship between contextual and affective genres changes within industry eras, with affective genres dominating at the beginning of new periods and the popularity of contextual genres growing as the period progresses.     

Lessons from a comparative study of user involvement

Abstract

Grounded in the context of the significant differences in service user involvement in social work education and research between the UK and Israel, a joint project between Anglia Ruskin University in the UK and Tel-Hai College in Israel was developed. Its aim was to develop a comparative research methodology to evaluate the outcomes of service user involvement in social work education. A main tenet of our research methodology consisted of partnering with a group of older people who used health and social care services as co-researchers from each country. This co-researching methodology together with the evaluation tools worked effectively in the two respective countries. The key findings highlight that while students in both countries valued the involvement of service users in their training, this occurred more so in Israel, where this is a very new development. Students in both countries developed rich concept maps illustrating the complexity of such an involvement. Yet, while the responses of both groups to vignettes describing user involvement scenarios reflected the positive impact of such an involvement, the UK students focused on the negative impact of potential risk more so than the Israeli students.     

Analysis of Spanish policies for the integration of immigrant schoolchildren

The Organic Law on the Improvement of the National Education Quality (Ley Orgánica de Reforma de la Calidad Educativa) readdressed one of the most significant educational issues: educational policies related to immigrant students. Therefore, this is an appropriate moment to evaluate these types of policies in three singular Spanish regions: Madrid, Catalonia and Andalusia. This article presents an analysis of the measures taken in three Spanish regions: Madrid, Catalonia and Andalusia in response to students’ reception, acceptance and enrolment of immigrant students. A qualitative methodology based on the comparative method is used. Diverse similarities, but also specific characteristics and differences, can be found among the three models associated with each region. There are several significant differences that can be appreciated, such as the institutional role, as well as other specific measures. However, singular features are also identified, such as the diverse policies for the use of the vehicular language in each of the cases. Finally, the comparisons highlight various critical aspects, such as attention devoted to the students’ native language and progress towards intercultural education in school strategies and planning.     

湖北省开展省际经济合作的问题与对策

开展省际经济合作对湖北经济发展具有重要的现实意义。同时,湖北省的省情对湖北开展省际经济合作也有很多的有利条件和不利因素,对此,必须有针对性地制定湖北省开展省际经济合作的相关对策,并切实付诸实施。     

民事简易程序的域外法比较

对两大法系代表性国家的民事简易程序制度从受案范围、启动方式、审理组织、审理方式、裁判形式、小额诉讼程序6个方面对民事简易程序进行了较为系统、全面的比较,以便了解国外完备的民事简易程序制度,同时为我国民事简易程序的完善提供可资借鉴的先进经验。     

中国地方政府创新模式的可持续研究 ——基于“中国政府创新最佳实践”案例（2011—2016）的QCA方法

基于2011—2016年三届“中国政府创新最佳实践”的30个案例,引入定性比较分析（QCA）,从中层理论的视角,分析了在不同条件组合的情形下,地方政府创新实践可持续案例的特点。研究发现,中国地方政府存在三种主要的创新模式及条件组合：一是试点型创新,对应条件组合为创新扩散、学术关注和上级推广;二是地方型创新,对应条件组合为未创新扩散、未学术关注和未技术创新;三是技术型创新,对应条件组合为创新扩散、学术关注和技术创新。     

自由心证制度模式考察--一种比较法的分析

自由心证制度以证据的自由评价模式为核心,同时包括所有规制自由评价的规则和制度.两大法系近代证据制度都以证据的自由评价模式为核心,采用的都是自由心证制度,但是由于事实裁判者、诉讼机制、审理形式以及法律传统等诸方面的差异,两者在规制自由评价的措施上迥然有异,形成自由心证制度的两种模式.     

河南省文化旅游资源识别与竞争优势分析

悠久的历史、丰富的文化、奇特的自然环境赋予了河南众多宝贵的文化旅游资源,河南只要充分利用、开发这些资源,就能实现文化旅游产业的快速发展。对河南省文化旅游资源进行分类、识别和比较,找出需要重点关注的优势资源,并根据这些优势资源提出相应的发展战略极为必要。     

百年中国共产党独特性的解释进路、表现向度与生成逻辑

和其他政党相比较,中国共产党具有不同于一般政党的独特样态,它们集中诠释着党的独特优势和优良品质。党的独特性蕴含在党的历史使命与行动价值之中,同时也通过具体的政党行为映现出来。党的独特性主要表现为具有彻底的自我革命性、博大的人类情怀、超越自我的牺牲精神、高度的政党纯洁性以及非凡的红色政党气质等。党的独特性的生成具有复杂性,是内在与外在因素、历史和时代环境以及国内和国际条件等共同作用的集合体。党的独特性源于无产阶级政党的特殊基因,是对党的百年政治实践的能动反映,是党持续拓展政党功能的集中显现,更是党有效应对百年复杂世界体系的结果。