Psychosocial Well-Being of the Elderly and Their Perception of Matured Estate in Singapore

This article explores various relationships between the elderly's psychosocial well-being and components of aging-friendly community (continuity, compensation, connection, challenge, and contribution), in order to understand their perception of a matured estate and to discuss implications in housing neighborhood urban design. Interviews with elderly residents living in Bukit Merah (Redhill), one of the matured housing estates in Singapore with a high percentage of elderly residents, were conducted to understand how eldercare infrastructure and social spaces developed within the fabric of a high-rise, high-density public housing estate can support or inhibit their psychosocial well-being, as indicated by the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Our results postulate that different groups of elderly form friendships and participate in activities in both formal social service centers and informal public spaces. The friendships formed in these places and the convenience of amenities around their houses may affect their perception of their current residences. While the elderly residents are generally satisfied with physical infrastructure, a comprehensive, integrated urban design is further needed to facilitate physical activities, social interactions, and active aging in the elderly in order to enhance their psychosocial well-being.     

Chapter 5 Lonesome in the Saddle

Abstract

Older people create a sense of self through the decisions they make about their sense of place in the world. Through a series of ethnographic life-stories, drawn from the lives of retired people in an upstate New York community, consideration is given to the meanings that mature men and women attach: to leaving work; to choosing to stay in or leave the home or residence that they have been living in; and to weighing the options of remaining in or moving from their community. The meaningfulness of family, home, possessions, travel, community, and ties to the land, all emerge from these accounts. In negotiating these issues, people also have to deal with a number of conflicting American values, including the tensions between freedom and responsibility, autonomy and rootedness, and adventure and security. The classic American images of the “settler” and the “cowboy” help to convey some of these contradictions.     

对中国妇女参政问题的思考——以后现代女权主义为视角

本质主义的女权主义将＂女人＂等同于有生殖能力,女人基于性而有普遍性。现代女权主义理论在此基础上作出了女人们普遍接受压迫和统一的妇女解放运动的论述。后现代女权主义理论对现代女权主义基于生理性别的对女性的划分给予了颠覆,认为生理性别也是一种社会建构,女人是被论述建构和后天模仿的结果。因此解构了对妇女参政问题的认识,如参政妇女有多样性和差异性,不是所有的妇女都有参政的意识;除非有为妇女而参政的论述出现,否则参政妇女的结构位置不必然出现为妇女参政的主体位置。这些理论再次引发我们对推动妇女参政问题的深入思考,也为在政治领域中推动性别公正提供了强有力的思想武器。     

国家基层策略行为与社区过程: 基于南苑业主自治的社区故事

在转型的社区情境中,国家基层政府的行为是策略性的,社区居民亦陷入了权变的回应过程。文章聚焦于20世纪80年代以来政府行为的不同阶段,从中观的社区形态考察基层政府的不同策略和社区过程。政府干预、释出和旁观调控三种不同类型的行为反映了政府对于社区的态度,社区层次和事件性质是基层政府策略行为的关键自变量。文章运用拓展性个案研究方法,分析了国家在社区的基层策略,以及转型期社区的生成和发展,基层政府行为与社区回应的不同逻辑是社区治理困境的重要根源。     

‘Which side of the bridge to safety?’ How young Pacific Islanders in New Zealand view their South Auckland community

The community of South Auckland, an area that is home to the largest population of people with Pacific Island (Pasifika) heritage in New Zealand, has consistently faced scrutiny and criticism from the media, law enforcement, and other sectors of New Zealand for its reportedly increasing levels of violent gang activity and high rate of criminal offences associated with gangs and involving Pasifika youth. Within the community, however, young Pasifika people appear to have a positive opinion of their community and about particular features of gangs in their South Auckland community though they remain highly critical of the presence of gangs. This was revealed in a recent research study for the New Zealand Families Commission (Nakhid et al. 2009), which was carried out with South Auckland youth of Pasifika heritage between the ages of 12 and 28, including those who were involved in gangs and those who had never been involved in gangs.     

社区教育经费投入的理论研究

社区教育经费不足一直困扰当前我国社区教育发展。实际上,社区教育的经费投入是一个循序渐进逐步推进的过程。在这一过程中,政府作用、资金用途和资金管理都在发生变化。这种循序渐进的过程既不能操之过急,也不能听之任之。我国目前的社区教育经费投入还处在由萌芽向初级阶段的过渡过程中,最缺乏的是投入机制上的系统、互动联系。文章分析了社区教育经费投入的四个阶段,并研究我国社区教育各机制之间的互动。     

广州社区教育活动的基本状况、特征及发展思考

广州正积极推进社区教育的建设。文章从社区教育活动实施主体的角度,阐述了广州社区教育活动的基本状况及特征,提出要提高社区教育活动组织实施者的积极性,社区教育活动的开展仍需要参与各方提供厚实的知识动力和智力、经济支持。     

大历史背景下的小人物命运——转型时期的《白鹿原》乡土社会

辛亥革命成功推翻了统治中国两千多年的封建君主专制制度,使民主、共和观念深入人心。但相较于城市,这样的变革与转型,在农村乡土社会中却显得迟滞。生活在这样环境中的民众,面对如此的巨变,内心矛盾纷繁复杂。以此为契机,接踵而来的各类变化,更是让他们惶恐不已,小人物的命运,也便在这样的大历史背景下,发生了巨大的转折。陈忠实小说《白鹿原》,便是以此为背景的小人物传记。     

学术性社会科学团体党建工作的思考

随着社会发展的日益多元化,学术性社会科学团体在当今政治生活中的地位和作用日益突出和明显;加强学术性社会科学团体的党建工作,是“创新基层党建工作,夯实党执政的组织基础”的一项重要工作;对于保证学术性社团沿着中国特色社会主义道路前进具有重要的现实意义。     

失足青少年的社会工作介入

转型期的青少年失足与犯罪已成为一个突出的社会问题。问题成因是内在心理特点和外在环境因素的综合作用。社会工作作为一种专业化、人性化、柔性化的介入手法,可以通过个案服务、社区矫正服务和倡导性社会工作等方法有效预防和矫正青少年失足与犯罪行为。