An exploration of social & emotional factors impacting well-being in women who have sex with women (WSW)

Abstract

“Women who have sex with women” or WSW have unique perspectives within the LBGTQ spectrum. The purpose of this study included documenting perceptions, feelings, and experiences among WSW. Thirty-seven women participated in six focus groups, ages ranged from 20–64 years. Responses were transcribed and thematically coded. Four themes emerged as influencing factors: shame and fear, community, gender roles, and normalcy. Each major theme produced minor themes providing a context within major themes. Results offer valuable insights that can assist community members, health professionals, and scientists to better appraise the disparities and stigma impacting social and emotional well-being among WSW.     

The color of corrections: Racial politics and prison privatization

Privatizing the administration of American prisons represents a popular tool of correctional governance. In turn, policy and public administration researchers are routinely studying the consequences of prison privatization on criminal justice outcomes such as recidivism rates and prisoner complaints. However, much less attention has been paid to the antecedents of privatization decisions occurring across states, in particular how racial determinants might be influencing privatization outcomes. Building upon existing policy research with theories of social construction and negative racial classification, we argue that privatization debates over corrections management become more racialized when Black prisoners comprise a larger share of the state prison population, predicting higher overall levels of privatization usage. We further argue that this Black prisoner presence-privatization relationship is context-specific and conditioned by two additional variables: (1) levels of mass racial stereotyping and (2) partisan composition of state government. The statistical analysis demonstrates that racial determinants do significantly influence state prison privatization decisions and in complex ways as theorized. In states where Blacks make up a larger share of the prison population, privatization usage is found to be higher. Additionally, in line with theoretical expectations, Black prisoner presence is associated with increased privatization levels most strongly in states where citizenries hold heightened levels of racial fear and Republicans have increased legislative presence. This research is of keen interest to scholars of public policy and management, who could pay more heed to the ways in which race influences decisions around administrative structuring and outcomes for taxpayers and clients.     

Perceived Climate in Physical Activity Settings

This study focused on the perceived climate for LGBT youth and other minority groups in physical activity settings. A large sample of undergraduates and a selected sample including student teachers/interns and a campus Pride group completed a school climate survey and rated the climate in three physical activity settings (physical education, organized sport, exercise). Overall, school climate survey results paralleled the results with national samples revealing high levels of homophobic remarks and low levels of intervention. Physical activity climate ratings were mid-range, but multivariate analysis of variation test (MANOVA) revealed clear differences with all settings rated more inclusive for racial/ethnic minorities and most exclusive for gays/lesbians and people with disabilities. The results are in line with national surveys and research suggesting sexual orientation and physical characteristics are often the basis for harassment and exclusion in sport and physical activity. The current results also indicate that future physical activity professionals recognize exclusion, suggesting they could benefit from programs that move beyond awareness to skills and strategies for creating more inclusive programs.     

The “difference between heaven and earth”: Urban–rural disparities in well-being in China

Although China is a rapidly developing nation, rural–urban disparities in well-being remain large, and perhaps have become larger than in the early years of the Communist period because the urban sector has benefited from China's transition to a market economy much more than has the rural sector; or perhaps have become smaller as earning opportunities in the export-oriented manufacturing sector have increased for those from rural origins. Economic disparities are exacerbated by institutional arrangements that have created a two-class society based on registration (hukou) status with sharp rural–urban distinctions in the public provision of schooling, health care, housing, and retirement benefits. Indeed, it is fair to say that China built an urban welfare state on the backs of the peasants.     

试论爱伦·坡的种族观

出于对国家未来的焦虑,爱伦.坡把当时美国社会尖锐的种族问题巧妙融入小说叙事中。他用隐喻、象征等多种艺术手法,对残酷的奴隶制和种族压迫进行了无情的批判和鞭挞,对黑奴的悲惨遭遇表达了深切的同情和怜悯。然而,坡深受南方传统文化的熏陶,其思想上的保守因子导致种族立场的局限性和不彻底性。为了避免过分触及种族问题而陷入政治漩涡,他在小说中采取一种调和策略,即一种既不触怒白人读者、又能为大多数黑人所接受的"平均种族主义"。坡竭力在小说中构建一个没有种族歧视、种族迫害的理想世界,表达了对黑人、白人等多种族和谐共存的美好憧憬。     

产业集聚促进经济增长及扩大区域差距的实证分析——以江苏省纺织业为例

文章从产业集聚出发,以江苏省纺织业1990至2008年的时间序列数据,采用主成份因子分析和协整分析方法,研究了产业集聚与区域经济增长之间的关系。通过研究发现资本在江苏省集聚程度每提高1%,就会引起江苏省在全国的GDP比重增加0.072%,从而产生0.144%的差距,而劳动力集聚则会产生0.178%的差距。同时发现,劳动力集聚所带来的经济增长效应较之资本集聚更为显著。     

当美国犹太人遇上黑人——试论马拉默德的种族观

马拉默德一直很关注美国犹太人与黑人的种族关系,在其三部作品中都涉及到了这个问题,在马拉默德看来,美国犹太人与黑人的关系一直处在动态变化之中,并不能够简单地以“结盟”或“分裂”这样的字眼来概括。由于历史和种族的原因,这两个民族产生过种种误会和隔阂,只有用爱与怜悯、理解与宽恕的方式去面对矛盾和分歧,才能使他们真正和睦相处。他的这一种族观,正是源于他一贯坚持的人道主义思想。     

White international transracial adoptive mothers' reflections on race

Through the use of qualitative data analysis of in‐depth interviews with eight white international transracial adoptive mothers, four properties emerged that describe these mothers' racial views. These properties varied in the degree that they integrated perspectives different from the white dominant culture. The mothers did not experience significant changes in their perspective on race subsequent to adoption. This paper includes a discussion of white racial identity and implications for social work practice with transracially adoptive parents.     

Gangs as Alternative Transitional Structures

SUMMARY

This paper reports the results of a comparative study of youth gangs in minority communities in Los Angeles and London, England. A combined qualitative-quantitative research design was used to obtain information on the experiences, attitudes and behaviors of Black youth who were involved with or influenced by gangs.

Measures included two semi-structured interview schedules for focus groups and individual youth, respectively. Demographic data and statistics on social indicators were obtained for this population in both cities from government and social agency reports on rates of school drop-outs, youth unemployment, involvement in the juvenile/criminal justice system, and health/mental health utilization.

The sample included a total of 144 African-American youth, ages 15-30, in 17 focus groups and 32 for individual interviews in Los Angeles, and a total of 86 Afro-Caribbean youth, ages 15-24, in ten focus groups and 66 for individual interviews in London. Results suggest that gangs provide minority youth with an alternative transitional structure for achieving social and economic mobility.