Introduction: The Methodological Strengths and Dilemmas of Qualitative Sociology

Qualitative Sociology -     

Corporate Governance and Director Accountability: an Institutional Comparative Perspective*

This paper examines the role of boards of directors in light of institutional contingencies and recent best practice governance guidelines and regulation such as the United Kingdom Higgs Review and the United States Sarbanes‐Oxley Act 2002. Particular attention is paid to discussing the role of independent directors across countries, and the implications for corporate governance innovation. It concludes by posing questions about recent corporate governance transformations and providing suggestions for future research.     

Multiple family group therapy with adolescents in a state hospital

Conclusion In this paper, I have briefly discussed multiple family group therapy as an approach used with state-hospitalized adolecents and their parents. This approach was considered as best meeting the therapeutic needs of the seriously disturbed adolescent and his hard-to-reach family. Parents and adolescents were receptive to and cooperative with the multiple family group approach. This approach was one amendable to an understaffed, underbudgeted state hospital unit and is looked upon as an appropriate, a possible, and a successful treatment method. In addition, this approach was appropriate and successful with two groups which, culturally speaking, were diametrically opposed. I have outlined briefly some of the operating differences within the two groups. The overwhelming similarities in the approaches with these groups, however, illustrates the approach's general applicability.     

Lesbian studies and activism in India

This essay surveys public debates and writings about lesbianism and the history of activism around lesbian issues in twentieth-century India. Weddings between women and joint suicides by female couples over the last twenty-five years are among the under-researched, but increasingly reported, phenomena that suggest future directions that activism and the study of lesbianism in India may take.     

Socializing Children About Family Structure: Perspectives of Lesbian and Gay Adoptive Parents

Despite increasing numbers of lesbian- and gay- (LG-) parent families, little research on LG-adoptive-parent families has examined parental beliefs and perceptions related to discussing their sexual minority status with their children. This study assessed 266 LG adoptive parents (160 lesbian mothers, 106 gay fathers) from the Modern Adoptive Families (MAF) study, a nationwide survey (2012–2013) of adoptive parents' pre- and post-placement experiences. A cultural socialization lens provided the framework for examining LG parenting beliefs and practices. Two measurement scales were developed to examine parents' perceptions and self-efficacy related to socializing their child about being in a sexual-minority-parent family. Results indicate that LG parents endorse the importance of unique socialization practices and generally feel confident engaging in these practices. Parent education, transracial adoption, endorsement of racial socialization, and socialization self-efficacy were positively associated with endorsement of socialization practices. Excellent reliability suggests the 2 scales have the potential of being psychometrically sound instruments with which to measure parental endorsement and related self-efficacy of socialization practices for families headed by sexual minority parents. Findings contribute to a deeper understanding of socialization and communication patterns in LG-headed families, especially those formed through adoption. Research, policy, and practice implications are discussed.