MSW Students' Perspectives on Social Work Goals and Social Activism Before and After Completing Graduate Education

This article analyzes perspectives on the goals of the social work profession and social activism of a cohort of MSW students before and after attending their graduate program. This study provides insights into the question about whether and how preexisting values, experiences, and background characteristics affect beginning and ending students' views of the goals of social work and also whether they anticipate being socially active in the future, utilizing a range of strategies to effect change. It found that students from all methods began with a dual (micro and macro) view of social work goals and much activism and then left the MSW program with the same confirmed person-in-environment perspective and a commitment to all types of social activism in even greater numbers.     

A Cross-species Comparison of Facial Morphology and Movement in Humans and Chimpanzees Using the Facial Action Coding System (FACS)

A comparative perspective has remained central to the study of human facial expressions since Darwin’s [(1872/1998). The expression of the emotions in man and animals (3rd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press] insightful observations on the presence and significance of cross-species continuities and species-unique phenomena. However, cross-species comparisons are often difficult to draw due to methodological limitations. We report the application of a common methodology, the Facial Action Coding System (FACS) to examine facial movement across two species of hominoids, namely humans and chimpanzees. FACS [Ekman & Friesen (1978). Facial action coding system. CA: Consulting Psychology Press] has been employed to identify the repertoire of human facial movements. We demonstrate that FACS can be applied to other species, but highlight that any modifications must be based on both underlying anatomy and detailed observational analysis of movements. Here we describe the ChimpFACS and use it to compare the repertoire of facial movement in chimpanzees and humans. While the underlying mimetic musculature shows minimal differences, important differences in facial morphology impact upon the identification and detection of related surface appearance changes across these two species.

Labour Market and Human Capital Behaviour of Immigrant Couples: Evidence from Australia

We examine the labour market and human capital investment behaviour of immigrant couples in Australia. The family investment hypothesis (FIH) states that immigrant husbands, whom the FIH assumes to be the primary earners in the family, will invest more in their human capital than immigrant wives, whom the FIH assumes to be secondary earners. Using longitudinal data from Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) for the period 2001 to 2014, we do not find support for the FIH. Instead, we find that foreign-born husbands and wives share similar labour market assimilation patterns with respect to hours of work and wages. Our estimates suggest that immigrant wives' labour market behaviour can be better explained by their own long-term career progression and labour market assimilation, than through supporting their husbands' labour market assimilation.     

Risk Analysis: Understanding “How Safe is Safe Enough?“

The basic characteristics of determining acceptable risk are discussed. Technical, political, and social aspects of the problem add much complexity. The appropriate manner to reach responsible decisions regarding acceptable risk is suggested. This explicitly addresses the alternatives, the objectives, the uncertainty, and the values which constitute the information necessary to arrive at any solution. The inappropriateness of many "solutions" currently in use or "suggested" is exposed.