From the Paper "The family unit is a society unto itself, dependent on certain rules and modes of conduct that should mutually support its members. However, stress and crises of varying kinds can force this functioning body to change in ways that can have detrimental effects on each member. Drug use can precipitate such a crisis. The purpose of this paper is to discuss how drugs, including alcohol, impact the family. As the research will show, life-long relationships, as well as the financial stability of the unit and the health of all members are affected as a result of these insidious substances.
"When people live together over a period of time, they develop patterns of relating to one another" (Lammana, 1991, p. 514). Any factor that disrupts these expectations marks the onset of a crisis. The insertion of drugs such as marijuana ..."
From the Paper "Using the metaphor of the theater to describe and explain how roles influence social life has more limitations than benefits. One of the early proponents of sociological drama theory was Erving Goffman. An overview of his concepts reveals that, among other shortcomings, drama theory fails to account for the role of the self in social interaction and the influence of environmental factors.
Goffman admitted that his sociological discourse focused not on the organization of society, but on social interaction (Giddens, 1988, p. 252). Drama theory assumes a pre-set stage. The actors perform on this stage, but play no role in its construction, remodel, or maintenance. It can be assumed that Goffman would be opposed to the notion that a person creates his or her own reality. The organization of society, however, does ..."
Abstract This paper discusses many forms of driver inattention on the road today. The paper states that Americans, and other drivers around the world, treat their cars like an extension of their homes: Eating, drinking, watching movies, talking on the phone, putting on make-up and even brushing their teeth in their cars, while driving. The author feels that the causes of these behaviors are our busy lifestyle, where we try to cram too much into each day.
From the Paper "Road rage is a relatively new problem to the country's drivers, and it has affected everyone who ever sits down behind the wheel. A study by the American Automobile Association's Foundation for Traffic Safety found a 51 percent increase between 1990 and 1996 in incidents of motorists behaving in an overtly hostile manner. They found that road rage has grown over 7 percent in the 90s'. "At least 1,500 men, women, and children are seriously injured or killed each year in the United States as a result of senseless traffic disputes and altercations."
Tags: driver, inattention, homes, busy, lifestyle, traffic, disputes, ban
Abstract This paper examines Abraham Maslow's theory of human development, which Maslow diagrammed as a hierarchy of needs. The paper provides a comprehensive description of this hierarchy, the base of which is formed by physiological needs, followed by social needs and culminating in self-actualization. The paper discusses the stages of early childhood development in relation to Maslow's hierarchy, and includes an overview of the developmental problems with abused children.
Table of Contents
Theory of Human Development
Physiological Needs
Safety/Order Needs
Social Needs
Esteem Needs
Self-actualization
Development Stages
Development Flaws in Abused Children
Bibliography
From the Paper "Abraham Maslow's theory of human development suggests that basic needs are physiological and that the ultimate at the top of the pyramid model is self-actualization, which implies an unattached human being realizing its full potential and autonomy (Maslow). Maslow's theory of human development involves moving from basic needs (food and shelter) to social needs (love and esteem) to the highest needs on his hierarchy, which lead to self-actualization. According to Maslow's theory, humans have several types of needs: physiological, safety/order, social, esteem and self-actualization (Maslow). These needs are the basis of his human development theory."
Abstract This paper discusses the sport of illegal street racing which, although seen by many as a dangerous and harmful activity is actually full of custom, tradition, and history. It shakes off the stereotype of street racing as just another juvenile crime group by showing that the majority of participants are in fact employed full-time, generally as mechanics, or in other trades such as carpentry, boiler making or shop fitting while others tend to be in full-time education, either at high school or ay local universities. It shows how although 18- to 25-year-olds make up the core the illegal street racing culture, the trend cuts across all races, as well as both genders and how it provides a drug-free and violence free society to compete in, while still earning respect from their peers.
From the Paper "The street racing sub-culture draws its main interest, however, due to two elements which also exist in the mainstream culture, those of masculinity, and the symbol of the car. Various sociological and criminological authors have discussed this link. Australian sociologist Rob White, in his book No Space of Their Own, focuses on the way in which, for many men, "the car becomes indelibly stamped into their consciousness as a key symbol of masculinity" (1990, 124-25). Criminologist Chris Cunneen (1985, 85) claims that the relationship is one of power, arguing, ?There is a necessity in seeing the way cars and motorbikes are symbolic objects of masculine power."
Abstract This paper looks at what causes poverty in order to ascertain what solutions there are to the problem. The author discusses how social activism would solve the issue stressing that the community must work together to solve the dilemma of poverty. It is emphasized how the poor must be seen as a productive part of society rather than a burden and their talents and skills utilized.
From the Paper "The world in which we live today is not only based on a capitalist ideology it also thrives on inequality. There are various social problems prevalent within it that include illiteracy, crime, racism, and of course poverty. Sociologists, economists and anthropologists have spent years researching how to overcome the problems that humans face within a community and have yet to reach a conclusive solution. It seems that most social problems are interrelated and create a vicious cycle that different nations and ideologies have failed to overcome. Through law we are able to control crime, through education we overcome illiteracy and racial bias but for some reason trying to create equilibrium in society with context to economics is proving impossible. Social strata's are becoming distinct, as the rich get richer and the poor-poorer."
Abstract Discussion of the federally funded nutrition program. Components of WIC including providing nutritious food, nutrition education, acces to health care to low-income pregnant women, new mothers and infants and children at nutritional risk. Nutritional makeup ot the WIC food package. Positive impact of WIC on its participants. Community welfare and economics.
From the Paper "This is an assessment of the WIC (Women, Infants and Children) program that has been in existence since 1972. The program was established by Congress in 1972 and authorized to go national in 1974. ?WIC is a cost-effective federally funded preventive nutrition program that provides nutritious foods, nutrition education, and access to health care to low-income pregnant women, new mothers, and infants and children at nutritional risk.? (FRAC, 2001) WIC, unlike other federal programs, is not an entitlement but receives funding through Congress annually.
WIC distributes a monthly food package to program participants that contains a prescribed combination of target foods. These are solely for the purpose of improving the nutritional quality of the program participants? diets and in such..."
Abstract Discusses challenges confronted by social workers and other counseling professinals who provide intervention and prevention services. Acting-out or delinquent behavior as a feature of adolescent depression disorders. Need for a working alliance between rehabilitation system caregivers, justice system professionals and parents. Theoretical causes of delinquency. Achieving desirable attitudinal change.
From the Paper "Counseling and Juvenile Rehabilitation
Social workers and other counseling professionals are confronted with the myriad challenges of providing effective intervention and prevention services to juvenile delinquents and other adolescents referred to juvenile rehabilitation centers (Miser, 1996). In the mental health literature, acting-out or delinquent behavior is recognized as an associated feature of adolescent depression disorders. These concerns, however, are seldom addressed in the delinquency literature, which tends to position delinquency and acting-out behaviors as independent of other potentially co-morbid conditions or disorders (miser, 1996). For professionals who work with this population, the literature indicates that working alliances between disparate rehabilitation system caregivers, justice system professionals, and parents a ..."
Abstract This paper provides evidence through studies and reports that mental illness shares a powerful relationship with homelessness. The mentally ill often suffer from symptoms that alienate them from supportive networks, thus leading them to homelessness. Bereft of stable living conditions, the mentally ill thus have an even more difficult time obtaining treatment to improve their condition. The paper shows that on the streets, these people are victimized by traumatic situations -- assaults by criminals and harassment by police. Concomitantly, social policies have contributed to the plight of many homeless people through de-institutionalization without providing support through community mental health services and the housing market. The paper shows that with the implementation of cost-effective and well-researched intervention, the relationship between homelessness and mental illness can be increasingly weakened.
From the Paper "However, in O"Dwyer's study (1997), the schizophrenic participants in the study also had an unhealthy and unstable home life (p. 301). Many of the younger participants ran away from home due to conflict with their parents (p. 301). The older respondents, who were more than fifty years old, led an itinerant lifestyle because of their work situations. They never considered themselves to be homeless even though their lifestyle meant that they never formed close and supportive relationships. Therefore when their illness prevented them from working, they did not have any supportive networks to assist them (O"Dwyer, 1997, p. 303)."
Abstract This paper examines several key concepts in group theory and group dynamics, and relates them to specific examples in the writer's own experience. It focuses on controversy, negotiation, power, demographics, performance, and building productive teams. All are important elements in the ability of a group to fulfill its reasons for coming together and to satisfy the individual participants who make up the group. Understanding these concepts helps to highlight several essential processes necessary to a group's success. Relating the theories found in David W. Johnson and Frank P. Johnson's text, "Joining Together: Group Theory and Group Skills", to specific examples from the author's own life helps to clarify how these principles work and how these theories can be applied outside the classroom.
From the Paper "Groups function in a variety of ways and as the result of different kinds of actions. One of the most significant processes seems on the surface to be the most potentially destructive, but controversy can actually help a group to come to a better resolution and work more effectively on future challenges. Controversy begins with individual assumptions that the group has all the information it needs to handle a crisis or make a decision, and the assumption that is then shattered through open discussion with others in the group. When discussion does not occur, controversy does not follow--and the group then suffers from faulty decisions."
Abstract A recent study showed that nine out of every ten blacks (91 percent) who live to 75 years of age will have experienced poverty for at least one year during their lifetime, compared with only 50% of whites. Many of the children living in poverty in America are the children of African-American families headed by single females. This paper reviews the current literature on the social problem of poverty and single African American females.
From the Paper "Despite this gloomy assessment of poverty among Blacks, reports on the poverty rates among Blacks and Hispanics (Black poverty, 1998; Simms, 1998; Wilson, 1987) showed that there was a continued decline in the poverty rates. They indicated that the number of poor Blacks had dropped by 600,000 to 9.1 million as the poverty rate dropped from 28.4 percent to 26.5 percent in 1997, down from a staggering 35.7 percent in 1983. These numbers drove down the overall poverty rate for Americans from 13.7 percent in 1996 to 13.3 percent, according to the Census Bureau's annual income and poverty report."
Abstract The following paper presents information and statistics encouraging the use of multicultural education in classrooms. The United States has always been very diverse, but its diversity is growing more and more with each passing year. The paper first presents the numbers and statistics associated with this growing diversity as compared to the numbers in the past. Secondly, the paper points out some documented cases promoting the benefits of using multicultural education in classrooms. And lastly it presents some ideas and recommendations, which can be used by educators to implement into their curricula.
From the Paper "The first example of cultural differentiation was perhaps one major basis for why the United States was formed. A group of people sailed away from the culture and religion they once knew, and ventured out to a new land, to seek the freedom they longed for. And now as our country grows more culturally diverse it is essential that students be taught to accommodate with our ever-changing cultural landscape. Today, with more than one-fourth of the U.S. population is enrolled in school; the student population is quite diverse. One-fourth of the population accounts for about 72 million people, which were in school throughout the United States in October 1999. Eight million were enrolled in nursery school and kindergarten, 33 million in elementary school, 16 million in high school, and 15 million in college. Among children enrolled in kindergarten, the majority were White non-Hispanics (60 percent), followed by Blacks (16 percent), and Hispanics (17 percent). Asians and Pacific Islanders accounted for 5 percent of children enrolled in kindergarten. (1) The numbers accounting for children enrolled in elementary school are the highest, which is why it is essential that multicultural education be introduced at a very young age. The Institute of International Education estimates that there are 450,000 international students in the United States, and most of these students come from Asian and Latin American countries. (2) The presence of multiculturalism in American education is indisputable, but it is still a minority movement. Many skeptics feel that by integrating diversity into the American education system, it would be impoverishing the "White European" cultural model, thus doing away with the classics of art and literature, and depriving the students of essential knowledge. However, others have argued for the benefits of multicultural education as an active approach to learning, which encourages the learner to create his or her own knowledge. (3) As teachers prepare for the many educational challenges of the next century, it is essential that they learn how to build bridges between students' home cultures and the cultures of their school environment. These bridges are essential for student academic success, and without them, a serious disservice is done to both students and the larger society in every day life that will ultimately benefit from the development of their special talents. (4) Therefore, because our society has become so diverse, more teachers should implement multicultural education into their classrooms."
Abstract The word "family" typically conjures up the image of an ideal household of two parents of opposite sex and their children. The paper shows that gay men and lesbians who seek to legalize their relationships in same-sex unions or gain custody of their children often face an uphill battle in their effort to form a family. Although gay men and lesbians merely want to exercise the rights enjoyed by heterosexual couples, conservatives view their effort to legalize same-sex unions as a campaign as a strategy to spread the practice of homosexuality and thus affect public morality. The paper shows that essentially, for the conservatives, the traditional definition of a family that has endured for over 6,000 years is at stake.
From the Paper "Various studies comparing the parenting styles of homosexual and heterosexual parents and the children's development in homosexual and heterosexual households have not been able to validate stereotypical conceptions of homosexual partners as inadequate parents. In fact, the studies frequently show that gay men and lesbians display a greater capacity for parenting (McNeill 3). Furthermore, studies on parent-children relationships have shown that gay fathers are more sensitive towards their children and try harder to be a better parent because of their own experiences (McNeill 7). Ultimately, these studies corroborate the fact that there are many same-sex couples who lead responsible and monogamous lives. The stereotypical perception of gay men and lesbians essentially denies the existence of committed same-sex couples who have formed a "family" for years, like many other heterosexual families."
This paper discusses the book, "The City of Joy," by Dominique Lapierre, which projects the underlying message that despite the devastating life of the slum dwellers in Calcutta they have hope and love.
Abstract This paper explains that author Dominique Lapierre researched this book by living with the people of India and the people who try to help them for three years. The author states that critics have called "A City of Joy" one of the most important books on the culture and sociology of India. The paper points out that the author does not look at the topic through rose-colored glasses; he shows the abject poverty in enormous and memorable detail.
From the Paper "This is a story of people who are used to hardships and have learned how to deal with them through courage and good humor. Rather than bemoan the loss of everything he had worked so hard to obtain, Prodip Pal revels in the joy of his sons. "What a blessing those sons were" (Lapierre 7)! This is the central conception to the book, and one from which everyone can learn important lessons. These people do not feel sorry for themselves ? rather they revel in the joys they can find, because they "shared in a communal world and respected its social and religious values, maintaining the ancestral traditions and beliefs" (Lapierre 45). This is why the decrepit slum is called "The City of Joy." It is more than clear they are poor, but they are happy, and it becomes a joy to read about it, even though many of their experiences are quite simply unspeakable."
Tags: india, hardship, courage, poverty, community
Abstract In "The Lost Children of Wilder", reporter Nina Bernstein examines the failures, disasters and tragedies that continue to plague New York City's foster care system. The paper shows that to do this, Bernstein tells two stories. The first details the history of New York City's child welfare system, a system that has been ineffective and mired in bureaucracy for the past 100 years. The second story focuses on the lives of Shirley Wilder and her son Lamont, two generations of children who have both been failed by a chaotic foster care system that refuses to reform.
From the Paper "To read The Lost Children of Wilder is an experience in frustration with the seemingly-endless loop of child welfare. The only solution appears to be increasing public funding to the city's shelter system and to mothers like Shirley, so they are in a better position to raise and educate their children. Critics may point out that women like Shirley should not be mothers. However, Bernstein's narrative leads me to believe that rushing children to foster care has much direr consequences, both for Lamont and eventually, the rest of society (who will eventually shoulder an average of $500,000 per child in foster care). After all, it is in everyone's best interests to ensure that all children receive a positive upbringing, with access to education, medical care and physical well being."
Tags: racial, disparities, Justine, Wise, Polier, juvenile, hall, Legal, Aid
