Affilia recent issues

Gentle, Angry Women Creating Change

Roche, S. E. — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:35:08 PST

Feminists in Social Work: Where Have All the Leaders Gone?

Lazzari, M. M., Colarossi, L., Collins, K. S. — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:35:08 PST

The purpose of this article is to reignite a discourse about feminist principles and their application to leadership in the social work profession that will extend beyond the theoretical to actions that are guided by these principles, leading overtime to concrete change. Mainstream theories of leadership are reviewed, as are developments in feminist approaches to leadership. Specifying principles and suggesting practices in relation to leadership result in an integrated feminist perspective of leadership. The intent is to encourage a dialogue about the challenges of social change in both processes and outcomes across multiple contexts by diverse women and men.

The Search for Wonder Woman: An Autoethnography of Feminist Identity

Averett, P. — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:35:08 PST

This article presents an autoethnographic account of a feminist who created an art project about her connection to men and, as a result, engaged in a search for Wonder Woman, whom she views as a role model who encourages both masculinity and femininity in women. As a result of the search for Wonder Woman, a small social movement began as friends, family members, and social work students became aware of the role of patriarchy in shaping young women and became determined also to find Wonder Woman. Engaging in a narrative account, self-reflection, and a critique of culture, this feminist autoethnography also attempts to resist patriarchal standards that enforce male-dominant expectations of writing and research. Implications for social work education and practice are discussed.

From the Streets to Institutions: Female Adolescent Drug Sellers' Perceptions of Their Power

Aguilar, J. P., Jackson, A. K. — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:35:08 PST

This article seeks to build on prior research and knowledge about young female drug sellers’ social power by answering the following research question: What are the behavioral manifestations of young female drug sellers’ social power as these young women move through their native environments and social institutions? How do these behavioral manifestations influence their perception of the professionals with whom these young women interact in treatment and alternative education programs? The results indicate that young women develop requisite skills for surviving on the streets of their neighborhoods and that some bring these skills into the social institutions they enter for education or treatment. Moreover, the transfer of street-based skills into social institutions influences how young women respond to staff in these social institutions.

Making Gender Visible: Social Work Responses to Homelessness

Zufferey, C. — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:35:08 PST

Social workers’ bodies and identities are gendered. This article examines gender relations in social workers’ accounts of their practices using data from a qualitative study that focused on social workers’ responses to homelessness in three Australian cities. Themes in the data relate to essentialist notions of gender; gender functioning as an invisible form of oppression; heterosexual assumptions in client—worker relationships; and the preferability of feminist approaches, particularly when working with women’s homelessness that is a result of domestic violence.

Social Capital and Employment: South Asian Women's Experiences

George, U., Chaze, F. — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:35:09 PST

This article reports the findings of in-depth interviews with 50 South Asian newcomer women in Toronto regarding the role of social capital in obtaining employment. Two kinds of social capital emerged from the data: preexisting social capital and self-created social capital. Preexisting informal and formal social capital facilitated the newcomers’ settlement by providing information, orientation, resources, or actual employment. Self-created social capital offered opportunities for the newcomers to find more appropriate jobs that were in line with their areas of expertise.

Lesbians Surviving Culture: Relational-Cultural Theory Applied to Lesbian Connection

Russell, A. — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:35:09 PST

Because mainstream society privileges and assumes heterosexuality, nonheterosexual persons experience isolation and disconnection, especially lesbian women who may also in turn strategize a corrective form of disconnection. Relational-cultural theory (RCT) is applied to enhance the understanding of how lesbian women cope through connection and disconnection, explained generally and then applied specifically to unique lesbian issues in the creation of relationship, political advocacy, and spirituality. Although RCT is a powerful tool to inform practice, social workers must be mindful of the interpretation of connection. Lesbian strategies of disconnection may be the goal for an enhanced quality of life and a quest for connection.

From Private Demons to Public Problems: The Work of Mary Cromwell Jarrett

Rubin, D. B. — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:35:09 PST

Although Mary Jarrett is an unfamiliar name to most social workers, she was a pioneer in the profession. Her contributions to the fields of social work, social work education, and public health exemplify the challenges of professional women in the early 20th century and illustrate the tensions between gendered and professional interests. Her writing exerted a major influence on social work thinking, while her career exemplified a breadth of practice that foreshadowed the generalist and ecosystems approaches to social work. Credited with inventing the term psychiatric social work, Jarrett articulated a broad approach to the needs of the mentally ill. An advocate for the professionalization of social work, she was one of the original founders of the Smith College School of Social Work. After Smith, Jarrett began a second career in public health. An original thinker in all professional fields, her ideas were farsighted and sound fresh today, more than 60 years after her retirement.

Poetry

Sherman, S. — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:35:09 PST

Branwen

Ridout, E. — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:35:09 PST

Book Review: Freedberg, S. (2009) Relational Theory for Social Work Practice: A Feminist Perspective. New York: Routledge, 128 pp., $150 (hardbound), $39.95 (paper)

Deanow, C. G. — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:35:09 PST

Book Review: DeVault, M. L. (Ed.). (2008). People at Work: Life, Power, and Social Inclusion in the New Economy. New York: New York University Press, 352 pp., $25 (paper)

Jones, J. B. — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:35:09 PST

Book Review: Sokoloff, N., & Pratt, C. (Eds.). (2005) Domestic Violence at the Margins: Readings on Race, Class, Gender and Culture. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press

Needle, E. — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:35:09 PST

Book Review: Bird, C. E., & Rieker, P. P. (2008) Gender and Health: The Effects of Constrained Choices and Social Policies. New York: Cambridge University Press

Kelly, L. — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:35:09 PST

Book Review: Staudt, K. (2008) Violence and Activism at the Border: Gender, Fear, and Everyday Life in Ciudad Juarez. Austin: University of Texas Press, 212 pp., $55 (hardbound), $24.95 (paper)

Mendez-Shannon, E. — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:35:09 PST

Book Review: Golden, R. (2005). War on the Family: Mothers in Prison and the Families They Leave Behind. New York: Routledge, 216 pp., $85 (hardbound), $22.95 (paper)

O'Brien, P. — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:35:09 PST

Caregiving for the Elderly: Personal and Professional Response

Ross-Sheriff, F., Swigonski, M. — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:33:02 PDT

Developing a Standpoint Practice Method With Cases: Authority, Subjectivity, Reflection

Sosulski, M. R. — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:33:02 PDT

Practitioners confront complex social problems along with clients, helping them find solutions to problems they face while living under oppressive economic and social circumstances. Clients require help with acute problems, yet have vital experience to draw on. Using feminist standpoint theories promotes consciousness-raising for practitioners about clients’ views on their situations, social structures, and power relationships, increasing clients’ self-determination and systems change. This article offers a rigorous, pragmatic method to analyze practice centering clients’ standpoints. This ‘‘feminist standpoint model’’ recognizes innovative interpretations and creative solutions from clients’ perspectives. Examples from a study of welfare reform illustrate the use of the model.

Battered Women, Children, and the End of Abusive Relationships

Moe, A. M. — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:33:02 PDT

Much work has focused on the interpersonal dynamics of violent relationships, but less is known about the specific turning points that prompt women at least to try to end them. Using a feminist standpoint method and phenomenological-based analysis of in-depth interviews with mothers in a domestic violence shelter, this article focuses on the role of children in women’s decisions to leave abusive partners. It discusses arriving at the decision, the logistics involved in leaving and planning for the future, and it presents policy and advocacy-based recommendations that are aimed at addressing the social welfare of women and children.

Fear, Trust, and Negotiating Safety: HIV Risks for Black Female Defendants

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:33:02 PDT

Through in-depth interviews, this study examined the relational context of sexual HIV risk for 10 Black women aged 18—30 who were defendants in a community court setting. A qualitative data analysis identified themes of actual and feared intimate partner violence (IPV) and the expectations of demonstrating trust in a relationship as obstacles to negotiating the use of condoms. The findings speak to the broader structural factors and consequences of IPV and drug use. The article discusses the implications for HIV prevention for Black women who are involved in the criminal justice system.

Responding to the Complex and Gendered Needs of Refugee Women

Deacon, Z., Sullivan, C. — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:33:02 PDT

Refugee women’s experiences and needs are qualitatively different from those of men. However, women’s experiences have long been overlooked in favor of a male-centered paradigm that governs the response to survivors of warfare. To close this gap in science and practice, a needs assessment was conducted with 31 refugee women. The findings revealed the importance of considering the impact of refugee women’s sociodemographic characteristics on their experiences in resettlement and the significance of their need for basic resources. Meeting these needs may facilitate the resettlement process and ameliorate the gendered effects of resettlement on refugee women.

Spiritual Support and African American Breast Cancer Survivors

Roff, L. L., Simon, C. E., Nelson-Gardell, D., Pleasants, H. M. — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:33:02 PDT

This qualitative study used data from interviews with 18 African American breast cancer survivors in the southeast regarding the women’s live experiences of spiritual support during the process of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. Through a thematic content analysis, four primary sources of spiritual support were identified: God, members of religious communities, family members and friends, and health care professionals. Some participants reported negative experiences associated with the reactions of religious community members to their breast cancer. Those who received spiritual support from their health care providers reported welcoming such support.

''Trying to Eat Healthy'': A Photovoice Study About Women's Access to Healthy Food in New York City

Valera, P., Gallin, J., Schuk, D., Davis, N. — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:33:02 PDT

Photovoice is a participatory action approach in which individuals use photographs to identify and address issues in their community. The objective of this study was to document the challenges that low-income women face in accessing healthy food in New York city. Data were drawn from focus-group interviews with nine low-income women aged 20—45. The findings indicated that low-income women who live in homeless shelters have less access to healthy food, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, than do other women. They speak of the broader issue of structural barriers to eating healthy that women in impoverished urban communities face. Even with these constraints, women are not powerless and instead find ways to exercise personal agency.

A Passionate Practice: Addressing the Needs of Commercially Sexually Exploited Teenagers

Kalergis, K. I. — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:33:03 PDT

This article draws practice expertise from three women who work with an underserved group of victims of human trafficking—teenagers who have been commercially sexually exploited. The women share what they have learned about working with these girls, the similarities between this field and the early days of work in domestic violence, and the importance of empowering these girls to be part of turning their lives around.

''My Ever Dear'': Social Work's ''Lesbian'' Foremothers--A Call for Scholarship

Fredriksen-Goldsen, K. I., Lindhorst, T., Kemp, S. P., Walters, K. L. — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:33:03 PDT

Same-sex intimate relationships were central to the lives of many of social work’s early women leaders. Recognizing these relationships is important to address the erasure of sexuality in the profession’s historical record and to give sexual minority social workers access to their history. This article explores conceptual issues in lesbian historical scholarship, describes the same-sex relationships of four remarkable social workers—Jane Addams, Mary Richmond, Jessie Taft, and Virginia Robinson—and calls for further research in this area.

Poetry

Sherrer, D. — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:33:03 PDT

Wall Street Takes Welfare It Begrudges to Women

Abramovitz, M. — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:12:32 PDT

The Role of Sexual and Reproductive Rights in Social Work Practice

Alzate, M. M. — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:12:32 PDT

The understanding and promotion of sexual and reproductive rights are essential in the social work profession, not only to improve the health status of affected populations but to advocate effectively for social justice and to respond to globalized realities. This article highlights the relevance of sexual and reproductive rights in the philosophical foundation and practice of social work, emphasizes the impact of reproductive health and rights on women's lives, and proposes a social work agenda that will embrace and promote sexual and reproductive rights. It uses policy statements from the International Federation of Social Workers as well as a human rights framework focused on sexual and reproductive rights that stems from the global feminist movement.

Exploring Intersections of Identity With Native American Women Leaders

Barkdull, C. — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:12:32 PDT

How do Native American women in social welfare leadership roles construct their identities as women, indigenous people, and human service professionals, and from what sources do they draw strength to remain resilient in the face of personal and political challenges? From this qualitative study conducted with four Native American women leaders working in a reservation community in Colorado, five major themes were identified: (a) knowing "who I am," (b) turning points, (c) walking in two worlds (biculturalism), (d) call to service, and (e) women are the backbone (gender and matrilineality). The intersections of race, gender, and place are highlighted. Implications for social work research, practice, and education are also explored.

Hispanic Immigrant Women Talk About Family Planning

Sable, M. R., Havig, K., Schwartz, L. R., Shaw, A. — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:12:32 PDT

In an effort to discover what can improve family planning services for recently immigrated Hispanic women and to foster cultural competence among health care providers in this arena, the authors conducted four focus groups of recently immigrated Hispanic women in a medium-sized Midwestern community. The focus group discussions covered such topics as health care, knowledge of birth control, domestic life, and economic issues in the United States. The participants demonstrated knowledge of and support for the concept of family planning and specific birth control methods. They also identified issues that challenge the use of birth control at the individual, family, system, and cultural levels.

Moving Within the Spiral: The Process of Surviving

Murphy, S. B., Moynihan, M. M., Banyard, V. L. — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:12:32 PDT

To uncover implicit and explicit meanings that are embedded in the experiences of adult survivors of sexual assault, the authors conducted interviews with 12 women survivors. Using Heideggerian hermeneutic phenomenology, they uncovered three relational themes and one overarching pattern from the data. "Breaking down" describes the violence that survivors experience, "making meaning" expresses the ways in which survivors incorporate the assault into the narratives of their lives, and "going beyond themselves" explicates what survivors do with their story, who they tell, and what they want to happen. Moving within the spiral: the process of surviving, the constitutive pattern, contains emerging themes, lived experiences, and the practices of participants.

The Girl Child: A Review of the Empirical Literature

Heidemann, G., Ferguson, K. M. — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:12:32 PDT

This article presents a critical synthesis of the empirical literature on the girl child. The often-cited issues faced by this population include the lack of access to education and health care, commercial sexual exploitation, and harmful cultural practices such as female genital mutilation and forced marriage. Despite frequent accounts cited in the literature, there has been no prior comprehensive review of issues encountered by the girl child or accompanying solutions. Adopting the systematic review method, the authors examine 16 empirical studies in relation to their geographic settings, definitions of the girl child, research methods, issues explored, and findings. Recommendations for future research are offered.

Shamanism and Its Emancipatory Power for Korean Women

Lee, J. — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:12:32 PDT

This article presents a historical and feminist analysis of the role of shamanism in the lives of Korean women. Using critical feminist theory, it examines the concerns of Korean women and their lives in terms of the sociocultural and political environment that has made shamanism a women-dominant spiritual practice even while treating it with contempt. Fundamental to social work is the need to understand human beings in the context of their distinctive environments. This article attempts to increase social work knowledge and awareness about the lives of Korean women and their indigenous spiritual practice of shamanism.

Dorothy Irene Height: Profile of a Giant in Pursuit of Equal Justice for Black Women

Crewe, S. E. — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:12:32 PDT

Poetry

Fulani, I. — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:12:32 PDT

Book Review: Shaw, K., Goldrick-Rab, S., Mazzeo, C., & Jacobs, J. (2006). Putting Poor People to Work: How the Work-First Idea Eroded College Access for the Poor. New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 208 pp., $32.50 (hardbound)

Newransky, C. — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:12:32 PDT

Book Review: Residents of Hull-House. (2007). Hull-House Maps and Papers: A Presentation of Nationalities and Wages in a Congested District of Chicago, Together With Comments and Essays on Problems Growing Out of the Social Conditions. Champaign: University of Illinois Press, 200 pp., $50 (hardbound)

Hanus, R. — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:12:32 PDT

Book Review: Bailey, D., McNally Koney, K., McNish, M. E., Powers, R., & Uhly, K. (2008). Sustaining Our Spirits: Women Leaders Thriving for Today and Tomorrow. Washington, DC: National Association of Social Workers Press, 132 pp., $24.99 (paper)

Chernesky, R. H. — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:12:32 PDT

Book Review: Turton, J. (2007). Child Abuse, Gender and Society. New York: Routledge, 152 pp., $125 (hardbound)

Bogolub, E. B. — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:12:32 PDT

Call for Papers

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:12:32 PDT

Women and Political Leadership: The U.S. and Global Contexts

Ross-Sheriff, F. — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:49:16 PST

Survivors of Stalking: Their Voices and Lived Experiences

Cox, L., Speziale, B. — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:49:16 PST

The literature on stalking inadequately incorporates the voices of female survivors whose lived experiences escalated to the point of violence or the threat of lethal violence by male perpetrators. To address this gap in the literature and include the insights of survivors in the ongoing discourse about stalking, the authors sought the perspectives of nine heterosexual female survivors. The stories of these women, evident in the presentation of the six themes and deviant case that emerged from the data, provide a richer and fuller understanding of this form of interpersonal violence. Implications for practice are discussed.

Words Are a Place to Stand: Journals by Young Women in Kibera, Kenya

Swart, E. — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:49:16 PST

The study analyzes 5 months of daily journal entries by young women residing in Kibera, the largest slum in sub-Saharan Africa. The findings are similar to previous findings about young women in impoverished urban environments, revealing few female support networks among this population. However, results show many supportive, one-to-one relationships between among women, indicating that poverty and socialization may impede larger networks that could otherwise occur. They also reveal flexible relationships between so-called street and non-street women as well as the use of journals to create a private space in an otherwise completely public existence.

"You Can't Bite the Hand . . .": Domestic Violence and Human Rights

Morgaine, K. — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:49:16 PST

This article examines whether the international "women's rights as human rights" movement has influenced the field of domestic violence in the United States and the possible barriers to redefining domestic violence as a violation of human rights. The qualitative study that is presented was based on semistructured interviews with key individuals throughout the United States who work in national organizations on issues of domestic violence and/or human rights. The findings focus on the manner in which power situated within the state would result in significant barriers to reframing domestic violence related to themes of resonance, U.S. exceptionalism, funding, and the criminal justice system.

The Time- and Context-Contingent Nature of Intersectionality and Interlocking Oppressions

Hulko, W. — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:49:16 PST

This article addresses the theoretical paradigm of intersectionality and interlocking oppressions, focusing on its evolution over time and place and application to the everyday lives of women. The objective is both to honor the roots of intersectional scholarship and to demonstrate the temporal and spatial nature of oppression and privilege. Theoretical concepts are illustrated by narratives from women who have crossed different sociocultural contexts and phases of the life course. This dialectical and self-reflexive intersectional analysis focuses not only on oppression but also on privilege and demonstrates that intersectionality and interlocking oppressions are time and context contingent, rather than fixed and ahistorical.

Gender Variation in Partner Abuse: Findings From a Conservative Christian Denomination

Drumm, R. D., Popescu, M., Riggs, M. L. — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:49:16 PST

This study examines three areas of intimate partner violence in a conservative Christian denomination, noting gender differences in patterns of abuse among men and women. Specifically investigating patterns of victimization, the study identifies women as targets of intimate terrorism. Women who experienced escalating violence and sexual violence also reported emotional abuse, controlling behaviors, and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that are typical of intimate terrorism. Women who endured potentially lethal violence had the added associated action of calling the police or 911. Although factors that are associated with male victimization also feature controlling behaviors, the control is not associated with PTSD or associated fear behaviors that are typical of intimate terrorism.

Perceived Caregiver Burden in India: Implications for Social Services

Gupta, R., Rowe, N., Pillai, V. K. — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:49:16 PST

The study presented here explores the influences of selected social and social psychological factors that are associated with perceived caregiver burden in a sample of 263 primary caregivers of the elderly in Allahabad City in northern India. The results indicate that although male caregivers' perceived burden depends only on the size of the role overload, female caregivers' perceived burden depends on the interrelationship between the size of the role overload and adherence to Asian cultural norms. Implications of the findings for social work are discussed.

"I Can't Cry and Run at the Same Time": Women's Use of Distance Running

Leedy, G. — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:49:16 PST

This qualitative study explores the beneficial functions of distance running for women. In-depth interviews were conducted with five women runners who reported that they had used distance running as a mechanism to help them cope during a time of emotional stress. A case method analysis of the narratives yielded both common themes and unique processes and resulted in a model that integrates running for the promotion of well-being and empowerment with therapeutic components. Implications for social work practice emphasize the importance of supporting exercise as a means of preventing and treating stress-induced disorders.

Changing Pace

Burke Valeras, A. — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:49:16 PST

Working with death often results in personal distancing from confronting mortality. This article examines the negotiation of professional and personal experiences with death. Losing a beloved elderly neighbor exposes how being female, single, elderly, childless, and poor makes the dying person vulnerable to the cold harshness of the medicalization of death.

the alarm; Night Visitor; education

Royce, T. — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:49:16 PST