Affilia recent issues

Aging and Gender, Feminist Theory, and Social Work Practice Concerns

Ross-Sheriff, F. — 2008-10-01

Women's Bodies Aging: Culture, Context, and Social Work Practice

McCormick, M. L. — 2008-10-01

Women's bodies at every age are expressions of self and culture. In a culture that values slender, taut-skinned youth, the embodied selves of postmenopausal women are dismissed and devalued, jeopardizing self-esteem and increasing the potential for depression and anxiety. Drawing from a qualitative research project on aging and embodied womanhood, this article describes the lived experience of women aging in this social-cultural context. It emphasizes social workers' roles as policy advocates, researchers, and educators in reshaping the cultural discourse and as direct practitioners revising and affirming the embodied selves of women as valued and valuable in the second half of life.

Displaced Women in Northern Ghana: Indigenous Knowledge About Ethnic Conflict

McGadney-Douglass, B. F., Ahadzie, W. K. — 2008-10-01

This article presents the findings of field research in Ghana in 2002 about internal displacement stemming from multiethnic violence in northern Ghana in 1994, known as the "Guinea Fowl War." Indigenous, gender-specific knowledge from displaced Ghanaian women is presented in the context of feminist perspectives on the consequences of regional wars on non-combatants. The research generated indigenous material for social work education about interethnic peace building and conflict resolution. The discussion includes first-person responses about warning signs, origins of conflict, immediate and long-term responses, social consequences, and an integration of findings with feminist perspectives on conflict resolution and policies that are designed to aid internally displaced women.

Gender Differences in Depression: A Theoretical Examination of Power

Chonody, J. M., Siebert, D. C. — 2008-10-01

The authors propose a novel theoretical approach for conceptualizing gender differences in depression. Although the empirical literature documents an array of variables that are related to depression, most theories focus on microlevel variables at the expense of macrolevel variables in their conceptualization. This article focuses on the potential importance of power differentials in the etiology of depression in women who cohabit with men and presents an integrated theoretical model that will be useful for both practice and research.

Doing Justice: A Typology of Helping Attitudes Toward Sexual Groups

Hancock, T. U. — 2008-10-01

Social workers in small towns and rural communities who restrict their practice on moral grounds may be oppressive to women who are seeking a range of reproductive health options and clients with the gay/lesbian lifestyle. On the basis of observations of students who were enrolled in a rural-based BSW program in a conservatively religious affiliated university, the author presents a typology that categorizes the students' views on justice and oppression and willingness to work in practice situations with which the students disagree on moral grounds. Three orientations are illustrated: an ethic of conformity, an ethic of individualism, and an ethic of care. Implications for practice and teaching are discussed.

Inabel Burns Lindsay: A Social Worker, Educator, and Administrator Uncompromising in the Pursuit of Social Justice for All

Crewe, S. E., Brown, A. W., Gourdine, R. M. — 2008-10-01

Described as an activist, educator, researcher, and administrator, Inabel Burns Lindsay served as the first dean of the Howard University School of Social Work, and her extraordinary accomplishments have served as a beacon for generations of social work educators and practitioners. During her formative years as a social worker, she honed in on the importance of examining culture in delivering services in the public welfare system. As she built a school of social work, which she described as "second to none," she served as a moral conscience for the profession and repeatedly demonstrated through her writings and actions an uncompromising pursuit of social justice for all, both inside and outside the profession. This article profiles the courage and leadership skills of this transformational leader and uses her struggle against racism and sexism to inform the current realities of the profession.

Stillbirth: A Sociopolitical Issue

Cacciatore, J., Bushfield, S. — 2008-10-01

Stillbirth occurs in approximately 1 out of 110 births in the United States, yet little is understood about this experience. Unexplained stillbirths are major contributors to the developed world's perinatal mortality, as only about half have an identifiable cause of death. Because stillbirths are unpredictable and thus unpreventable, given the current state of science, researchers have called for more uniform definitions, a stricter postmortem protocol, standardized data collection, and increased funding to aid in prevention. The macrosystem for stillbirths includes epidemiology and public health systems that gather statistics on the incidence of stillbirth and its known causes and state record keeping related to both birth and death. Legitimation for women who have experienced stillbirth, through legislative and terminological changes, education, and research, is overdue, despite fears that related policy will trump reproductive rights. This article explores recent policy changes promoted by grassroots organizations relating to how stillbirths are recorded.

Criminal Rewards: The Impact of Parent Alienation Syndrome on Families

Brown, A. L. — 2008-10-01

Since 1985, the claim of parent alienation syndrome (PAS) has represented the extreme collusion of male entitlement, the mental health profession, and family courts. PAS is a pseudoscientific theory used to prevent battered women from protecting their children from exposure to violent and abusive fathers. It asserts that children who resist parents' visits are not legitimately seeking protection from their fathers but have been "alienated" from their fathers by their mothers. This article examines the impact of PAS on families, its admissibility in courts, and the role of social workers and other mental health practitioners in custody cases through the lens of a social worker, a social justice activist, and a mother who is involved in a PAS custody case.

Sattareh Farman Farmaian: Iranian Social Work Pioneer

Saleh, M. F. — 2008-10-01

In 1958, a social revolution was started by Sattareh Farman Farmaian, who established the social work profession in Iran. Sattareh's far-reaching work had tremendous effects on the people of her country, even after she was forced into exile during the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Sattareh was the founder and director of the Tehran School of Social Work, as well as the founder and executive director of both the Family Planning Association and Community Welfare Centers of Iran. This article includes excerpts from an interview with her that focus on her life work and lessons for contemporary international social work practice.

Haikus; Watutsi; Hebron

Jackson, G. — 2008-10-01

Book Review: Goodman, L. A., & Epstein, D. (2008). Listening to Battered Women: A Survivor-Centered Approach to Advocacy, Mental Health, and Justice. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association

Dewees, M. — 2008-10-01

Book Review: Aptheker, B. (2006). Intimate Politics: How I Grew Up Red, Fought for Free Speech, and Became a Feminist Rebel. Emeryville, CA: Seal Press, 560 pp., $16.95 (paper)

Gentlewarrior, S. — 2008-10-01

Book Review: Morrow, M., Hankivsky, O., & Varcoe, C. (Eds.). (2007). Women's Health in Canada: Critical Perspectives on Theory and Practice. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press, 432 pp., $85 (hardbound), $39.95 (paper)

Kelly, L. — 2008-10-01

Book Review: Brown, N. (2006). Private Politics and Public Voices: Black Women's Activism From World War I to the New Deal. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 192 pp., $29.95 (hardbound)

Charles, R. A. — 2008-10-01

Gender, the Media, and the Presidential Candidates

Bailey, D., Dinerman, M. — 2008-06-30

Culturally Competent Feminist Social Work: Listening to Diverse People

Gentlewarrior, S., Martin-Jearld, A., Skok, A., Sweetser, K. — 2008-06-30

Feminist social work seeks to identify and redress oppression and its aftereffects. Models of culturally competent practice have been proposed to aid in these efforts. Yet it is not clear whether members of marginalized groups agree with feminist social workers' ideas regarding cultural competence. This article presents recommendations for culturally competent social work services that are based on in-depth interviews with 40 members of a range of oppressed groups. The recommendations support theoretical work in this area and offer achievable standards for feminist social workers who are seeking to enhance cultural competence that is grounded in the words of disenfranchised individuals.

Lessons Learned in the Sandwich

Petrovich, A. — 2008-06-30

In this personal account of caring for an aging father until his death in her home, the author reflects on the personal and professional challenges of being a "sandwich-generation" professional social worker. Both the poignant rewards and stresses of caretaking are described, as are the conflict and confluence of professional and personal roles. The ironies of appearing competent in the professional role while feeling overwhelmed in one's personal life and the need for support from professional colleagues are elaborated on, with concluding comments concerning future challenges and lessons to be learned.

Lessons in Resilience: Undocumented Mexican Women in South Carolina

Campbell, W. S. — 2008-06-30

South Carolina has one of the fastest-growing Hispanic/Latino populations in the United States, and the majority of the immigrants are of Mexican descent. Historically, most of these immigrants were young men, but in recent years, more women and children have moved from Mexico to South Carolina and other parts of the Southeast. The study presented here investigated the lives of 20 undocumented Mexican women in South Carolina using a grounded theory approach. It found that undocumented women from Mexico have mustered a tremendous amount of strength and resilience in overcoming the cultural, social, economic, and legal barriers of living in the United States. The findings suggest that more research is necessary on the resilience and assets that undocumented women from Mexico bring to the United States.

How Child Protection Workers Support or Further Victimize Battered Mothers

Johnson, S. P., Sullivan, C. M. — 2008-06-30

This study explored battered mothers' perceptions of their interactions with child protectiv services (CPS) workers to increase understanding about how child welfare workers and pol cies can have negative as well as positive impacts on women's and children's lives. Th research was guided by two feminist frameworks: structured action theory and social entrap ment theory. Twenty women participated in the in-depth, qualitative interviews. Most felt mi understood and unsupported by their CPS workers and thought that this treatment directl harmed them and their children. Many batterers manipulated caseworkers and escaped sanc tions, which contributed to negative consequences. Some women received helpful response from their caseworkers and viewed such support as invaluable. Implications for social wor practice are discussed.

Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Among Nonclinical College Women: Lessons From Foucault

Kokaliari, E., Berzoff, J. — 2008-06-30

This article presents a qualitative study that explored nonsuicidal self-injury among relatively psychologically healthy college women. It examines the phenomenon of self-injury through a social theoretical perspective using Foucault's concepts. Key arguments are that self-injury in women may be a reaction to an insidious form of social control and a reflection of the social pressures for productivity that are enacted on the body. Self-injury may regulate socially unacceptable affects and modify states of the ego so that women can regain their capacity to produce within a competitive and capitalist society. Implications for social work practice are discussed.

Assisted Reproductive Technologies: Changing Conceptions of Motherhood?

Hammons, S. A. — 2008-06-30

American society has typically associated motherhood with biology. Assisted reproductive technologies (ART's) challenge this view by fragmenting motherhood into the social, the genetic, and the gestational. To ascertain the extent to which such a challenge has actually succeeded in changing societal understandings of motherhood, this study explored court cases involving four types of ART's. The findings suggest that although these ART's have the potential to re-create societal conceptions of motherhood, such a change has yet to occur in toto. Rather, certain aspects of biological motherhood continue to be seen as more permanent than social motherhood.

Portrait of a Pioneer: An Intellectual Biography of Lena Dominelli

Moosa-Mitha, M., Ross-Sheriff, F. — 2008-06-30

Lena Dominelli is a scholar, social justice activist, and public intellectual. A pioneer in the field, she has long put social work under the microscope, revealing its gaps and contributions. In her work she analyzes the complex nature of the interrelationships among various social structures, including social work, which result in social injustices. Always inclusive of the distinctive voices of other scholars and activists, she also aims to make social workers effective participants in eliminating injustices in society. Her presence leaves an indelible mark on the profession.

Still Life With Grandmother; Reading a Poem by Harvey Shapiro; I Should Like to Grow Old

Katcher, A. — 2008-06-30

Activist Formation in the Neoliberal Era: A Journey With Multiple Dimensions

Curry-Stevens, A., Lee, C., Datta, J., Hill, E., Edwards, V. — 2008-06-30

In one Canadian feminist classroom, four students with diverse social locations share their journey toward an engaged activist practice, moving through internal challenges and external barriers and assisted by the feminist activist classroom. Features of these transformational practices are identified as the instructor works with students to identify core features of this experience that are helpful in catalyzing and supporting these transitions.

Book Review: Heffernan, M. (2007). How She Does It: How Women Entrepreneurs Are Changing the Rules of Business Success. New York: Viking Penguin, 274 pp., $25.95 (hardcover)

Clark, M. S. — 2008-06-30

Book Review: Weinberg, J. A. (Ed.). (2006). Still Going Strong: Memoirs, Stories, and Poems About Great Older Women. New York: Haworth Press, 293 pp., $49.95 (hardbound), $22.95 (paperback)

Aldredge, P. A. — 2008-06-30

Book Review: Hunter, S. (2005). Midlife and Older LGBT Adults: Knowledge and Affirmative Practice for the Social Services. New York: Routledge, 268 pp., $39.95 (hardbound), $24.95 (paper): Claassen, C. (2005). Whistling Women: A Study of the Lives of Older Lesbians. New York: Routledge, 284 pp., $44.95 (hardbound), $19.95 (paper)

Schmitz, C. L. — 2008-06-30

Book Review: Ofahengaue Vakalahi, H. F., Hardin Starks, S., & Ortiz Hendricks, C. (Eds.). (2007). Women of Color as Social Work Educators: Strengths and Survival. Alexandria, VA: Council on Social Work Education, 320 pp., $37.95 (paper)

Liebert, R. — 2008-06-30

Past and Present

Chandler, S. — 2008-04-15

A Black Woman's Journey Into a Predominately White Academic World

Carter-Black, J. — 2008-04-15

The paucity of Black women at predominately White institutions of higher education is well recognized. Like me, some Black women survived the gauntlet of coursework, qualifying examinations, and dissertation research and writing in pursuit of doctoral degrees, followed by the whirlwind campus visits that are integral to the faculty recruitment process. Upon our arrival, we were confronted by the challenges of being African American and female in a majority White university community. This article is a personal journey that spans 40 years of my life—from an 18-year-old freshman to a tenure-track assistant professor—at the same university.

Taking Child Abuse and Mothering Into Account: Intersectional Feminism as an Alternative for the Study of Domestic Violence

2008-04-15

Feminist scholars have been engaged in an ongoing debate to determine which theoretical perspective offers the best framework for understanding domestic violence, and this debate has been crystallized around two pole positions: radical and postmodern feminism. This article presents a journey throughout the development of a theoretical perspective for the study of domestic violence, child abuse, and mothering. It argues that the intersectional feminist perspective has much to offer these debates and that it constitutes a promising theoretical framework for understanding domestic violence that takes into account issues of child abuse and mothering.

Depression in African American Women: Application of a Psychosocial Competence Practice Framework

Jones, L. V., Ford, B. — 2008-04-15

Social work interventions that emphasize culturally relevant services from a strengths-based perspective may be more appropriate than traditional mental health services for African American women who suffer from depression. An examination of the literature on epidemiology, etiology, and use of services for this population highlights the paucity of empirical studies, and an exploration of the treatment literature reveals insufficient application of culturally relevant approaches to African American women. Psychosocial competence, a strengths-based approach, and the Black feminist perspective offer the opportunity to gain a clearer understanding of the intersection and influence of oppression among depressed African American women and provide a useful framework for mental health practice with this population. A case vignette is provided, and future directions for research, practice, and policy are discussed.

Christianity and Domestic Violence: Feminist Poststructuralist Perspectives

Wendt, S. — 2008-04-15

Research has shown that spiritual and religious identification plays a role in defining women's experiences of violence and therefore that social workers need to acknowledge and create safe spaces to talk about this identification. This article describes a rural Australian study that focused on the impact of a local culture on domestic violence, in which Christianity strongly influenced women's experiences of violence. It is argued that looking at women's experiences of domestic violence through a feminist poststructuralist lens is valuable because it provides a framework for exploring and sensitively challenging oppressive discourses that inform women's identities.

Gender, Distress, and Coping in Response to Terrorism

Sever, I., Somer, E., Ruvio, A., Soref, E. — 2008-04-15

This study assessed women's vulnerability to the threats of terrorism; 326 Israeli citizens (198 women and 128 men) from cities that were hit hard by terrorist violence were interviewed to identify their level of exposure to terrorist events, symptoms of posttraumatic distress, and coping styles. Although the women were less exposed to terrorist events than were the men, they reported higher levels of indirect and subjective exposure (such as helping survivors or having the sense of a lucky escape). They suffered higher levels of negative mood and posttraumatic distress and reported using coping behaviors, particularly problem-solving strategies, more intensely than did the men. The results are discussed from the sociological and feminist perspectives.

Substance Use and Abuse: Women's Criminal Reoffending in New Zealand

Taylor, A. — 2008-04-15

This article summarizes the findings of a larger study of factors that are associated with women's reoffending, particularly its link with substance abuse. Primary data were derived from semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 26 women who had been released from Christchurch Women's Prison, New Zealand, prior to 1999. These data were triangulated with interviews with informed experts and with secondary data from the participants' community probation records. The study found an association between substance abuse and women's reoffending, which varied according to the type and level of dependence on substances. The relationship among substance abuse, dependence, and victimization affected the women's entry into offending and ongoing recidivism. Desistance from substance abuse and offending was a process of relapse and recovery affected by different life stages.

Women's Leisure as Reproduction and Resistance

Jane Du, — 2008-04-15

This article examines the experiences of 31 participants in three women's folk dance groups in Taiwan through the reproduction/resistance perspectives, which regard leisure as a means either to enhance or to challenge traditional gender ideologies and inequities. The findings suggest that the difference between reproducing or resisting societally imposed constraints lies in the negotiation strategy that is used, rather than in constraining factors, and that the coping strategy of negotiation is critical for women's resistance. Implications for social work are discussed.

Alice Paul: Activist, Advocate, and One of Ours

Hawranick, S., Doris, J. M., Daugherty, R. — 2008-04-15

Alice Paul was one of the foremost advocates for woman at the end of the Progressive Era, working successfully for passage of the 19th Amendment. In her work for suffrage, she pioneered methods and techniques that were to become standard tools for later successful social movements. She was one of the first graduates of the New York School of Applied Philanthropy and spent her early career working in both settlement houses and Charity Organization Societies; however, Paul has been conspicuously absent from the social work literature.

Two Truths; The Story Wants What It Cannot Have

Gardner, S. J. — 2008-04-15

Don't Wake Your Mother

Abramson, D. — 2008-04-15

Book Review: Speed, S., Hernandez Castillo, R. A., & Stephen, L. M. (Eds.). (2006). Dissident Women: Gender and Cultural Politics in Chiapas. Austin: University of Texas Press, 318 pp., $55.00 (hardbound), $22.95 (paper)

Roiblatt, R. E. — 2008-04-15

Book Review: Fox, J. (Producer/Director), & Ladegaard, C. (Producer). (2007). Flying: Confessions of a Free Woman [Motion Picture]. United States. (Available from Zohe Film Productions, 8 Maiden Lane, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10038). $398.00 (DVD)

Jennings, B. — 2008-04-15

Book Review: Handy, F., Kassam, M., Feeney, S., & Ranade, B. (2006). Grassroots NGOs by Women for Women: The Driving Force of Development in India. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 244 pp., $30.95 (paper)

Perlmutter, F. D. — 2008-04-15

Identity, Oppression, and Power: Feminisms and Intersectionality Theory

Samuels, G. M., Ross-Sheriff, F. — 2008-01-07

Creating Politicized Spaces: Afghan Immigrant Women's Stories of Migration and Displacement

Dossa, P. — 2008-01-07

Drawing on an ethnographic study of Afghan women in metropolitan Vancouver (2002—05), this article argues that it is necessary to recognize research participants as producers of context-specific knowledge. Afghan women, a disenfranchised population, deploy particular strategies to foreground two interrelated scripts—the political economy of migration and resettlement and the remaking of a world—that help to bridge the analytical divide between the political economy and human agency. Within this blurred space, the women bring forth three themes that speak to policy makers and stakeholders: social provision as entitlement, valorization of the women's multiple identities, and transnational networks that contain but also go beyond the unit of the nation-state. The article concludes by making a case for locally-informed policy and service provision to effect progressive change.

Eugenics, "Degenerate Girls," and Social Workers During the Progressive Era

Kennedy, A. C. — 2008-01-07

The U.S. eugenics movement, which sought to encourage the "wellborn" to have children and actively discourage and even prohibit the "unfit" from having children, became increasingly popular and influential during the Progressive Era, shaping public discourse, emerging social work practice approaches, and state and federal public policy. This article details the eugenics movement; examines why young women, particularly those who were poor, non-Anglo-Saxon, and living in urban areas, were targeted as the key to preventing the unfit from propagating; and explores the relationship between eugenics and early social workers, focusing particular attention on their work with young women.

Are Girls Really Becoming More Violent? A Critical Analysis

Luke, K. P. — 2008-01-07

This article analyzes the current debate over whether girls' violence is increasing. An examination of the evidence and arguments reveals that public and professional concern over girls' violence is more reflective of cultural anxiety over changing social norms regarding race and gender than an actual increase in girls' violence. Thus, there is a need to expand the existing terms of this debate and challenge assumptions about the relationship between violence and masculinity. The author calls for greater involvement of social work education, practice, and research in the issues surrounding girls' violence.

It's Just That Much Harder: Multilayered Hardship Experiences of Low-Income Mothers With Disabilities

Parish, S. L., Magana, S., Cassiman, S. A. — 2008-01-07

This article reports on a focus-group study that examined the experiences and perspectives of low-income mothers with disabilities who were receiving disability income transfers. The women faced severe deprivation and multilayered hardships. Their impairments were not their central problem, but they intersected with the challenges associated with the women's poverty and single-parent status. The women coped with or resisted their hardships by serving as advocates for their and their children's needs, accessing resources from safety-net services and their families, and relying on their religious beliefs. The women's aspirations included setting a moral example for their children, securing a better life for their children, and wanting to work. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.

Participatory Research for Rape Survivor Groups: A Model for Practice

Mason, S. E., Clemans, S. E. — 2008-01-07

This article proposes a model for rape survivor groups that encompasses the participatory research model in the context of feminist ideology and strategies. The use of a participatory research model for rape survivor groups can be expected both to heal and to produce evidence of the recovery process. In this model, groups design a protocol for writing and disseminating their personal stories of overcoming the trauma of rape. The conceptualization is illustrated by excerpts of experience-based, aggregated group processes that provide guidance for conducting participatory research for rape survivors.

Civil Unions and the Recognition of Lesbian Relationships: A Reflection in the Context of Aotearoa/New Zealand

Madill, M. — 2008-01-07

Since April 26, 2005, women in same-sex relationships in Aotearoa/New Zealand have been able to enter into civil unions. This article reflects on the Civil Union Bill as a means of recognizing the diversity of lesbian families and relationships. There has been little critical exploration of the bill in Aotearoa/New Zealand; however, the development of such scholarship here and internationally is necessary. Such reflection is relevant to the social work profession because it widely claims to recognize and be inclusive of diverse forms of families and relationships.

Nuzha's Dream Marches On: When Two Women's Narratives Meet

Kacen, L., Allhuzeel, N. A. — 2008-01-07

borderless and brazen: a poem against the German "u-not-y"; insignificant; soul sister

Ayim, M. — 2008-01-07

Book Review: Hartmann, H. (Ed.). (2006). Women, Work and Poverty: Women Centered Research for Policy Change. Binghamton, NY: Haworth, 226 pp., $49.95 (hardbound), $24.95 (paper)

Charles, R. A. — 2008-01-07

Book Review: Davis, D. A. (2006). Battered Black Women and Welfare Reform: Between a Rock and a Hard Place. Albany: State University of New York Press, 215 pp., $65.50 (hardbound), $21.95 (paper)

Blazek, M. J. — 2008-01-07

Book Review: Roberts, A. R., & Schenkman Roberts, B. (2005). Ending Intimate Abuse: Practical Guidance and Survival Strategies. New York: Oxford University Press, 272 pp., $34.95 (hardbound)

Lindhorst, T. — 2008-01-07

Book Review: Carlton-LaNey, I. B. (2005). African Americans Aging in the Rural South: Stories of Faith, Family and Community. Durham, NC: Sourwood Press, 102 pp., $15.00 (paper)

Murphy, B. — 2008-01-07

Book Review: Igra, A. R. (2007). Wives Without Husbands: Marriage, Desertion, and Welfare in New York, 1900-1935. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 184 pp., $49.95 (hardbound), $19.95 (paper)

Needle, E. — 2008-01-07

Book Review: Goldman, P. (Ed.). (2006). Imagining Ourselves: Global Voices From a New Generation of Women. Novato, CA: New World Library, 240 pp., $28.95 (paper)

Van Soest, D. — 2008-01-07