Rethinking the Conflict-Poverty Nexus: From Securitising Intervention to Resilience

We are witnessing nothing less than a revolution in international policy-thinking, with a shift from imagining that international policy-makers can solve development/ security problems through the export or transfer of policy practices or their imposition through conditionality, to understanding that problems should be grasped as emergent consequences of complex social processes which need to be worked with rather than against. This paper, prepared for the 2014 CEPA conference, focuses therefore less on the politicisation and securitisation of questions of conflict and poverty and more on the depoliticisation of questions of conflict and poverty, especially through frameworks of resilience.

The R2P is Dead, Long Live the R2P: The Successful Separation of Military Intervention from the Responsibility to Protect’

Roland Paris is one of those authors whose work is always enjoyable, as he exploits so well the gap between the policy world and academia. His best work reveals a high level of policy insight often before many of his colleagues in academia have caught up. His secret is an ability to analyse the shifting understandings at policy level and to then articulate them in academic terms as if critiquing current policies. This enables his work to be both popular with policy-makers and with their erstwhile critics in academia. His 2004 monograph, At War’s End, captured the shift from peacekeeping intervention and ‘early exit’ to the extended remits of international statebuilding (‘Institutionalization before Liberalization’). It provided a wonderful rationalisation of policy shifts that had already occurred in the late 1990s, starting with the extension of international mandates in Bosnia, from 1996 onwards, and further developed with the Kosovo protectorate in 1999. However, this shift was skilfully reposed as a critique of existing policy-understandings.

A proposal for a corresponsible intervention on sexual harassment at work

Sexual harassment at work is a form of gender violence barely made visible but still present in labor organizations, where it keeps generating high levels of suffering, discrimination and inequality mainly affecting women. To address it properly it is necessary an organizational change towards equity arising from the knowledge of the subjective meanings that stakeholders (staff, union representatives, employers, public administration, etc.) attribute to that reality. In this article we present the main findings of a qualitative study on the social perception of sexual harassment. The work highlights the existence of many strategies aimed at legitimize and minimize the relevance of the problem, blaming the victim, justifying the lack of support from the environment and / or the involvement of the organization in the solutions. Among the conclusions we underline the need for new models of business management involving all stakeholders in the prevention and control of the in a responsible way.

El movimiento social de 1995 en Francia contra el neoliberalismo

Las movilizaciones de noviembre-diciembre de 1995 en Francia contra el Plan Juppé fueron la primera gran revuelta en un país europeo contra el neoliberalismo. Con los trabajadores del sector público como eje de la protesta el movimiento se desplegó en base a la articulación combinada de huelgas y manifestaciones. Las reivindicaciones sectoriales se articularon en un discurso más general de defensa del servicio público y el interés general. Noviembre-diciembre de 1995 marcó el inicio de un ciclo de movilizaciones contra el neoliberalismo en Francia que testimonió su creciente pérdida de legitimidad.

Questioning the merits and demerits of electronic communication in Social Work

This paper examines the social dynamics of electronic exchanges in the human services, particularly in social work. It focuses on the observable effects that email and texting have on the linguistic, relational and clinical rather than managerial aspects of the profession. It highlights how electronic communication is affecting professionals in their practice and learners as they become acculturated to social work. What are the gains and losses of the broad use of electronic devices in daily lay and professional, verbal and non-verbal communication? Will our current situation be seriously detrimental to the demeanor of future practitioners, their use of language, and their ability to establish close personal relationships? The paper analyzes social work linguistic and behavioral changes in light of the growth of electronic communication and offers a summary of merits and demerits viewed through a prism emerging from Baron’s (2000) analysis of human communication.

Consideraciones alrededor de la Danza-movimiento Terapia y sus aplicaciones en el ámbito social

El artículo presenta aspectos generales sobre la Danza Movimiento Terapia (DMT). Aborda sus orígenes históricos y su evolución en las últimas décadas. La DMT es un modelo de intervención psicoterapéutica, que comparte numerosos elementos con otras terapias creativas, y cuya singularidad se encuentra en la consideración de las manifestaciones no verbales y el movimiento creativo dentro de un proceso terapéutico. Se hace hincapié en su aspecto multidisciplinar y en su creciente aplicación en entornos sociales y educativos como un modo de promover y potenciar la salud. Finalmente, se presenta brevemente la situación actual de la profesión en España enmarcada en el contexto europeo.

Identity Text: an educational intervention to foster cultural interaction

Background: Sociocultural theories state that learning results from people participating in contexts where social interaction is facilitated. There is a need to create such facilitated pedagogical spaces where participants share their ways of knowing and doing. The aim of this exploratory study was to introduce pedagogical space for sociocultural interaction using ‘Identity Text’.
Methods: Identity texts are sociocultural artifacts produced by participants, which can be written, spoken, visual, musical, or multimodal. In 2013, participants of an international medical education fellowship program were asked to create their own Identity Texts to promote discussion about participants’ cultural backgrounds. Thematic analysis was used to make the analysis relevant to studying the pedagogical utility of the intervention.
Result: The Identity Text intervention created two spaces: a ‘reflective space’ helped
participants reflect on sensitive topics like institutional environments, roles in
interdisciplinary teams, and gender discrimination. A ‘narrative space’ allowed
participants to tell powerful stories that provided cultural insights and challenged cultural hegemony; they described the conscious and subconscious transformation in identity that evolved secondary to struggles with local power dynamics and social demands involving the impact of family, peers and country of origin.
Conclusion: Whilst the impact of providing pedagogical space using Identity Text on
cognitive engagement and enhanced learning requires further research, the findings of
this study suggest that it is a useful pedagogical strategy to support cross-cultural
education.

Políticas de Austeridade, Serviço Social e Direitos das Crianças: o Serviço Social nas CPCJ do Distrito de Leiria

Objetivo. Este estudo reflete sobre o impacto das políticas neoliberais e a austeridade na vida das famílias e das suas crianças, no sistema de promoção e proteção de crianças e jovens em perigo e na prática profissional dos assistentes sociais que nele trabalham na defesa dos direitos devidos a essas crianças. Partiu-se da análise do enfraquecimento do estado social, para se perceber o desmonte das políticas públicas e as suas implicações na carreira profissional e nas condições de trabalho do assistente social. Assiste-se à transição de responsabilidades da esfera pública para a sociedade civil, no caso específico das políticas de proteção à infância. Participantes. Existindo necessidade de constituir uma amostra para a realização do estudo, optámos por uma amostra não-probabilística de informadores estratégicos. O critério de inclusão foi ser assistente social a desempenhar funções na CPCJ do distrito de Leiria. Com este critério responderam ao questionário 10 Assistentes Sociais, num total de 16 solicitações às CPCJ do distrito de Leiria. A recolha de informação através da aplicação dos inquéritos decorreu entre o mês de maio e junho de 2015. Material e métodos. A recolha de dados, para poder responder à questão em análise, foi feita com a aplicação de um inquérito por questionário online, com perguntas fechadas e abertas. Resultados. O Neoliberalismo atinge a prática profissional do assistente social, pela redução de recursos para o estudo diagnóstico das crianças e suas famílias e pela redução de técnicos superiores especializados na intervenção. Os Direitos das Crianças no sistema de promoção e proteção não se encontram devidamente asseverados, na medida em que estas comungam do sucessivo empobrecimento das suas famílias, sendo privadas da satisfação das necessidades básicas para o seu saudável desenvolvimento. Implicações. Os resultados deste estudo compelem a uma clara necessidade de lhe dar continuidade de âmbito nacional, para entender e melhorar as expressões do trabalho do assistente social desenvolvido com as crianças e suas famílias, no sistema de promoção e proteção. É necessário construir e consolidar uma manifestação de espírito crítico na classe profissional, no sentido de pugnar pelo projeto ético – político, bem como atribuir ao Serviço Social o estatuto de disciplina especializada. Nesta qualidade, a profissão deve participar na análise e na discussão das políticas para a infância, para assim colocar as necessidades das crianças, no centro das obrigações públicas. / Objective: This study concerns the impact of the neoliberal and austerity policies in the life of the families and their children, in the protection system of children and young people at risk and in the professional practice of the social workers, who work to defend the rights owed to those children. It started with the analysis of the weaknesses of the social state to understand the deconstruction of the public policies and the implications in the professional career and working conditions of the social worker. It can be noticed that there is a transition of responsibilities from the public sphere to the civil society in the specific case of the childhood protection policies. Participants: Due to the need to build a sample to perform the study, we chose a nonprobabilistic sample of strategic informers. The inclusion criterion was being a social worker performing duties in the CPCJs in the District of Leiria. 10 social workers answered the questionnaire with this criterion, out of a total of 16 requests to the CPCJs of the District of Leiria. The gathering of the information through the use of the questionnaires was done between the months of May and June 2015. Material and Methods: The gathering of data, to be able to answer the question under analysis, was done through the use of online questionnaires, with both open and closed questions. Results: The Neoliberalism affects the professional practice of the social worker, by reducing the resources, in the diagnostic study of the children and their families, by reducing specialized superior technicians in the intervention. The rights of the children in the protection system are not properly secure as they are affected by the continuous impoverishment of their families, being deprived of satisfying their basic needs, which are essential to their healthy development. Implications: The results of this study indicate a clear necessity to give it some continuity at a national level, to understand and improve the expressions of the social worker’s job being developed with the children and their families, in the promotion and protection system. It is necessary to build and consolidate some form of critical mind in the professional class, as to fight for the ethical-political project, as well as to give to the social service the statute of specialized discipline. Therefore, the profession should participate in the analysis and discussion of the policies concerning the childhood, being then able to place the needs of the children, in the centre of the public obligations.

Les technologies de l'information et de la télécommunication (TIC) pour la promotion de la santé sexuelle et reproductive (SSR) au sein des jeunes des Premières Nations du Québec : faisabilité et pistes d'intervention

La répartition des taux de prévalence des infections transmissibles sexuellement et par le sang (ITSS) et du VIH/SIDA au Canada présente de grandes inégalités entre les différents groupes socioculturels. Les Autochtones font partie des populations qui en payent le plus lourd tribut. Par rapport à cette situation, le plan directeur 2007-2017 de la commission de la santé et des services sociaux des Premières Nations du Québec et du Labrador (CSSSPNQL) identifie clairement le VIH/SIDA comme une problématique prioritaire de santé. La stratégie autochtone sur le VIH/SIDA estime que pour être efficaces, les interventions visant la prévention du VIH/SIDA doivent cibler divers groupes, au nombre desquels la jeunesse autochtone est une cible particulière. En ce sens, la familiarité des jeunes générations avec la technologie positionne l’utilisation des technologies de l’information et de la communication (TIC) comme une avenue fortement prometteuse dans le domaine de la prévention du VIH/SIDA chez les adolescents et jeunes adultes. Nous avons réalisé une synthèse des connaissances dans ce domaine novateur suivant une méthodologie suggérée par la Collaboration Cochrane dans le but de documenter l’efficacité et les facteurs d’adoption des interventions utilisant les TIC pour la prévention des ITSS/VIH/SIDA et la promotion de la santé sexuelle et reproductive auprès des adolescents et jeunes adultes. Les résultats de cette revue systématique ont permis d’élaborer et de mener, en partenariat avec la CSSSPNQL, un projet de recherche visant à évaluer la faisabilité de telles interventions au sein des adolescents et jeunes adultes de communautés des Premières Nations (PN) du Québec. En complément à cette étude de faisabilité et dans le but de formuler des recommandations en vue de la conception d’interventions utilisant les TIC et fondées autant sur les données probantes que sur les réalités des jeunes des PN, nous avons entrepris une dernière étude visant à identifier les facteurs sous-jacents du port du condom chez les 13-18 ans de communautés des Premières Nations du Québec. Nous avons discuté, dans la présente thèse, les résultats de ces études ainsi que divers enjeux du partenariat de recherche avec les parties prenantes des PN ayant participé à notre projet. Les implications pratiques de nos résultats, en matière de recherche et d’intervention, sont à discuter avec notre principale partenaire, la CSSSPNQL, afin d’en optimiser les retombées pour les populations des PN.

Rede Social Pessoal, Qualidade de Vida e Depressão em Idosos

Em Portugal e no Mundo Ocidental a população está a envelhecer, colocando esta nova realidade enormes desafios à sociedade. A sua crescente relevância deve-se sobretudo às consideráveis repercussões a nível pessoal, familiar, sociopolítico e económico e que afetam pessoas de todas as idades e a sociedade como um todo, colocando desafios específicos relativamente às relações interpessoais, à qualidade de vida e à saúde mental na pessoa idosa. Deste modo, o presente trabalho tem como objetivo analisar a associação entre a qualidade de vida, a depressão e as características das redes sociais pessoais dos idosos. Participaram no estudo 317 indivíduos, sendo 202 do sexo feminino e 115 do sexo masculino, com idade igual ou superior a 65 anos, com uma média de 77 anos (DP=7,57). Na recolha de dados recorremos a três instrumentos: Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS Short Form 15), (Yesavage et al., 1983; Almeida & Almeida, 1999); Instrumento de Avaliação de Qualidade de Vida da OMS (WHOQOL), (OMS, 1998; Canavarro et al., 2006); Instrumento de Avaliação das Redes Sociais Pessoais (IARSP – Idosos), (Guadalupe, 2010; Guadalupe & Vicente, 2012). Dos resultados destacamos que as características funcionais da rede social pessoal se diferenciaram de forma estatisticamente significativa entre as subamostras de idosos segundo os níveis de qualidade de vida percebida. Saliente-se que, além da relação significativa entre a depressão e qualidade de vida, em que os idosos com um nível mais baixo de qualidade de vida percebida apresentam maiores níveis de depressão (p<0,001), as características funcionais das redes sociais apresentam uma associação clara com a qualidade de vida (p<0,005) e a maioria com a depressão (p<0,014), o que não acontece com as estruturais e com as relacionais-contextuais. Outros resultados indicam que indivíduos com diferentes níveis de qualidade de vida percebida possuem uma estrutura idêntica da rede social pessoal. Ao nível da análise da associação entre as variáveis funcionais da Rede Social Pessoal, Qualidade de Vida e Depressão, o modelo analítico transmite-nos indicadores de investigação e intervenção precisos, o que demonstra a necessidade da continuidade e aprofundamento do presente estudo num âmbito amostral mais alargado e heterogéneo. / In Portugal and in the eastern world, the aging of population creates huge challenges to societies. It's growing relevance is owed to considerable repercussions on the personal, familiar, socio-politic and economic level that affect people of all ages and society as a whole, creating specific challenges regarding interpersonal relationships, quality of life and mental health of the elderly. The current work has the objective of analyzing the association between quality of life, depression and the characteristics of personal social networks of the elderly. 317 individuals have participated in this study, 202 female and 115 male, with age equal or above 65 years old, with an average of 77 years old (DP=7,57). We used three assessment instruments to collect data: Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS Short Form 15), (Yesavage et al., 1983; Almeida & Almeida, 1999); WHO’s Quality of Life Evaluation instrument (WHOQOL) (WHO, 1998; Canavarro et al., 2006); Personal Social Network Analysis Tool (IARSP-Elderly),(Guadalupe, 2010; Guadalupe & Vicente, 2012). The results show that the functional personal network characteristics are significantly different according to their level of quality of life. It should also be noted that not only there is a significant association between depression and quality of life, in which elderly people with a lower quality of life level show higher levels of depression (p<0,001), there is also a clear association between the functional social network characteristics and quality of life (p<0,005), and the majority with depression (p<0,014), which doesn’t happen with structural and relational-contextual social network characteristics. Other results indicate that different levels of quality of life acquire an identical social network structure. On the matter of association between the functional variables of social networks, quality of fife and depression, the analytic model shows precise indicators of research and intervention, which instills us a need to continue and enlarge this study with an wider and more heterogeneous sample.

Sintomas depressivos e ansiosos, stresse, coping e resiliência em Técnicos Superiores de Reinserção Social

Introdução: Os trabalhos sobre correlatos psicológicos em Técnicos Superiores de Reinserção Social (TSRS) no nosso país são inexistentes. São nossos objetivos analisar os níveis de sintomas depressivos e ansiosos, stresse, coping e resiliência numa amostra de TSRS; explorar diferenças nestas variáveis por sexo, estado civil, Delegação regional e tipo de competências das equipas de reinserção social; explorar associações entre todas as variáveis referidas nesta amostra (entre si e com a variável sociodemográfica idade e as variáveis profissionais tempo de serviço e horas de trabalho semanal). Metodologia: 89 TSRS (sexo feminino, n = 67; 75,3%), com idades entre os 27 e os 61 anos (M = 47,4; DP = 7,10) preencheram um protocolo composto por questões sociodemográficas e profissionais, a Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, o Brief COPE e a Escala para avaliar as competências na área da Resiliência. Resultados: As mulheres apresentaram níveis maiores de Suporte Emocional e Instrumental comparativamente aos homens. Os profissionais da Delegação do Centro apresentaram pontuação mais elevada de Resiliência vs. da Delegação do Norte e os da Delegação do Norte maiores níveis de Stresse vs. os da Delegação do Sul e Ilhas. Os profissionais com competência mista apresentaram maiores níveis de Ansiedade vs. com competência específica. Encontrámos associações significativas (na amostra total) entre a Depressão e a Negação e o Uso de Substâncias. No sexo masculino o uso de Suporte Emocional e Instrumental associaram-se à Depressão e à Ansiedade. De uma forma geral, em todas as Delegações (consideradas separadamente), maiores níveis de Resiliência associaram-se a estratégias mais positivas de coping (e.g. Coping ativo) e maiores níveis de Depressão, Ansiedade e Stresse a níveis menores de estratégias positivas de coping (e.g. Aceitação) e a níveis maiores de estratégias negativas de coping (e.g. Uso de substâncias). Os técnicos quer de equipas com competência mista quer de equipas com competência específica, com níveis maiores de Ansiedade, apresentaram níveis maiores de estratégias de coping negativas (e.g. Negação). Discussão: Este estudo revelou existirem algumas diferenças por sexo nos TSRS e apresentou dados importantes sobre os construtos psicológicos dos TSRS de diferentes Delegações e de equipas com diferentes competências, apontando possíveis aspetos a considerar num trabalho de intervenção com estes profissionais. Tal como esperado, no geral, maiores níveis de resiliência associaram-se, como noutros profissionais, a estratégias mais positivas de coping e maiores níveis de sintomas a estratégias mais negativas de coping. / Introduction: Studies on psychological correlates on Probation Officers (TSRS) in our country are nonexistent. Our purposes are to analyze the levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms, stress, coping and resilience in a sample of TSRS; to explore differences in these variables by gender, marital status, Regional Delegation and type of responsibility of local organic units; to explore associations between all variables mentioned in this sample (among themselves and with the sociodemographic variable age and the professional variables years of service and weekly hours of work"). Methodology: 89 TSRS (females, n = 67, 75.3 %), aged between 27 and 61 years (M = 47.4, SD = 7.10) completed a protocol consisting of sociodemographic and professional questions, the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, the Brief COPE Scale and the Scale to assess resilience skills. Results: Women had higher levels on Use of Instrumental and Emotional Social Support compared to men. The professionals of the Delegation of the Centre had higher scores on Resilience vs. professionals of the Delegation of the North and the North Delegation had higher levels of Stress vs. the Delegation of the South and Islands. The professionals with mixed competence had higher levels of Anxiety vs. those with specific competence. We found significant associations (in the total sample) between Depression, Denial and Substances Use. In males, the use of Emotional Social Support and Instrumental Support was associated with Depression and Anxiety. Overall, in all Delegations (considered separately), higher levels of Resilience were associated with more positive coping strategies (e.g., Active Coping) and higher levels of Depression, Anxiety and Stress with lower levels of positive coping strategies ( e.g. Acceptance) and higher levels of negative coping strategies (e.g. Substances Use). TSRS with higher levels of Anxiety, either in teams of mixed and specific competence, had higher levels of negative coping strategies (e.g. Denial). Discussion: This study revealed that there were some gender differences in TSRS and provided important data on the psychological constructs of TSRS of different Delegations and different types of organic units, pointing to possible issues to be addressed in an intervention work with these professionals. As expected, in general, higher levels of Resilience were associated, as in other professionals, with more positive coping strategies and higher levels of symptoms with more negative coping strategies.

Evaluation of a Brief Intervention to Assist Health Visitors and Community Practitioners to Engage with Fathers as Part of the Healthy Child Initiative

Aims: To improve engagement of Health Visitors and Community Practitioners delivering the Healthy Child Programme with fathers. To evaluate a one-day, father-focused workshop with a supporting handbook for Practitioners. To identify institutional and organisational barriers to engagement with fathers. Background: The UK government policy encourages health professionals to engage with fathers. This derives from robust evidence that fathers’ early involvement with their children impacts positively on emotional, behavioural and educational development. Yet, there is little evidence that the importance of engaging fathers is reflected in Health Visitor training or that primary-care services are wholly embracing father-inclusive practice. The Fatherhood Institute (FI), a UK charity, has developed a workshop for Practitioners delivering the Healthy Child Programme. Method: A ‘before and after’ evaluation study, comprising a survey followed by telephone interviews, evaluated the impact of the FI workshop on Health Visitors’ and Community Practitioners’ knowledge, attitudes and behaviour in practice. A total of 134 Health Visitors and Community Practitioners from eight NHS Trusts in England attended the workshop from November 2011 to January 2014 at 12 sites. A specially constructed survey, incorporating a validated questionnaire, was administered before the workshop, immediately afterwards and three months later. Telephone interviews further explored participants’ responses. Findings: Analysis of the questionnaire data showed that the workshop and handbook improved participants’ knowledge, attitudes and behaviour in practice. This was sustained over a three-month period. In telephone interviews, most participants said that the workshop had raised their awareness of engaging fathers and offered them helpful strategies. However, they also spoke of barriers to engagement with fathers. NHS Trusts need to review the training and education of Health Visitors and Community Practitioners and take a more strategic approach towards father-inclusive practice and extend services to meet the needs of fathers.

Layers of Listening: Qualitative Analysis of the Impact of Early Intervention Services for First-episode Psychosis on Carers' Experiences

Background Early intervention services (EIS) comprise low-stigma, youth-friendly mental health teams for young people undergoing first-episode psychosis (FEP). Engaging with the family of the young person is central to EIS policy and practice. Aims By analysing carers' accounts of their daily lives and affective challenges during a relative's FEP against the background of wider research into EIS, this paper explores relationships between carers' experiences and EIS. Method Semi-structured longitudinal interviews with 80 carers of young people with FEP treated through English EIS. Results Our data suggest that EIS successfully aid carers to support their relatives, particularly through the provision of knowledge about psychosis and medications. However, paradoxical ramifications of these user-focused engagements also emerge; they risk leaving carers' emotions unacknowledged and compounding an existing lack of help-seeking. Conclusions By focusing on EIS's engagements with carers, this paper draws attention to an urgent broader question: as a continuing emphasis on care outside the clinic space places family members at the heart of the care of those with severe mental illness, we ask: who can, and should, support carers, and in what ways?

Motivating residents to combat invasive species on private lands: social norms and community reciprocity

Invasive species (IS) threaten biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. To achieve landscape-scale reductions in IS and the associated gains for biodiversity, IS control efforts must be expanded across private lands. Enhancing IS control across private lands requires an understanding of the factors that motivate residents to engage or prohibit residents from engaging in efforts to control IS. Drawing from the collective interest model and literature, we sought to understand how a wide range of interpersonal, intrapersonal, and contextual factors might influence resident action around combating the invasive tree albizia (Falcataria moluccana), in the Puna District of Hawaiʻi. To do so, we used a cross-sectional survey of 243 residents and elastic net regression techniques. We found that residents’ actions related to IS control were related to their perceptions of social norms and community reciprocity regarding albizia control, as well as their knowledge of effective control strategies and their risk perceptions regarding albizia. These findings suggest that, although common intervention approaches that focus on providing education or subsidies are important, they may be more effective at reducing the spread of IS if coupled with approaches that build community reciprocity and norms.

IRIS Guidelines: Early Intervention in Psychosis IRIS Guidelines Update September 2012

Revision of the original 1998 IRIS Guidelines.