History of critical criminology in Australia

Those working in the critical criminology tradition have been centrally concerned with the social construction, variability and contingency of the criminal label. The concern is no less salient to a consideration of critical criminology itself and any history of critical criminology (in Australia or elsewhere) should aim itself to be critical in this sense. The point applies with equal force to both of the terms ‘critical’ and ‘criminology’. The want of a stable theoretical object has meant that criminology itself needs to be seen not as a distinct discipline but as a composite intellectual and governmental hybrid, a field of studies that overlaps and intersects many others (sociology, law, psychology, history, anthropology, social work, media studies and youth studies to name only a few). In consequence, much of the most powerful work on subjects of criminological inquiry is undertaken by scholars who do not necessarily define themselves as criminologists first and foremost, or at all. For reasons that should later become obvious this is even more pronounced in the Australian context. Although we may appear at times to be claiming such work for criminology, our purpose is to recognize its impact on and in critical criminology in Australia.

Friedman Economic Policies, Social Exclusion and Crime: Toward a Gendered Left Realist Subcultural Theory.

Left realists contend that people lacking legitimate means of solving the problem of relative deprivation may come into contact with other frustrated disenfranchised people and form subcultures, which in turn, encourage criminal behaviors. Absent from this theory is an attempt to address how, today, subcultural development in North America and elsewhere is heavily shaped simultaneously by the recent destructive consequences of right-wing Friedman or Chicago School economic policies and marginalized men's attempts to live up to the principles of hegemonic masculinity. The purpose of this paper, then, is to offer a new left realist theory that emphasizes the contribution of these two key determinants.

Social identification dimensions as mediators of the effect of prototypicality on intergroup behaviours

Cameron (2004) proposed a three-dimensional model and measure of social identification consisting of cognitive centrality, in-group affect, and in-group ties. This approach has received growing theoretical and empirical support; however, little research has examined how these dimensions of social identification may relate differentially to intergroup outcome behaviors. The current research sought to address this question by examining the possible mediating role the dimensions of social identification on the relationship between prototypicality of group members and the intergroup outcome behaviors of in-group favoritism, out-group derogation, and collective self-esteem. The current study examined university students’ (N = 235) feelings towards students from their own and another local university. Structural equation modeling was used to identify the most appropriate and parsimonious models of these pathways. The results showed support for the utility of measuring social identification using a multidimensional approach with unique meditational pathways emerging for the distinct intergroup behaviors.

Impact of physical, psychological, and sexual violence on social adjustment of school children in India

and sexual violence on the social adjustment of Grade 8 and 9 school children in the state of Tripura, India. The study participants, 160 boys and 160 girls, were randomly selected from classes in eight English and Bengali medium schools in Agartala city, Tripura. Data were collected using a self-administered Semi-structured Questionnaire for Children/Students and a Social Adjustment Inventory which were custom-made for the study based on measures in the extant research adapted for the Indian context. Findings revealed that students experienced physical (21.9%), psychological (20.9%), and sexual (18.1%) violence at home, and 29.7% of the children had witnessed family violence. Boys were more often victims of physical and psychological violence while girls were more often victims of sexual violence. The social adjustment scores of school children who experienced violence, regardless of the nature of the violence, was significantly lower when compared with scores of those who had not experienced violence (p<0.001). Social adjustment was poorer for girls than boys (p<0.001). The study speaks in favour of early detection and intervention for all child maltreatment subtypes and for children exposed to interparental violence, and highlights the crucial role of schools and school psychology in addressing the problem.

The emergence of critical health psychology : can it contribute to promoting public health?

The purpose of this article is twofold : first to provide an overview of the emergence of critical health psychology for those working in the related social and health sciences and as a review of its major developments for health psychology; and second to discuss critically the potential for critical health psychology to contribute to promoting public health with specific reference to the directives espoused by Prilleltensky (2003) and Murray and Campbell (2003). The identification of three philosophical phases of the emergence of critical health psychology is used to examine the directions of the field and the challenges facing critical health psychology in order to contribute to public and global health.

The diversity of interests in environmental governance : a challenge for the rule of law

The function of environmental governance and the principle of the rule of law are both controversial and challenging. To apply the principle of the rule of law to the function of environmental governance is perhaps even more controversial and challenging. A system of environmental governance seeks to bring together the range of competitive and potentially conflicting interests in how the environment and its resources are managed. Increasingly it is the need for economic, social and ecological sustainability that brings these interests – both public and private – together. Then there is the relevance of the principle of the rule of law. Economic, social and ecological sustainability will be achieved – if at all – by a complex series of rules of law that are capable of enforcement so as to ensure compliance with them. To what extent do these rules of law reflect the principle of the rule of law? Is the principle of the rule of law the formally unstated value that is expected to underpin the legal system or is it the normative predicate that directs the legal system both vertically and horizontally? Is sustainability an aspirational value or a normative predicate according to which the environment and its resources are managed? Let us deal sequentially with these issues by reviewing a number of examples that demonstrate the relationship between environmental governance and the rule of law.

Social support promotes psychological well-being following a natural disaster

Receiving emotional support has consistently been demonstrated as an important factor associated with mental health but sparse research has investigated giving support in addition to receiving it or the types of support that predict well-being. In this paper the relationship between giving and receiving instrumental and emotional social support and psychological well-being during and following a natural disaster is investigated. A survey administered between four and six months after fatal floods was conducted with 200 community members consisting of men (n = 68) and women (n = 132) aged between 17 and 87 years. Social support experiences were assessed using the 2-Way Social Support Scale (2-Way SSS; Shakespeare-Finch & Obst, 2011) and eudemonic well-being was measured using the Psychological Well-Being Scale (PWBS; Ryff & Keyes, 1995). Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to examine expected relationships and to explore the differential effects of the four factors of the 2-Way SSS. Results indicated that social support shared significant positive associations with domains of psychological well-being, especially with regards to interpersonal relationships. Receiving and giving emotional support were respectively the strongest unique predictors of psychological well-being. However, receiving instrumental support predicted less autonomy. Results highlight the importance of measuring social support as a multidimensional construct and affirm that disaster response policy and practice should focus on emotional as well as instrumental needs in order to promote individual and community psychosocial health following a flooding crisis.

David L. Rosenhan (1929–2012)

Presents an obituary for David L. Rosenhan (1929–2012). A distinguished psychologist and professor emeritus at Stanford University, Rosenhan died February 6, 2012, at the age of 82, after a long illness. Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, on November 22, 1929, he received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics (1951) from Yeshiva College and a master’s degree in economics (1953) and a doctorate in psychology (1958) from Columbia University. A professor of law and of psychology at Stanford University from 1971 until his retirement in 1998, Rosenhan was a pioneer in applying psychological methods to the practice of law, including the examination of expert witnesses, jury selection, and jury deliberation. A former president of the American Psychology–Law Society and of the American Board of Forensic Psychology, Rosenhan was a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, of the American Psychological Association, and of the American Psychological Society. Before joining the Stanford Law School faculty, he was a member of the faculties of Swarthmore College, Princeton University, Haverford College, and the University of Pennsylvania. He also served as a research psychologist at the Educational Testing Service. As generations of Stanford students can attest, David Rosenhan was a spellbinding lecturer who managed to convey the sense that he was speaking to each individual, no matter how large the group. To his graduate students, he was consistently encouraging and optimistic, always ready to share a joke or story, and gently encouraging of their creativity and progressive independence as researchers. The lessons he cared most about offering, in the classroom as in his research, were about human dignity and the need to confront abuse of power and human frailties.

Male sex work and society

This collection explores male sex work from an array of perspectives and disciplines. It aims to help enrich the ways in which we view both male sex work as a field of commerce and male sex workers themselves. Leading contributors examine the field both historically and cross-culturally from fields including public health, sociology, psychology, social services, history, filmography, economics, mental health, criminal justice, geography, and migration studies, and more. Synthesizing introductions by the editors help the reader understand the implications of the findings and conclusions for scholars, practitioners, students, and members of the interested/concerned public.

Mandatory Reporting Laws and the Identification of Severe Child Abuse and Neglect

This book provides the first comprehensive international coverage of key issues in mandatory reporting of child abuse and neglect. The book draws on a collection of the foremost scholars in the field, as well as clinicians and practice-based experts, to explore the nature, history, impact and justifiability of mandatory reporting laws, their optimal form, legal and conceptual issues, and practical issues and challenges for reporters, professional educators and governments. Key issues in non-Western nations are also explored briefly to assess the potential of socio-legal responses sex trafficking, forced child labour and child marriage. The book is of particular value to policy makers, educators and opinion leaders in government departments dealing with children, and to professionals and organisations who work with children. It is also intended to be a key authority for researchers and teachers in the fields of medicine, nursing, social work, education, law, psychology, health and allied health fields.

Submission to Queensland Law Reform Commission WP 73 Review of Child Protection Mandatory Reporting Laws for the Early Childhood Education and Care Sector

In 2015 the QLRC is conducting an inquiry into whether to extend legislative mandatory reporting duties for physical abuse and sexual abuse to early childhood education and care practitioners. The current legislation does not require these practitioners to report suspected cases of significant harm from physical or sexual absue to child welfare agencies. Based on the literature, and a multidisciplinary analysis, our overall recommendation is that we endorse the extension to selected early childhood education and care practitioners of Queensland’s current mandatory reporting duty in the Child Protection Act 1999 s 13E.

Social Security Programs Throughout the World: Asia and the Pacific, 2006

[Excerpt] This second issue in the current four-volume series of Social Security Programs Throughout the World reports on the countries of Asia and the Pacific. The combined findings of this series, which also includes volumes on Europe, Africa, and the Americas, are published at 6-month intervals over a 2-year period. Each volume highlights features of social security programs in the particular region. This guide serves as an overview of programs in all regions. A few political jurisdictions have been excluded because they have no social security system or have issued no information regarding their social security legislation. In the absence of recent information, national programs reported in previous volumes may also be excluded. In this volume on Asia and the Pacific, the data reported are based on laws and regulations in force in July 2006 or on the last date for which information has been received.1 Information for each country on types of social security programs, types of mandatory systems for retirement income, contribution rates, and demographic and other statistics related to social security is shown in Tables 1­4 at the end of the guide. The country summaries show each system's major features. Separate programs in the public sector and specialized funds for such groups as agricultural workers, collective farmers, or the self-employed have not been described in any detail. Benefit arrangements of private employers or individuals are not described in any detail, even though such arrangements may be mandatory in some countries or available as alternatives to statutory programs. The country summaries also do not refer to international social security agreements that may be in force between two or more countries. Those agreements may modify coverage, contributions, and benefit provisions of national laws summarized in the country write-ups. Since the summary format requires brevity, technical terms have been developed that are concise as well as comparable and are applied to all programs. The terminology may therefore differ from national concepts or usage.

Novos frascos, velhas fragrâncias: a institucionalização da Lei Maria da Penha em uma cidade fluminense

A presente tese se propõe descrever e analisar as relações interpessoais entre mulheres, homens e profissionais das áreas do direito, psicologia e serviço social envolvidos na institucionalização da Lei 11.340/06, conhecida como Lei Maria da Penha (LMP), que rege hoje no Brasil os crimes de violência doméstica e familiar contra a mulher. Inicialmente é apresentada uma concisa contextualização da LMP e do campo de debate em que se insere, além das principais mudanças introduzidas por ela em relação às antigas políticas. As controvérsias que a lei vem levantando e as modificações sofridas em pouco tempo de existência, apontam para as dificuldades em se estabelecer um consenso por parte dos operadores e formuladores da lei quanto à percepção da violência doméstica e familiar contra a mulher como um crime e quanto a sua justa punição. Não só os operadores, mas as feministas também se envolveram em controvérsias teóricas em torno da distinção entre as definições de violência contra a mulher e de crime de violência contra a mulher. O esforço de se avançar na análise dessas categorias se justifica pelas dificuldades e impasses que se observam nas práticas institucionais na implementação da LMP. Essas práticas são descritas e analisadas a partir da incursão etnográfica em dois campos. No Juizado de Violência Doméstica e Familiar contra a Mulher participei de encontros de um grupo de reflexão para homens autores de violência, assisti audiências, entrevistei profissionais e dezoito homens envolvidos com a LMP. Os sentidos em disputa que os vários atores sociais constroem relativos aos conflitos violentos da intimidade ali julgados e suas relações com o exercício da(s) masculinidade(s) são discutidos. As informações do outro campo, um Centro de Referência da Mulher, provêm das observações de cenas do cotidiano institucional, do acompanhamento de atendimentos às usuárias, da participação em grupos de reflexão para as mulheres vítimas de violência e de entrevistas com duas profissionais e dezessete mulheres. É enfatizado o caráter de intervenção pedagógica das instituições que objetivam promover mudanças em caracteres considerados como de gênero de homens (a agressividade) e mulheres (a passividade) que estariam influenciando o engendramento e manutenção das violências. Nas entrevistas é ressaltado o que ecoa, corrobora, complementa, destoa ou mesmo mostra novos ângulos do que é apreendido nos grupos (confronto entre os sentidos da violência e suas relações com o que é ser homem e o que é ser mulher) e nas audiências (tendência à vitimização e à relativização dos papéis de vítima e acusado). Independente dos embates e controvérsias suscitadas, pode-se afirmar que a violência contra a mulher ingressou no mundo da lei nacional trazendo com sua institucionalização uma intensa circulação de diferentes sentidos, lógicas e moralidades que (re)modelam convenções sobre as relações de gêneros e sua influência sobre a citada violência.

O imaginário social na (des) valorização do professor de Educação Física

O objetivo deste trabalho é relacionar e apresentar questões referentes ao Imaginário Social acerca do professor de Educação Física e o modo como se vê enquanto profissional na área de educação. No Estado e na Cidade do Rio de Janeiro o quadro do início dos anos 90 era de abandono do magistério, havia um sentimento de descrença e de desânimo sobre a categoria que agravava a situação coletiva. No passado, aproximadamente na década de 1920, a figura do professor era remetida a algo transcendental, alguém que exercia o ofício entre Deus e os homens, outras vezes a imagem do professor estava diretamente ligada a uma nobre missão ou sacerdócio. Com o tempo, as representações do professor começaram a sofrer profundas alterações. A atividade do magistério enquanto atividade sagrada se transforma, aos poucos, dando lugar a uma nova representação, a de que o professor é mais um trabalhador. Isso provoca um deslocamento de sua imagem sagrada para uma imagem profana, de cotidiano, mais uma mão-de-obra. Considerando este contexto, a questão que orienta este trabalho é: Qual a imagem que o Professor de Educação Física faz de si?

A prática e a representação social do tabagismo entre fumantes, ex-fumantes e não fumantes

Atualmente o tabagismo é considerado pela Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) como um fator de risco à vida a ser combatido com alta prioridade. No entanto, um processo maciço de propaganda e marketing parece ter sido historicamente decisivo para dar à prática de fumar uma representação positiva, através de uma associação sistemática entre o consumo de derivados do tabaco e o ideal de auto-imagem, como beleza, sucesso, saúde e liberdade. Essa transformação da imagem do cigarro de símbolo de status e saúde para uma séria doença a ser combatida evidencia a importância de analisar o tabagismo como um fenômeno psicossocial. O objetivo geral desta investigação consiste, portanto, em analisar comparativamente as representações sociais acerca do tabagismo construídas por grupos de indivíduos que se incluam diferencialmente nas condições de fumantes, ex-fumantes e não-fumantes. A pesquisa foi realizada com uma amostra de 500 (quinhentos) participantes residentes no Estado do Rio de Janeiro, de ambos os sexos, podendo pertencer às categorias de fumantes, ex-fumantes e não-fumantes. A coleta de dados foi realizada por meio eletrônico, através da aplicação de um questionário, que em parte focaliza os dados sóciodemográficos dos participantes e, em outra, apresenta questões abertas e fechadas, incorporando ainda uma tarefa de evocação livre ante o termo indutor tabagismo ou prática de fumar. Os resultados da análise estrutural da representação social do tabagismo possibilitou verificar uma unanimidade quanto à significação controversa que é atribuída a ele. De um lado, verificam-se dimensões negativas desta prática, que são objetivadas pelas implicações e repercussões na saúde dos fumantes ativos e passivos e, por outro lado, existem as dimensões positivas, que representam as funções sociais do tabagismo, e as sensações prazerosas que ele provoca nos fumantes. Observa-se o processo de construção de uma nova representação social do tabagismo, onde é estabelecida uma conexão entre uma velha representação do tabagismo enquanto hábito de vida, estilo de vida, com uma nova representação, o tabagismo como vício/dependência, criando novos significados e imagens do objeto. Para concluir, vale ressaltar que as representações sociais dos ex-fumantes e dos não-fumantes mostraram-se bastantes próximas, ressaltando essencialmente os aspectos negativos do tabagismo, enquanto que a dos fumantes diferenciam-se um pouco ao apresentar elementos como prazer. Mas de modo geral, as representações não mostraram-se tão distintas, revelando que os próprios fumantes vivenciam uma relação muito antagônica com o tabagismo, manifestando em diversos momentos vontade de tornarem-se ex-fumantes. Parece que a representação do tabagismo como um hábito glamoroso não mais existe e que de fato a política de controle a ele vem obtendo êxito com suas medidas restritivas o que é algo extremamente positivo para nossa sociedade do ponto de vista da saúde pública. No entanto, na esfera social, parece necessário que essa atmosfera de temor e asco envolta no tabagismo seja pensada e refletida, para que não resulte em discriminação social com os tabagistas, tornando-os novamente vítima, mas de uma nova situação social