Social Inequity and Globalization: Understanding Violent and Nonviolent Responses

Globalization generates economic growth that is dominated by the free market dynamics of liberalization, deregulation, and privatization. The benefits of this growth are not distributed equally. The resulting inequities cause poverty, marginalization, exclusion, and instability. People respond to these inequities in both positive/nonviolent and negative/violent ways. This capstone project investigates the reasons for divergent responses to globalization by contrasting the underlying social factors in two case studies: peace communities in Colombia and piracy in Somalia. By measuring the level of vulnerability, considering security in a variety of domains, and examining stress on socio-cultural norms, this project develops a social factors framework for understanding the reasons for negative/violent versus positive/nonviolent responses to globalization.

Looking twice at the gender equity index for public health impact

Background: It has been shown that gender equity has a positive impact on the everyday activities of people (decision making, income allocation, application and observance of norms/rules) which affect their health. Gender equity is also a crucial determinant of health inequalities at national level; thus, monitoring is important for surveillance of women’s and men’s health as well as for future health policy initiatives. The Gender Equity Index (GEI) was designed to show inequity solely towards women. Given that the value under scrutiny is equity, in this paper a modified version of the GEI is proposed, the MGEI, which highlights the inequities affecting both sexes. Methods: Rather than calculating gender gaps by means of a quotient of proportions, gaps in the MGEI are expressed in absolute terms (differences in proportions). The Spearman’s rank coefficient, calculated from country rankings obtained according to both indexes, was used to evaluate the level of concordance between both classifications. To compare the degree of sensitivity and obtain the inequity by the two methods, the variation coefficient of the GEI and MGEI values was calculated. Results: Country rankings according to GEI and MGEI values showed a high correlation (rank coef. = 0.95). The MGEI presented greater dispersion (43.8%) than the GEI (19.27%). Inequity towards men was identified in the education gap (rank coef. = 0.36) when using the MGEI. According to this method, many countries shared the same absolute value for education but with opposite signs, for example Azerbaijan (−0.022) and Belgium (0.022), reflecting inequity towards women and men, respectively. This also occurred in the empowerment gap with the technical and professional job component (Brunei:-0.120 vs. Australia, Canada Iceland and the U.S.A.: 0.120). Conclusion: The MGEI identifies and highlights the different areas of inequities between gender groups. It thus overcomes the shortcomings of the GEI related to the aim for which this latter was created, namely measuring gender equity, and is therefore of great use to policy makers who wish to understand and monitor the results of specific equity policies and to determine the length of time for which these policies should be maintained in order to correct long-standing structural discrimination against women.

Critical health psychology - Who benefits?

This commentary deals with two issues raised by Hepworth (this issue). Concerning definitions, it argues that critical health psychology needs to be more explicit in defining itself as politically left-wing, and that its central defining characteristic should be that it is research and practice which aims primarily to benefit the participants, regardless of any specific method or epistemology. Concerning the value of critical health psychology, it argues that work which has improved health on a global scale and which aims to reduce inequities is being done, but not by critical psychologists, and suggests a need for more action and less rhetoric.

Gender, identity, and the security state: The politics of international drug trafficking

This dissertation examined how United States illicit drug control policy, often commonly referred to as the "war on drugs," contributes to the reproduction of gendered and racialized social relations. Specifically, it analyzed the identity producing practices of United States illicit drug control policy as it relates to the construction of U.S. identities. ^ Drawing on the theoretical contributions of feminist postpositivists, three cases of illicit drug policy practice were discussed. In the first case, discourse analysis was employed to examine recent debates (1986-2005) in U.S. Congressional Hearings about the proper understanding of the illicit drug "threat." The analysis showed how competing policy positions are tied to differing understandings of proper masculinity and the role of policymakers as protectors of the national interest. Utilizing critical visual methodologies, the second case examined a public service media campaign circulated by the Office of National Drug Control Policy that tied the "war on drugs" with another security concern in the U.S., the "war on terror." This case demonstrated how the media campaign uses messages about race, masculinity, and femininity to produce privileged notions of state identity and proper citizenship. The third case examined the gendered politics of drug interdiction at the U.S. border. Using qualitative research methodologies including semi-structured interviews and participant observation, it examined how gender is produced through drug interdiction at border sites like Miami International Airport. By paying attention to the discourse that circulates about women drug couriers, it showed how gender is normalized in a national security setting. ^ What this dissertation found is that illicit drug control policy takes the form it does because of the politics of gender and racial identity and that, as a result, illicit drug policy is implicated in the reproduction of gender and racial inequities. It concluded that a more socially conscious and successful illicit drug policy requires an awareness of the gendered and racialized assumptions that inform and shape policy practices.^

Swimming against the tide: A study of a youth enrichment program seeking to empower inner-city Black youth

Serious inequities in our K-12 public education system, particularly in regard to the quality of education in predominately Black inner-city schools, are well-documented in the literature (Freeman, 1998; Ross, 1998). Moreover, there is general agreement that the most effective means of ameliorating that situation is through well-thought-out after-school programs and partnership initiatives (Beck, 1993; Gardner et al., 2001). ^ The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the programmatic interventions of a youth enrichment program for inner-city Black youth currently in place at the Overtown Youth Center (OYC) in Miami, Florida, in order to: (a) discern those factors that support its claim that it is making a difference in students’ lives, (b) explore how any such factors are implemented, and (c) determine whether its interventions have served to equalize the playing field for these youth. ^ Two primary methods of data collection were used for this study. The first was participant observation conducted over the course of two years through a partnership initiative established and led by this author. The second was through in-depth interviews of the Center’s founder, staff, and students. Secondary methods used were the recording of informal conversations and the analysis of written documents. ^ Analysis of the data yielded four features of the Center that are indispensible to the students’ growth. The center provides the youth with (a) physical and psychological safety, (b) supportive relationships, (c) exposure to cultural and educational opportunities, and (d) assistance in building self-esteem. ^ The most significant finding of the study was that OYC has been successful at making a difference in students’ lives and at increasing their aspirations to attend college. By addressing the full spectrum of their needs, the Center has given them many of the necessary tools with which to compete and thereby helped equalize their opportunities to succeed in school and in life. ^ The study also noted a number of challenges for the Center to examine. The main issues that need to be addressed more seriously are staff turnover, staff indifference, nepotism, inconsistent student attendance, and insufficient focus on racial issues and African-American-centered education. Meeting those challenges would engender even greater positive outcomes.^

Social Studies in Other Nations: A Focus on Nigerian Social Studies/Global Education

This paper discusses the role of the role of social studies education in Nigeria. Amidst problems of mass education, funding, inequities, intolerance, corruption, weak governance, access to quality education, curriculum development, effective instructional methods, research, and teacher education, Nigeria embarks upon a democratic path to national unity and peace.

A comparison study of the English III/American Literature success of African American high school students and that of students whose home language is Haitian Creole

The purpose of the study was to compare the English III success of students whose home language is Haitian Creole (SWHLIHC) with that of the more visible African American high school students in the Miami Dade County Public Schools System, in an effort to offer insight that might assist educators in facilitating the educational success of SWHLIHC in American Literature class.^ The study was guided by two important theories on how students interact with and learn from literature. They are Reader Response Theory which advocates giving students the opportunity to become involved in the literature experience (Rosenblatt, 1995), and Critical Literacy, a theory developed by Paolo Freire and Henry Giroux, which espouses a critical approach to analysis of society that enables people to analyze social problems through lenses that would reveal social inequities and assist in transforming society into a more equitable entity.^ Data for the study: 10th grade reading FCAT scores, English III/American Literature grades, and Promotion to English IV records for the school year 2010-2011 were retrieved from the records division of the Miami Dade County Public Schools System. The study used a quantitative methods approach, the central feature of which was an ex post facto design with hypotheses (Newman, Newman, Brown, & McNeely, 2006). The ex post facto design with hypotheses was chosen because the researcher postulated hypotheses about the relationships that might exist between the performances of SWHLIHC and those of African American students on the three above mentioned variables. This type of design supported the researcher's purpose of comparing these performances.^ One way analysis of variance (ANOVA), two way ANOVAs, and chi square tests were used to examine the two groups' performances on the 10th grade reading FCAT, their English III grades, and their promotion to English IV. ^ The study findings show that there was a significant difference in the performance of SWHLIHC and African American high school students on all three independent variables. SWHLIHC performed significantly higher on English III success and promotion to English IV. African American high school students performed significantly higher on the reading FCAT.^

Atenção à criança no período neonatal: chamada neonatal, Rio Grande do Norte, 2010

The neonatal period, which includes the first 27 da ys postpartum, is a vulnerability phase in child health, making it necessary for a greater mon itoring by health professional through actions that add value to the binomial mother/child and comprehensive care to the newborn. To this end, this study aimed to evaluate the care actions the neonato from the strategies recommended by the Ministry of Health. This is a cr oss-sectional study carried out from the database of the national survey of population base entitled "Call Neonatal: evaluation of prenatal care and to children younger than one year old in the North and Northeast regions". It used as the sample unit the mothers and children yo unger than 1-year-old, costal residents of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil, who attended th e vaccination campaign on June 12, 2010 in nine municipality’s priority for the Pact to Red uce Infant and Neonatal Mortality. To compose the study variables were selected issues/ac tions regarding the neonatal period and socio-demographic factors, followed by a descriptiv e and inferential analysis. A sample of 837 mother/child pairs was obtained, being 57.6% in capital and 42.4% in the whole from the interiors, which was weighted to represent the muni cipalities of the State. It was predominated by mothers aged between 20-29 years, complete high school, not entitled to income transfer program and male children (51.2%). The frequency of the actions of the hospital ranged from 35% to 96% and those performed at the Basic Health Unit (BHU) from 57% to 91.2%. Most actions had an association with hospitals and publi c nature of the state capital (p<0.05). The results for most of the actions are recommended in the care programs and policies for children, and reveal the regional inequities in hea lth and the need for the involvement of services and professionals in search of comprehensi ve care for enabling better care through humanized practices during this increased vulnerabi lity period.

Análise da atuação do Ministério Público Estadual na assistência materno infantil do Rio Grande do Norte

Maternal and infant mortality have become a serious public health problem in Brazil, especially in northeasternand northern regions.In RioGrande do Norte, the high rates ofdeathsofmothersandbabies haveconcerned not onlythehealthauthorities andjusticeagenciessuch as the prosecution service. In 2011, State Public Ministry (MPE) has developed a proposition which was called “Nascer com Dignidade”, focused on the monitoring ofcare givenin prenatal, childbirth andpost childbirthin the cities. The aim of thisstudy was toinvestigate how the intervention of MPE works in maternal and child care. The method adopted to survey data was the case study by analyzing the skills of the reports which were carried out in four of the eight Public Health Regional Units (URSAP).A total of 26municipalities were chosenand the results showfragilityparticularly inprenatal care which can result in complicationsin childbirthand postpartumlike:incomplete health family teams(in05cities), lack of access orinaccessibility to laboratory tests(16 cities) and lack of the pregnant woman'sattachment to thebirthing place(in26 cities). Based on this reality, MPE has adopted relevant attitudes as filing public civil suits, compliance of Conduct Adjustment Declaration in the municipal management and performing interventions in heath care centers and maternity clinics of the state. Thereforeit is known thatPublic Ministryis of paramount importanceto indicatethe necessaryadjustmentsto addressinfant and maternalmortalityin the state (mean of 65/100,000 and16/100,000respectively) and give the city hall the responsibility for the health care quality provided to their citizens. These factors demand theprinciples ofuniversality and integrality to be performed in order to reduce social inequities.

From Where Do We Teach? Potential Positions in Public Education

This thesis is a conceptual examination of the positions from which we teach in public education. As it is philosophical in nature, it takes no qualitative or quantitative data. It offers a review of selected relevant literature and an analysis of personal and professional experience, with the intent to pose critical questions about teaching and learning. The framework of this thesis represents the following contentions: First, from its inception, public schooling served capital by preparing skilled labour for emerging industrial markets. This history is the hegemonic shadow that hangs over public education today. Second, movements toward the standardization of funding, curriculum, and evaluation support the further commodification of public schooling. The “accountability” that standardization offers, the “back to basics” that it aims for, is counter to the potential that public education might critically inform citizens and seek social justice. Third, movements toward the privatization of public schooling under the guise of “choice” and “mobility”, brought on by manufactured crisis, serve only to widen socio-economic inequities as capitalist neoliberal interests seek profit in both the product of public schools and in schooling itself. If we recognize and understand the power of public education to inform vast numbers of citizens who will, in turn, either maintain or reform society, we must ask: What do we want public education to be? What are the effects of continuing down historically conventional and increasingly standardized paths? What do progressive pedagogies offer? How might teachers destandardize their pedagogy and pursue equitable opportunities for marginalized students? How might students name themselves and their world, that they might play a part in its reimagining? For whom do we teach, and under what conditions? From where do we teach, and why? For educators to ask these questions, and to employ what they discover, will necessitate taking substantial risks. It will necessitate taking a stand and cannot be done alone. Teachers must seek out the collaboration of their students. They must offer students the time and the space to find their own voices, to create their own selves, and to envision previously uncharted paths on which we might walk together.

Economic crisis and national health system

The text analyzes the impact of the economic crisis in some critical aspects of the National Health System: outcomes, health expenditure, remuneration policy and privatization through Private Public Partnership models. Some health outcomes related to social inequalities are worrying. Reducing public health spending has increased the fragility of the health system, reduced wage income of workers in the sector and increased heterogeneity between regions. Finally, the evidence indicates that privatization does not mean more efficiency and better governance. Deep reforms are needed to strengthen the National Health System.

Evaluation use within a humanitarian non-governmental organization’s health care user-fee exemption program in West Africa

L’évaluation de l’action humanitaire (ÉAH) est un outil valorisé pour soutenir l’imputabilité, la transparence et l’efficience de programmes humanitaires contribuant à diminuer les inéquités et à promouvoir la santé mondiale. L’EAH est incontournable pour les parties prenantes de programme, les bailleurs de fonds, décideurs et intervenants souhaitant intégrer les données probantes aux pratiques et à la prise de décisions. Cependant, l’utilisation de l’évaluation (UÉ) reste incertaine, l’ÉAH étant fréquemment menée, mais inutilisé. Aussi, les conditions influençant l’UÉ varient selon les contextes et leur présence et applicabilité au sein d’organisations non-gouvernementales (ONG) humanitaires restent peu documentées. Les évaluateurs, parties prenantes et décideurs en contexte humanitaire souhaitant assurer l’UÉ pérenne détiennent peu de repères puisque rares sont les études examinant l’UÉ et ses conditions à long terme. La présente thèse tend à clarifier ces enjeux en documentant sur une période de deux ans l’UÉ et les conditions qui la détermine, au sein d’une stratégie d’évaluation intégrée au programme d’exemption de paiement des soins de santé d’une ONG humanitaire. L’objectif de ce programme est de faciliter l’accès à la santé aux mères, aux enfants de moins de cinq ans et aux indigents de districts sanitaires au Niger et au Burkina Faso, régions du Sahel où des crises alimentaires et économiques ont engendré des taux élevés de malnutrition, de morbidité et de mortalité. Une première évaluation du programme d’exemption au Niger a mené au développement de la stratégie d’évaluation intégrée à ce même programme au Burkina Faso. La thèse se compose de trois articles. Le premier présente une étude d’évaluabilité, étape préliminaire à la thèse et permettant de juger de sa faisabilité. Les résultats démontrent une logique cohérente et plausible de la stratégie d’évaluation, l’accessibilité de données et l’utilité d’étudier l’UÉ par l’ONG. Le second article documente l’UÉ des parties prenantes de la stratégie et comment celle-ci servit le programme d’exemption. L’utilisation des résultats fut instrumentale, conceptuelle et persuasive, alors que l’utilisation des processus ne fut qu’instrumentale et conceptuelle. Le troisième article documente les conditions qui, selon les parties prenantes, ont progressivement influencé l’UÉ. L’attitude des utilisateurs, les relations et communications interpersonnelles et l’habileté des évaluateurs à mener et à partager les connaissances adaptées aux besoins des utilisateurs furent les conditions clés liées à l’UÉ. La thèse contribue à l’avancement des connaissances sur l’UÉ en milieu humanitaire et apporte des recommandations aux parties prenantes de l’ONG.

Transformer les pratiques professionnelles vis-à-vis des personnes prestataires de l’aide sociale : développement participatif et évaluation d’une formation continue en cabinet dentaire

L’objectif de la présente thèse est de générer des connaissances sur les contributions possibles d’une formation continue à l’évolution des perspectives et pratiques des professionnels de la santé buccodentaire. Prônant une approche centrée sur le patient, la formation vise à sensibiliser les professionnels à la pauvreté et à encourager des pratiques qui se veulent inclusives et qui tiennent compte du contexte social des patients. L’évaluation de la formation s’inscrit dans le contexte d’une recherche-action participative de développement d’outils éducatifs et de transfert des connaissances sur la pauvreté. Cette recherche-action aspire à contribuer à la lutte contre les iniquités sociales de santé et d’accès aux soins au Québec; elle reflète une préoccupation pour une plus grande justice sociale ainsi qu’une prise de position pour une santé publique critique fondée sur une « science des solutions » (Potvin, 2013). Quatre articles scientifiques, ancrés dans une philosophie constructiviste et dans les concepts et principes de l’apprentissage transformationnel (Mezirow, 1991), constituent le cœur de cette thèse. Le premier article présente une revue critique de la littérature portant sur l’enseignement de l’approche de soins centrés sur le patient. Prenant appui sur le concept d’une « épistémologie partagée », des principes éducatifs porteurs d’une transformation de perspective à l’égard de la relation professionnel-patient ont été identifiés et analysés. Le deuxième article de thèse s’inscrit dans le cadre du développement participatif d’outils de formation sur la pauvreté et illustre le processus de co-construction d’un scénario de court-métrage social réaliste portant sur la pauvreté et l’accès aux soins. L’article décrit et apporte une réflexion, notamment sur la dimension de co-formation entre les différents acteurs des milieux académique, professionnel et citoyen qui ont constitué le collectif À l’écoute les uns des autres. Nous y découvrons la force du croisement des savoirs pour générer des prises de conscience sur soi et sur ses préjugés. Les outils développés par le collectif ont été intégrés à une formation continue axée sur la réflexion critique et l’apprentissage transformationnel, et conçue pour être livrée en cabinet dentaire privé. Les deux derniers articles de thèse présentent les résultats d’une étude de cas instrumentale évaluative centrée sur cette formation continue et visant donc à répondre à l’objectif premier de cette thèse. Le premier consiste en une analyse des transformations de perspectives et d’action au sein d’une équipe de 15 professionnels dentaires ayant participé à la formation continue sur une période de trois mois. L’article décrit, entre autres, une plus grande ouverture, chez certains participants, sur les causes structurelles de la pauvreté et une plus grande sensibilité au vécu au quotidien des personnes prestataires de l’aide sociale. L’article comprend également une exploration des effets paradoxaux dans l’apprentissage, notamment le renforcement, chez certains, de perceptions négatives à l’égard des personnes prestataires de l’aide sociale. Le quatrième article fait état de barrières idéologiques contraignant la transformation des pratiques professionnelles : 1) l’identification à l’idéologie du marché privé comme véhicule d’organisation des soins; 2) l’attachement au concept d’égalité dans les pratiques, au détriment de l’équité; 3) la prédominance du modèle biomédical, contraignant l’adoption de pratiques centrées sur la personne et 4) la catégorisation sociale des personnes prestataires de l’aide sociale. L’analyse des perceptions, mais aussi de l’expérience vécue de ces barrières démontre comment des facteurs systémiques et sociaux influent sur le rapport entre professionnel dentaire et personne prestataire de l’aide sociale. Les conséquences pour la recherche, l’éducation dentaire, le transfert des connaissances, ainsi que pour la régulation professionnelle et les politiques de santé buccodentaire, sont examinées à partir de cette perspective.

Measuring the geographic distribution of maternal education in Africa

Thesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2016-08

Black-White Wage Gap Among Restaurant Servers: A Replication, Extension, and Exploration of Consumer Racial Discrimination in Tipping

There is a rich history of social science research centering on racial inequalities that continue to be observed across various markets (e.g., labor, housing, and credit markets) and social milieus. Existing research on racial discrimination in consumer markets, however, is relatively scarce and that which has been done has disproportionately focused on consumers as the victims of race-based mistreatment. As such, we know relatively little about how consumers contribute to inequalities in their roles as perpetrators of racial discrimination. In response, in this paper we elaborate on a line of research that is only in its’ infancy stages of development and yet is ripe with opportunities to advance the literature on consumer racial discrimination and racial earnings inequities among tip dependent employees in the United States. Specifically, we analyze data derived from a large exit survey of restaurant consumers (n=378) in an attempt to replicate, extend, and further explore the recently documented effect of service providers’ race on restaurant consumers’ tipping decisions. Our results indicate that both White and Black restaurant customers discriminate against Black servers by tipping them less than their White coworkers. Importantly, we find no evidence that this Black tip penalty is the result of interracial differences in service skills possessed by Black and White servers. We conclude by delineating directions for future research in this neglected but salient area study.