Individualism, Civic Virtue, and Gender in America

1990 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 46-81
Author(s):  
Mark E. Kann
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Public Policy ◽  
Civic Virtue ◽  
Business Leaders ◽  
Individual Rights ◽  
Democratic Government ◽  
American Life ◽  
Self Interest ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Individual Self

Individualism is a powerful symbol of American life. We treasure individual rights to speak our minds, choose our values, seek our goals, and achieve self-fulfillment. We believe individual self-interest is the foundation of economic growth and prosperity. We treat individual suffrage as the definitive characteristic of democratic government. In a sense, individualism is the lifeblood of an American dream that flows to our children, circulates among immigrants, and courses through the rhetoric of public policy. American historians record its genealogy and sociologists diagnose its effects while business leaders prescribe more of it and politicians praise it. Even critics are obsessed with it. They tell us that individualism has infected the habits of our hearts and forced the closing of our minds.

Civic Virtue and Self-Interest

1995 ◽  
Vol 89 (1) ◽  
pp. 147-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher M. Duncan ◽  
Shelley Burtt
Keyword(s):  
Political Participation ◽  
Civic Virtue ◽  
Political Life ◽  
The Political ◽  
Crucial Element ◽  
Self Interest ◽  
Individual Self ◽  
The Ideal

In this Review in 1993 Shelley Burtt critiqued contemporary republican theorists who urge a reinvigorated citizenry steeped in the ideal of civic virtue. Christopher Duncan finds the essence of Burtt's argument to be that such a revival is not feasible given the level of self-sacrifice required from citizens. He suggests, however, that contemporary republican theorists, like their ancient predecessor Aristotle, are not calling for altruism or the forsaking of self-interest. Rather, virtuous political participation rightly understood is, in fact, among the highest forms of self-interested behavior. Burtt replies that her earlier remarks discussed a part of the republican revival that had little to do with an Aristotelian politics of virtue, which indeed offers an attractive account of political life as a crucial element in individual self-fulfillment. But she notes also that liberalism rightly reminds us of the dangers of public mobilization and concentrated power; moreover, the political and practical obstacles to private reeducation of the citizenry remain.

Approaches to the definition of territorial backwardness in the regional development management

2020 ◽  
Vol 93 (4) ◽  
pp. 60-73
Author(s):  
E. B. Veprikova ◽  
◽  
A. A. Kislenok ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Public Policy ◽  
Russian Far East ◽  
Far East ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Spatial Development ◽  
Territorial Development ◽  
Development Management ◽  
Gradual Process ◽  
Definition Of

Reducing the level of interregional differentiation is one of the problems in spatial development management according to the Spatial Development Strategy of the Russian Federation. Presence of significant regional imbalances hampers formation of a common economic, social, cultural, and institutional space and lead to a creation of backward territories which lag behind in the development. The focus of public policy measures on the centers of economic growth, with the concentration of financial and labor resources, without solving the problems of backward territories does not bring the expected effect – overall development and well-being. Local effects in the absence of positive changes in other territories result in the increase in imbalances, which limit the overall effectiveness of the public policy. At the same time, a steadily increasing lag may cause a loss of potential of economic growth and thus forms backward territories. The creation of territorial backwardness is a gradual process. Therefore, diagnosing the state of the territory and identifying the signs of increasing depression is an essential issue of public administration. The article presents the main approaches to the definition of territorial backwardness used in the Russia and overseas, it also reviews the determinants of backward territories. Different methods for identification of backwardness in the territorial development have been tested on the basis of the regions of the Russian Far East.

The Insidious Momentum of American Mass Incarceration

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franklin E. Zimring
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Public Policy ◽  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Mass Incarceration ◽  
The United States ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Single Generation ◽  
American Life ◽  
Peak Rate ◽  
Or Practice

The phenomenal growth of penal confinement in the United States in the last quarter of the twentieth century is still a public policy mystery. Why did it happen when it happened? What explains the unprecedented magnitude of prison and jail expansion? Why are the current levels of penal confinement so very close to the all-time peak rate reached in 2007? What is the likely course of levels of penal confinement in the next generation of American life? Are there changes in government or policy that can avoid the prospect of mass incarceration as a chronic element of governance in the United States? This study is organized around four major concerns: What happened in the 33 years after 1973? Why did these extraordinary changes happen in that single generation? What is likely to happen to levels of penal confinement in the next three decades? What changes in law or practice might reduce this likely penal future?

What’s Next for a National Infrastructure Policy: An Encore or a Requiem?

2021 ◽  
pp. 1087724X2110146
Author(s):  
Richard G. Little
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Public Policy ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Infrastructure Systems ◽  
Infrastructure Policy ◽  
Policy Objectives ◽  
The Many ◽  
National Infrastructure ◽  
Roll Out

In an essay almost 30 years ago, Professor Dick Netzer of NYU asked the question “Do We Really Need a National Infrastructure Policy?” and came to the conclusion that we did not. As the Biden Administration prepares to roll out a multi-trillion dollar infrastructure package, the nation is faced with numerous questions regarding the infrastructure systems necessary to support continued economic growth and environmental sustainability. The purpose of this essay is to look to recent history for guidance for how to proceed by revisiting the underlying premises of the Netzer essay and reconsider whether a National Infrastructure Policy is needed. Because linking infrastructure to broader public policy objectives could both unite the nation and position it to address the many challenges that the 21st century will present, I believe the idea of a National Infrastructure Policy definitely deserves a second look.

INFANTILISM DEVELOPMENT PROBLEMS AND RESPONSIBILITY FORMATION IN MODERN ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG PEOPLE

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Olga B. Mikhailova
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Family Relations ◽  
Modern Science ◽  
Family Values ◽  
Irresponsible Behavior ◽  
Self Development ◽  
The Family ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Diagnostic Work ◽  
Individual Self

Responsibility is one of the main characteristics of a mature person. In the 21st century, in the era of increasing infantilism, one of the important areas in modern psychology and pedagogy is the problem of responsibility formation and development in adolescents and young people. There are various hypotheses about the emergence of infantile and irresponsible behavior and their manifestations in childhood and adulthood. The strength of society is the strength of the individuals who make it up, so in modern science it is important to identify the causes of social infantilism and introduce technologies for its prevention and correction. Based on the theoretical analysis, the paper examines the dominant symptoms of the infantilism development (irresponsibility, mental discomfort, loneliness, sexual behavior violation, narcissism and gender chauvinism) and their manifestations in different age periods. The forms of irresponsibility in adolescents and the causes of their occurrence in different age periods are presented in detail. According to the author, the main reasons for infantilism development in adolescent and youth environment are: 1) the lack of collective education and the low influence of teachers, psychologists and educational environment in general on the individual’s development; 2) a pronounced style of pedagogy of freedom, provoking selfishness development; 3) delegation of responsibility for education exclusively to the family in the absence of psychological and pedagogical support for family relations; 4) deformation of the family relations model against the background of falling birth rates, shifting gender roles and family values. For the prevention and correction of infantilism among adolescents and young people, specialists in the sphere of modern education need to conduct systematic diagnostic work with the family and pay close attention to the introduction of practical technologies for the prevention of irresponsible behavior among younger schoolchildren and adolescents. In addition, it is necessary to introduce psychological and pedagogical education of the younger generation on the issues of individual self-development, self-education and self-realization.

scholarly journals Individual and group antecedents of satisfaction: One lab- multilevel study

2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 565 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabel M. Martínez ◽  
Eva Cifre
Keyword(s):  
Hierarchical Linear Modeling ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Work Group ◽  
Gender Diversity ◽  
Group Cohesion ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Linear Modeling ◽  
Level 1 ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Individual Self

<p>This study examines the simultaneous effect of individual (self-efficacy) and group variables (cohesion and gender diversity) on satisfaction. A laboratory study was conducted involving 373 college students randomly distributed across 79 small groups, who performed a laboratory task in about five hours. Two-level Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) method was used. Results show the main effect from individual self-efficacy to satisfaction (both level 1), the cross-level effect from group cohesion (level 2) to individual satisfaction (level 1), and the interaction effect between self-efficacy and gender diversity to satisfaction. These results suggest that in a work group, satisfaction has a background in individual and group variables. Group cohesion and gender diversity have important effects on satisfaction. The article concludes with practical strategies and with limitations and suggestions for future research.</p>

Vietnamese Weddings

2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thuc-Doan T. Nguyen ◽  
Russell Belk
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
Gender Roles ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Social Values ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Changes ◽  
Policy Changes ◽  
Historical Role ◽  
And Gender

This article examines the historical role of marriage and wedding rituals in Vietnam, and how they have changed during Vietnam’s transition to the market. The authors focus on how changes reflect the society’s increasing dependence on the market, how this dependence impacts consumer well-being, and the resulting implications for public policy. Changes in the meanings, function, and structure of wedding ritual consumption are examined. These changes echo shifts in the national economy, social values, social relations, and gender roles in Vietnamese society during the transition. The major findings show that Vietnamese weddings are reflections of (1) the roles of wedding rituals as both antecedents and outcomes of social changes, (2) the nation’s perception and imagination of its condition relative to “modernity,” and (3) the role of China as a threatening “other” seen as impeding Vietnam’s progress toward “modernization.”

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