Advocacy, Activism, and Policy Practice

Author(s):  
Marissa McCall Dodson

This chapter will discuss the role of social workers as activists in the pursuit of reforms to criminal legal system policies and practices, the disparities that social workers must advocate against, and the need to empower the people and communities most impacted by the issues. Disparity and injustice have been entrenched in criminal legal systems in the United States since chattel slavery ended at the end of the 19th century. Up until approximately 30 years ago, though, social workers were instrumental in the development of policies and practices that promoted fairness, dignity, and rehabilitation for impacted people and communities. While social workers in criminal legal systems have been on the decline for decades, the recent reforms of the last 15 years and the return to policies aimed at reducing incarceration and improving community-based treatment offer great opportunities for social work activists to reengage in advocacy efforts to improve these systems.

Author(s):  
Jacek Srokosz

The article presents the debate that took place between supporters and opponents of popular election of judges in the United States during the so-called “jacksonian democracy” (also called populist democracy) from the early thirties of the 19th century to the outbreak of the Civil War. Starting from the presidency Andrew Jackson, the political fight between mere people represented by the Democratic Party, and the elites whose interests defended the Whigs Party took place in the US. The subject of the dispute has become a demand for a broader participation of the people to exercise power and democratization of the existing oligarchic republic, through the extension of electoral rights and widespread elections as methods of casting most public office. One of the subjects of the dispute during the state constitutional conventions was the issue of popular elections of judges. The implementation of popular election system demanded Democrats emphasizing the importance of democratic legitimacy for the independence of the judiciary and the development of the Judicial Review. Against the popular elections of judges were Whigs convinced that this will lead to the fall of authority of the judiciary and make it subject of Parties' competition. The author indicates that the debate ended with the victory of democrat postulates and introducing the popular election of judges in most states. However, lawyers participating in constitutional conventions, representing both Democrats and Whigs, have introduced a number of institutions ensuring the independence of the judiciary and the possibility of effective implementation of the judicial review. Political changes from the period of Jakcson’s democracy have contributed to raising the authority of the judges and strengthened the role of judiciary in the American political system.


Social Work ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel W Goode ◽  
Mariah Cowell ◽  
Dielle McMillan ◽  
Tonya Van Deinse ◽  
Courtney Cooper-Lewter

Abstract Since the presidential election of 2016, bias-related incidents, hate-filled rhetoric, and extremist violence have been increasing in the United States. Because social workers are often working with individuals and communities affected by these incidents, practitioners may have increasing responsibility to confront social injustice and oppression. However, limited evidence on the preparedness of social workers to assume this responsibility, particularly among those who are still students, exists. To address this gap, this study used focus group and survey data from the Diversity and Oppression Scale to explore the preparedness of MSW students (N = 22) to confront oppression. Six themes were identified as integral to student experiences in their programs: (1) social worker responsibility to confront oppression, (2) use of dominant group discourse on oppression, (3) variation in faculty preparation and comfort, (4) a focus on knowledge of oppression versus skills and process, (5) role of personal responsibility and experience in student preparation, and (6) strategies to increase student preparedness to confront oppression. Factors identified to enhance students’ level of preparedness include faculty opportunities for development, changes to the explicit and implicit curriculum, and creating a formalized way to integrate topics on oppression and diversity into all facets of the curriculum.


2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 1107-1125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hani Nouman ◽  
Lia Levin ◽  
Einat Lavee

Abstract Although social workers’ engagement in policy-shaping processes to advance social justice reflects this obligation of the social work profession, many social workers avoid implementing policy practice (PP). Previous studies have identified several barriers limiting social workers’ use of this practice. However, how such barriers can be overcome remains under-studied. In this study, we address this lacuna by examining the role of social workers vis-à-vis their engagement in PP, through the theoretical framework of social psychology of organizations, and therein, through ideas concerning open systems and the formation of roles and praxes in organizations. Drawing on twenty-eight in-depth interviews and three focus groups, we demonstrate how social workers underwent a coping and transformation process that increased their engagement in PP. In certain situations, it was the expectations of colleagues and the challenges posed by them that impelled social workers to re-examine their approach to such engagement and enhance it. We show how social workers can overcome barriers and facilitate their involvement in the policy arena, as well as highlight policy-makers’ role in shaping social workers’ modes of operation.


1995 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 376-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Brett King ◽  
Brittany L. Raymond ◽  
Jennifer A. Simon-Thomas

The 19th century can be characterized as a time of avid public interest in team and spectator sports. As diverse and challenging new sports were developed and gained popularity, many articles on a rudimentary sport psychology began to appear in cultural magazines in the United States and Great Britain. Athletes, physicians, educators, journalists, and members of the public wrote on topics such as profiles and psychological studies of elite athletes, the importance of physical training, exercise and health, and the detrimental effects of professional sports to the role of age, gender, and culture in sports. Although a scientific foundation for such observations was largely absent, some of the ideas expressed in early cultural magazines anticipate contemporary interests in sport psychology.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 120
Author(s):  
Jean-Louis Halpérin

<p><strong>RESUMÉ:</strong></p><p>La réflexion sur la diversité des approches méthodologiques en droit comparé n’a guère porté, au cours de ces dernières décennies, sur le droit pénal. Cette relative lacune de la littérature tient à une conception d’un droit pénal universel qui connaîtrait seulement quelques variations dans la sévérité plus ou moins grande de la répression. Il apparaît pourtant utile pour les comparatistes d’identifier de manière historique les développements de la discipline du droit pénal et de considérer que le champ pénal n’est pas identique à lui-même à travers le temps et l’espace. Cette contribution s’attache à montrer comment la spécialisation des pénalistes, à partir du XIXe siècle, s’est accompagnée longtemps d’une démarche comparative avant que ne s’installe une sorte de désintérêt pour la comparaison des infractions reconnues ou non par les différents ordres juridiques étatiques. Or, la prise en compte des phénomènes de criminalisation et de décriminalisation montre à quel point ces droits étatiques sont susceptibles de converger ou de diverger, en présentant des configurations beaucoup plus complexes que les traditionnelles familles de droit. En recourant à la théorie du droit, le droit pénal comparé alimente la réflexion sur la place des lois prohibitives, leur éventuelle relation avec des normes culturelles et le recours à des interdits dans des domaines qui font l’objet dans d’autres pays à des lois permissives.</p><p> </p><p><strong>RESUMO:</strong></p><p>A discussão sobre a diversidade de abordagens metodológicas em direito comparado, no decorrer das últimas décadas, pouco se debruçou sobre o direito penal. Esta lacuna se deve à uma concepção de direito penal universal que admitiria apenas variações no grau de severidade da repressão. Contudo, para os comparatistas mostra-se útil identificar historicamente o desenvolvimento da disciplina de direito penal e considerar que o campo não se mantém inalterado através do tempo e do espaço. Este trabalho visa mostrar como, a partir do século XIX, a especialização de penalistas foi acompanhada por muito tempo de uma abordagem comparativa, antes de que se instalasse um desinteresse pela comparação de infrações reconhecidas -ou não- por diferentes ordenamentos jurídicos estatais. A compreensão dos fenômenos de criminalização e descriminalização mostra até que ponto os direitos estatais são suscetíveis de convergir ou divergir, apresentando configurações muito mais complexas que as tradicionais famílias de direito. Assim, utilizando-se da teoria do direito, o direito penal comparado incita a reflexão sobre o papel das leis proibitivas, sua eventual relação com normas culturais e a possibilidade de proibições em determinadas matérias serem objetos de leis permissivas em outros países.</p><p> </p><p><strong>ABSTRACT:</strong></p><p>The discussion about the methodological diversity in Comparative Law has barely touched upon criminal law. This gap in the literature is due to a conception of universal Criminal Law in which only variations regarding the severity of crime’s repression would be admitted. Nonetheless, the historical study of Criminal Law along with the reflection on changes in the discipline through time and space has proven to be useful for comparatists. The aim of this study is to show how the specialization of scholars of Criminal Law, since the 19th century, had been accompanied by a comparatist approach before a pervasive disinterest in comparing infractions under different legal systems came to be the rule. The phenomena of criminalization and decriminalization reveal to what point legal systems converge or diverge in a more elaborated way than those depicted by the traditional division of legal systems. Thus, Comparative Criminal Law, using the insights from Legal Theory, stimulates reflections on the role of prohibitive laws, their relation with cultural norms, and the possibility of a prohibition being permitted elsewhere – i.e. other countries.</p><p> </p>


2019 ◽  
pp. 120-127
Author(s):  
Tamara Usatenko ◽  
Galyna Usatenko ◽  
Myroslava Marushchenko

The article is devoted to the defining of the phenomena of Ukrainian cultural movement of the 19th century, when under conditions of comprehensive Russification of the Ukrainian community and the influence of the Church Slavonic language as well as of complete lack of education in the native language, the processes of creation of the Ukrainian literary language took place. The new Ukrainian spelling was established, the struggle for teaching in schools in the Ukrainian language was intensified, various styles, and lot of genres of literature in the native language were developed. These searches and comprehension by advanced representatives of political, cultural and social life are considered. It is determined that the spirit of romanticism, European revolutions, the abolition of serfdom, scientific and industrial shifts gave birth to a galaxy of unique Ukrainian thinkers, scientific societies, writers, etc. Among them, Panteleimon Oleksandrovich Kulish (1819-1997) was a significant person due to his energy, ability to organize a business, multifaceted talent, profound knowledge. One of the resonance works of the diverse creative heritage P.O. Kulisha is studied in the article, that is a book for initial education in native language − the "Grammar" of the Ukrainian language, which was highly appreciated by T. Shevchenko. Its structure, the content of each part, the pedagogical role as well as the concept of the author, manifested in its preface and the final part were described. The study emphasizes that in the processes of creating a new literary Ukrainian language, its spelling, writing textbooks, grammars in Ukrainian for initials education, two periods are noticeable: the first one – the 20-30th years of the 19th century, when the problems of the necessity of a new literary language arose, the new literature, preservation of the ethnographic, folklore heritage of the people, the second one – the 40-60th-years was the period of active participation of a new generation of Ukrainian thinkers in the development of the Ukrainian literary language, the creation of new spelling, new literature for primary education in native Ukrainian language. The role of "Grammar" in the formation of a new Ukrainian literary language and its phonetic spelling, in the formation of education in the Ukrainian language, the creation of textbooks in the Ukrainian literary language, and the development of Ukrainian writing are underlined. The emphasis was also put on the introduction of the author's, phonetic spelling, the so-called "Kulishivka" in the "Grammar", which is the basis of the modern Ukrainian spelling. Despite the prohibition of "Valuevsky (1863)" and "Yamsky (1876)" decrees, books and newspapers, although very limited were published in Ukrainian. The article also highlights the following discourses: the role of "Grammar" wrote by P. Kulish (the theory and practice of creating a Ukrainian literary language, the new Ukrainian spelling, which caused the intensification of imperial repressions) and its contemporary significance for the new Ukrainian space of ideas, meanings, communication, methods of publications in the Ukrainian language, as well as some grammatical factors of the theory or history of writing: the language of sound - the language of the book: thinking - writing, writing - thinking; sound - letter, letter - sound; "science of reading" - writing, etc. Comparison of discourses contributes to the conclusion that the development of the living language, sound of language during writing has been improved so complex and multifaceted in the 19th century that passed later in the 20th century, and even in the 21st century remain controversial, as evidenced by the lengthy discussion of the “Project of the New Ukrainian spelling”.


Author(s):  
Р.Н. АБИСАЛОВА

Одна из значимых проблем мировой художественной культуры – проблема взаимосвязи и взаимовлияния литератур. Она еще более актуальна в России, которая позиционируется как многонациональное государство. Потому роль межкультурного диалога русской и осетинской литературы, возникшего в конце 19 века, лишь увеличивалась в последующие десятилетия. Ощутимым в развитии этого диалога представляется творчество выдающегося российского поэта, прозаика, переводчика, журналиста, педагога и художника Сергея Митрофановича Городецкого, вошедшего в русскую литературу на рубеже XIX и XX веков в рамках культуры «Серебряного века». Эта эпоха составила гордость отечественной литературы, дав миру А. Блока, А. Ахматову, С. Есенина, И. Бунина, В. Брюсова, Н. Гумилева, К. Бальмонта, О.Мандельштама, В.Маяковского, М.Волошина и многих других. Наследие С. Городецкого поражает жанровым многообразием – поэзия, проза, драматургия, оперные либретто, публицистика, критика, литературоведческие статьи, переводы. Его долгое творчество развивалось под влиянием русского фольклора, символизма, неоромантизма, неомифологизма, он сформулировал задачи акмеизма. Предлагаемая работа посвящена осетинским литературным связям Городецкого, практически не отраженным ни в его биографиях, ни в исследованиях творчества. В 1919 г. журналистская судьба привела поэта на Кавказ, полюбившийся ему на всю жизнь. Его знакомство с Осетией началось с Нартовского эпоса, с перевода в 1920 г. нартовской легенды об Ацамазе и Агунде. В 1928 г. он обратился к осетинскому Даредзановскому эпосу и творчеству осетинского драматурга Е.Бритаева, создав либретто оперы «Амран», поставленной на сцене Большого театра. В 30-е годы со знакомства с поэтом Харитоном Плиевым начинается новый этап осетинских литературных связей Городецкого. Началом их многолетней творческой дружбы стал перевод стихотворения Х. Плиева «Æнæхуыссæг æхсæв», написанного на смерть Кирова. Городецкий, опытный переводчик, приложил немалые старания в поисках адекватности образности, художественных особенностей, выразительности осетинской поэтической речи. Помощь в этом ему оказали знания, приобретенные в середине 20-х гг., когда в качестве корреспондента газеты «Известия» он побывал в Осетии, познакомился с ее этнографией, культурой, эпосом, обрядами и обычаями, встречался с народом Осетии. Затем Городецкий обращается к образу выдающегося осетинского поэта Коста Хетагурова, любовь к которому, обусловленная общностью идейной направленности их творчества, отношения к народу, к фольклору, оставалась неизменной до конца жизни. В статье рассмотрены переводы Городецкого стихотворений Харитона (Хадо) Плиева, посвященных Коста. Их отличает высокое качество перевода, глубокое проникновение в специфику осетинской поэтической речи, художественного мышления национальных поэтов, их духовно-нравственных ценностей. Также проанализировано стихотворение Городецкого «Коста Хетагурову», написанное в 1939 г. к юбилею поэта и прочитанное им на торжествах во Владикавказе (тогда Орджоникидзе). Через несколько десятилетий это стихотворение перевел на осетинский язык поэт Хаджи-Мурат Дзуццати. One of the significant problems of world art culture is the problem of the interconnection and mutual influence of literature. It is even more relevant in Russia, which is positioned as a multinational state. Therefore, the role of intercultural dialogue between Russian and Ossetian literature, which arose at the end of the 19th century, only increased in the following decades. The work of the outstanding Russian poet, prose writer, translator, journalist, teacher and artist Sergei Mitrofanovich Gorodetsky, who entered the Russian literature at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries as part of the Silver Age culture, seems to be tangible in the development of this dialogue. This era was the pride of Russian literature, giving the world A. Blok, A. Akhmatov, S. Yesenin, I. Bunin, V. Bryusov, N. Gumilyov, K. Balmont, O. Mandelstam, V. Mayakovsky, M. Voloshin and many others. S. Gorodetsky’s heritage is striking in its genre diversity – poetry, prose, dramaturgy, opera libretto, journalism, criticism, literary articles, and translations. His long work developed under the influence of Russian folklore, symbolism, neo-romanticism, neo-mythology, he formulated the tasks of acmeism. The proposed work is dedicated to the Ossetian literary connections of Gorodetsky, which are practically not reflected either in his biographies or in his studies of his creations. In 1919, the journalistic fate brought the poet to the Caucasus. His acquaintance with Ossetia began with the Nart epic, with the translation in 1920 of the Nart legend of Atsamaz and Agunda. In 1928, he turned to the Ossetian Daredzan epic and the work of the Ossetian playwright E. Britaev, creating the libretto of the opera Amran, staged in the Bolshoi Theater. In the 30s, a new period in the Ossetian literary relations of Gorodetsky began with his acquaintance with the poet Khariton Pliev. The beginning of their creative friendship was the translation of the poem by Kh. Pliev “Ænækhuyssæg ækhsæv”, written on the death of Kirov. Gorodetsky, an experienced translator, made considerable efforts in the search for the adequacy of imagery, artistic features, and expressiveness of Ossetian poetic speech. The knowledge acquired in the mid-1920s, when he visited Ossetia as a correspondent for the Izvestia newspaper, got acquainted with its ethnography, culture, epos, rites and customs, and met with the people of Ossetia, helped him a lot. Then Gorodetsky turned to the image of the outstanding Ossetian poet Kosta Khetagurov, whose love, due to the common ideological orientation of their work, attitude to the people, to folklore, remained unchanged until the end of his life. The article considers the translations of Gorodetsky poems by Khariton (Hado) Pliev dedicated to Kosta. They are distinguished by the high quality of translation, deep penetration into the specifics of Ossetian poetic speech, the artistic thinking of national poets, their spiritual and moral values. Gorodetsky’s poem “Kosta Khetagurov”, written in 1939 for the poet’s anniversary and read by him at the celebrations in Vladikavkaz (then Ordzhonikidze), is also analyzed. A few decades later, this poem was translated into Ossetian by the poet Haji-Murat Dzutstsati.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-74
Author(s):  
A. O. Hashimi

The nineteenth Century was a revolutionary period in the history of societies, kingdoms and empires in Yorubaland. The Century witnessed profound and irreversible social, religious and political transformations in the lives of the people who lived in the region. Both internal and external factors were responsible for these processes of change. The consequential events centred on commerce, politics, religion, warfare, intra-and intergroup relations, and reform and adjustment to new ways of life. This paper describes the activities of the Muslims in the 19th century Yoruba Politics, and the significant roles played by the ‘Ulama in the period under study. Islam was introduced to Yorubaland before the 19th century, and the population was reinforced by the ingress of Muslim immigrants and Hausa slaves who were brought to Oyo Empire. In this diverse group different roles were played by the Muslim community and the ‘Ulama (clerics). The activities of the Muslims had momentous impact on 19th century Yoruba politics in different ways as recorded in Arabic documents and other historical materials. In the course of time, Muslims occupied positions of great authority in royal administration. They used their position to promote Islam. This paper argues that the roles of the ‘Ulama in the political transformation and social change in Yorubaland was so important that its impact is felt till today.


Author(s):  
Sergey N. Smolnikov ◽  

The article considers the place of social justice in modern law. Various aspects are noted: its relationship with the social state, legal state, civilizational particularities, historical features. The question of the significance of choice between the legality and legitimacy of power as a factor in the establishment of social justice is considered. The article raises the issue of the subject-object essence of social justice. It provides a comparison of two approaches to social justice in modern Russia — liberal and conservative, and notes the contradictory nature of both. Attention is drawn to the role of elites, the intelligentsia and the people in the embodiment of the liberal project. The author reveals the historical and civilizational prerequisites for the conservative project domination, its being in demand on the part of both the authorities and significant segments of the population, and its correspondence to the historical moment. The similarity of the conservative response to the challenges facing the society in the United States, Japan, Britain and Russia is substantiated. A sociological comparison of positions on the issues of law as social justice in the West and in Russia is given. There is an increasing divergence in understanding social justice both in the countries of the West (destruction of the social contract, welfare state) and between the West and the rest of the world. The theme of justice is increasingly playing a role in causing mutual claims rather than in stabilizing and maintaining international and civil peace. The paper considers attempts to create domestic models of a just society. Social justice is regarded as a projective concept and presupposes the existence of models of the expected and ideal future of society. The world trend towards change in the ideas of the subject of law and of the paradigm shift from liberalism to transhumanism is noted. It is argued that it is impossible to identify law with social justice.


2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 1013
Author(s):  
Linnea B. McCord ◽  
Terry Young ◽  
Peggy J. Crawford

To be successful and remain independent, every country must create a prosperous economy, keep peace among its people, maintain political stability, and ensure the security of the people and the country from internal and external threats. Doing all four at the same time is never easy and in a time of economic volatility, change, and uncertainty juggling all four becomes more difficult. This is when countries enter the danger zone where hidden cracks and fissures in a countrys organization and structure could become destabilizing. In this paper we will compare the challenges and prospects for the United States and China as both countries enter the danger zone. The purpose of this paper is to examine how each countrys unique attributes are likely to impact its ability to succeed. We will examine their political, economic and legal systems to determine the strengths and weaknesses of each. We will also assess the role of corruption in each society. Both the United States and China have serious economic, social, political and security issues on the horizon. To solve the problems will require serious sacrifices and pain for a large portion of the populations in both countries. Which form of government will best be able to adapt quickly to the constantly changing environment? Will a serious economic slowdown topple the Communist dictatorship in China? Will gridlock and distrust in the U.S. prevent Americans from adapting fast enough to make the necessary changes in time to save its financial system and economy? Time will tell.


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