scholarly journals Uncoupled: American Widows in Times of Uncertainty and Ambiguous Norms

2021 ◽  
pp. 089124162199680
Author(s):  
Regina Kenen
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Sense Of Self ◽  
Uncertainty Avoidance ◽  
Large Role ◽  
Subjective Uncertainty ◽  
Intercultural Marriage ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
Objective Uncertainty

This study uses the concept of uncertainty in general, and specifically objective and subjective uncertainty, as a framework for understanding how a widow experiences grief and attempts to reestablish her sense of self. It investigates how widows understand, internalize, and act on objective and subjective uncertainty and the interplay between them. Objective uncertainty usually refers to more concrete situations or conditions, for example, health and finances, and there is more consensus regarding them, whereas subjective uncertainty is more individual and volatile, and refers to relationships or interpretation of the objective conditions. The researcher used a combination of participant observation and semistructured interviews. of widows from different socioeconomic classes and ethnic groups. The research revealed that uncertainty plays a large role in the widows’ attempt to live new “suddenly single” lives and that they experience both subjective and objective uncertainty, with subjective uncertainty playing a greater role. Further research is needed to understand the effect of different familial and societal “uncertainty avoidance cultures” on widows experiencing multi-ethnic or multinational identities either by descent of intercultural marriage.

Understanding Parents’ Approaches to Care and Treatment of Children With Cancer When Standard Therapy Has Failed

2007 ◽  
Vol 25 (17) ◽  
pp. 2414-2419 ◽  
Author(s):  
Myra Bluebond-Langner ◽  
Jean Bello Belasco ◽  
Ann Goldman ◽  
Carmen Belasco
Keyword(s):  
Pediatric Oncology ◽  
Standard Therapy ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Ethnographic Study ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
The Us ◽  
Care Models ◽  
Care Systems ◽  
Care And Treatment

Purpose To examine US and United Kingdom (UK) parents’ approaches to care and treatment when standard therapy has failed and consider implications for clinical practice. Methods We conducted a prospective, ethnographic study of parents, patients, and staff, including participant-observation; open-ended, semistructured interviews; and review of medical records at a US and UK pediatric oncology center. Thirty-four children (n = 17 US, 17 UK), whose disease had recurred with less than 30% chance of cure, were enrolled between March 2001 and June 2002 and followed until death (n = 11 US, 14 UK) or close of study in December 2005 (n = 6 US, 3 UK). Results There were no major differences between parents’ approaches in the US and UK despite differences in health care systems, institutions, and parents’ religion or ethnicity. All parents continued to have or request meetings with the oncologist and investigative procedures. No parent initiated discontinuation of cancer- or symptom-directed interventions. In 28 of 34 cases (13 US, 15 UK), parents continued to pursue cancer-directed therapies; in 16 of 28 cases (seven US, nine UK), parents initiated inquires beyond what was offered. Conclusion Understanding parents’ behavior requires attention to the reason and emotion they bring to decision making and their children's care, their unique responsibilities as parents, and what they learn throughout the illness. Parents do not see cancer-directed therapy and symptom-directed care as mutually exclusive, alternative approaches. Parents will not be constrained by what the oncologist offers. Physicians and parents discuss and negotiate care and treatment throughout the illness. Our findings suggest developing integrative care models incorporating cancer-directed, symptom-directed, and supportive care throughout the illness; they are most consistent with parents’ approaches and advances in pediatric oncology.

Process and practice: groupness, ethnicity, and habitus in Carpathian Rus'

2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (5) ◽  
pp. 848-866
Author(s):  
Kristina M. Cantin
Keyword(s):  
General Population ◽  
Ethnic Group ◽  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
Political Power ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Political Organization ◽  
Political Movements ◽  
Emotional Experiences ◽  
Emotional Connection ◽  
Processual Approach

This article synthesizes Wimmer's and Brubaker's processual approach to analyzing ethnic groups with Jenkins and Bentley's practice-based theories of ethnicity to explain the role played by socio-emotional experiences and practical concerns in Carpatho-Rusyns, both mobilizing as an ethnic group as well as resisting such mobilization. Data were gathered from interviews and participant observation during the eight months of fieldwork in 10 different villages, towns, and cities in the Prešov region of Slovakia and the Zakarpattia oblast of Ukraine. Carpatho-Rusyns live in an area where borders have changed frequently and where religions, states, and political movements have encouraged the inhabitants' assimilation to a new or larger group. Rusyns tend to describe ethnicity as instrumentalist theorists do, that is, something largely produced as a result of struggles over territory, resources, and political power. Nevertheless, they evince a profound emotional connection to their language, land, and spirituality. This emotional connection manifests itself among “ethnopolitical entrepreneurs” as well as among the general population, but only motivates explicit political organization among the former.

Sentinels of Safety: Service Dogs Ensure Safety and Enhance Freedom and Well-Being for Families With Autistic Children

2008 ◽  
Vol 18 (12) ◽  
pp. 1642-1649 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristen E. Burrows ◽  
Cindy L. Adams ◽  
Jude Spiers
Keyword(s):  
Autistic Child ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Recognition ◽  
Autistic Children ◽  
Service Dogs ◽  
Service Dog ◽  
Video Recordings ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
Animal Companionship

Children with autism might display unpredictable and volatile behavior that places them in considerable physical danger and creates stress for the family. Families of autistic children often have limited freedom and experience difficulty with everyday activities. In this qualitative ethology study, we examined the effect of integrating service dogs into ten families with an autistic child. Data included participant observation, video recordings of family—parent—dog interaction, and semistructured interviews with the parents. The themes were (a) the dog as a sentinel of safety, (b) gaining freedom through enhanced safety, facilitating public outings and family activities, and (c) improving social recognition and status, in which the presence of the dog promoted awareness of autism and affected social interaction. The triadic relationship between parent, autistic child, and service dog constantly evolves. This research provides valuable information for parents interested in having a service dog for their autistic child, and has implications for long-term human—animal companionship for children with special needs and their caregivers.

The Nightly Round: Space, Social Capital, and Urban Black Nightlife

2010 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 165-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcus Anthony Hunter
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Spatial Mobility ◽  
The Social ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
Spatial Isolation ◽  
Urban Blacks ◽  
Black Lesbians ◽  
Using Data

Using data generated from participant observation and semistructured interviews, I consider the ways in which nightlife, or what might be imagined as the nightly round—a process encompassing the social interactions, behaviors, and actions involved in going to, being in, and leaving the club—is used to mitigate the effects of social and spatial isolation, complementing the accomplishment of the daily round. Through an analysis of the social world of the Spot, I argue that understanding the ways in which urban blacks use space in the nightclub to mediate racial segregation, sexual segregation, and limited social capital expands our current understanding of the spatial mobility of urban blacks as well as the important role of extra–neighborhood spaces in such processes. Further, I highlight the ways that urban blacks use space in the nightclub to leverage socioeconomic opportunities and enhance social networks. While I found that black heterosexual and lesbian and gay patrons used space in similar ways at the Spot, black lesbians and gays were more likely to use the club as a space to develop ties of social support.

The Prayer of a Married Man Is Equal to Seventy Prayers of a Single Man

1999 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 617-632 ◽  
Author(s):  
BAHIRA SHERIF
Keyword(s):  
Middle Class ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Beliefs And Practices ◽  
Ethnographic Fieldwork ◽  
Societal Norms ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
Two Generations ◽  
Upper Middle Class ◽  
The Life Course

This study examines the central role of marriage among upper-middle-class Muslim Egyptians in Cairo, Egypt. It is based on ethnographic fieldwork carried out over a total of 20 months by the author between 1988 and 1996. Using religious and legal sources as well as semistructured interviews and participant observation among two generations of 20 households, this study indicates that marriage continues to occupy a significant place in the life course of both upper-middle-class Muslim men and women. This article indicates that societal norms, as well as family structure and expectations, influence the prevalence of marriage as a necessary rite of passage for achieving adulthood among this class of Egyptians. Furthermore, this article describes the actual customs, beliefs, and practices associated with Muslim Egyptian marriages to counteract the Western bias that often obscures studies of this area of the world.

Development of the Processfolio: Promoting Preservice Music Teacher Reflection Through Authentic Assessment

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason M. Silveira ◽  
Julie Beauregard ◽  
Tina Bull
Keyword(s):  
Music Education ◽  
Music Teachers ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Authentic Assessment ◽  
Music Teacher ◽  
Video Recordings ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
Master Of Arts ◽  
Audio Video

The purpose of this study was to determine what impact an authentic assessment tool (i.e., a processfolio) would have on our music education Master of Arts in Teaching degree program. We conducted a case study at our university with the music education Master of Arts in Teaching student cohort to detail the development and initial implementation of the processfolio as a means of reflection in preservice music teachers. Data included participant observation, individual and collaborative note taking, written artifacts from students and faculty, audio/video recordings, and semistructured interviews. Findings indicated (a) processfolios became a lens through which students focused their growth as reflective teachers; (b) a lack of examples and confusion over specific processfolio requirements was stress inducing; (c) the collaborative nature of working within a peer/faculty cohort was socially, emotionally, and academically valuable; (d) students effectively used the processfolio to demonstrate synthesis of the multiple facets of the graduate music education program.

scholarly journals Ethnobotanical Knowledge of Sterculia setigera Del. in the Sudanian Zone of Togo (West Africa)

ISRN Botany ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wouyo Atakpama ◽  
Komlan Batawila ◽  
Marra Dourma ◽  
Hodabalo Pereki ◽  
Kpérkouma Wala ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
Plant Genetic Resources ◽  
Ethnobotanical Knowledge ◽  
Plant Parts ◽  
Therapeutic Uses ◽  
Toxicological Studies ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
Use Values ◽  
Sudanian Zone ◽  
Management And Conservation

Ethnobotanical knowledge is useful in development of management and conservation of plant genetic resources. In this study, ethnobotanical investigations were conducted in Sudanian zone of Togo to identify use values knowledge of Sterculia setigera tree. Information was obtained with the aid of semistructured interviews. Three (3) ethnic groups: Bassar, Moba, and Konkomba belonging to ten (10) localities were investigated. Use knowledge of Sterculia setigera through these ethnic groups was assessed using four use indices: reported use (RU), plant part value (PPV), specific reported use (SU), and intraspecific use value (IUV). Sixty (60) informants of 43 years old were interviewed. The plant parts values and specific uses are raised more in the Moba's ethnic group. The main quoted uses are medicinal, religious, food, and cosmetic. Thus, fourteen (14) treatments of ailments are assigned to it. Considering the various uses, it is crucial to validate scientifically the therapeutic uses and safety of these plants through phytochemical screening, different biological activity tests, and toxicological studies.

A collection and its many relations and contexts

2020 ◽  
Vol 76 (3) ◽  
pp. 753-767
Author(s):  
Kathy Carbone
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Document Analysis ◽  
Ethnographic Study ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Lives ◽  
Archival Collection ◽  
Object Biography ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
The City

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to report the results of an ethnographic study that used object biography with an archival collection of police surveillance files, the Police Historical/Archival Investigative Files, housed at the City of Portland Archives & Records Center in Portland, Oregon.Design/methodology/approachDocument analysis, participant observation, semistructured interviews, and object biography were conducted over four years, from 2013 to 2017.FindingsUsing object biography with the Police Historical/Archival Investigative Files uncovered numerous personal and public relationships that developed between people and this collection over several decades as well as how these records acquired, constructed, and changed meanings over time and space.Originality/valueThis paper argues that the biography of objects is a useful way for studying the relationships records form, the values people assign to them, and how people and records mutually inform and transform one another in shifting contexts of social lives. Recognizing records as having social histories and applying object biography to them contributes to and grows the greater biography and genealogy of the record and the archive—a genealogy important not only for discovering something about the lives of those who create, encounter, steward, and use records and archives but about our shared human experience.

Evaluation study on social work intervention after an explosion disaster in China

2020 ◽  
pp. 147332502093116
Author(s):  
Hui Yang ◽  
Jinzhu Li ◽  
Honglin Chen ◽  
Ning An
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Mainland China ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Evaluation Study ◽  
2008 Wenchuan Earthquake ◽  
The Social ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
Work Intervention ◽  
Trauma Informed

Since the “5.12” 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, disaster social work has been developing gradually in mainland China. This study evaluated a university-led, project-based social work intervention following the “8.12” 2015 Tianjin explosion disaster. Document analysis, participant observation, and in-depth individual interview methods were used. Three types of interviewees ( N = 14) recruited via purposive sampling participated in semistructured interviews. According to the evaluative framework of trauma-informed social work for the old population, the social work intervention achieved the connectedness dimension of recovery of target population and partially satisfied the meaning, hope and empowerment demand. Nevertheless, the safety, identity and continuity dimensions of recovery were lack and the meaning dimension was weak. Discussion and implications for future disaster social work were summarized.

scholarly journals Agency and Change in Healthcare Organizations: Workers’ Attempts to Navigate Multiple Logics in Hospice Care

2019 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cindy L. Cain
Keyword(s):  
Policy Change ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Hospice Care ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Interdisciplinary Team ◽  
Medical Institution ◽  
Healthcare Organizations ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
Medicare Policy

There is no doubt that the organization of healthcare is currently shifting, partly in response to changing macrolevel policies. Studies of healthcare policies often do not consider healthcare workers’ experiences of policy change, thus limiting our understanding of when and how policies work. This article uses longitudinal qualitative data, including participant observation and semistructured interviews with workers within hospice care as their organizations shifted in response to a Medicare policy change. Prior to the policy change, I find that the main innovation of hospice—the interdisciplinary team—is able to resist logics from the larger medical institution. However, when organizational pressures increase, managers and workers adjust in ways that reinforce medical logics and undermine the interdisciplinary team. These practices illustrate processes by which rationalization of healthcare affects workers’ experiences and the type of care available to patients.

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