Issues of Spirituality and Gender Differences

This study focuses on issues of spirituality and gender differences. The often interchanged terms of religion and spirituality are described, and the antagonism of science towards religion which has fostered a dearth of literature is reviewed. Implications for counseling are offered, and observations regarding gender differences are provided. The hypothesis that men and women do not differ on measures of spirituality is examined using the spiritual Well-Being Scale (Ellison & Paloutzian, 1983). Study participants were 45 males and 79 females from a church congregation of moderate Protestants. Results suggest that on measures of spiritual well-being, and on indices of religious involvement there are negligible differences between male and female congregants. Implications from the findings are discussed

Higher Education in an Era of Mass Incarceration: Possibility Under Constraint

In this essay, we explore the purposes of higher education in prison during an era of mass incarceration and contend that the potential of postsecondary educational opportunity in carceral spaces is undermined by a single-minded focus on reducing recidivism. Among the over 2.2 million individuals behind bars in the United States, only 6 percent have access to formal postsecondary educational opportunities, and as a result, most incarcerated students are not on an educational pathway likely to result in academic degree attainment. We must move beyond a recidivist paradigm not because certificate-based and vocational training is not valuable, but because it is simply not enough of what college-in-prison programming can be or do. Drawing upon the experiences of higher education students who are incarcerated, our analysis reveals how even well-intended practices in prison spaces pose obstacles to seeing incarcerated individuals as potential postsecondary students and degree completers

Research in Brief - Higher Education in an Era of Mass Incarceration: Possibility Under Constraint

In this essay, we explore the purposes of higher education in prison during an era of mass incarceration and contend that the potential of postsecondary educational opportunity in carceral spaces is undermined by a single-minded focus on reducing recidivism. Among the over 2.2 million individuals behind bars in the United States, only 6 percent have access to formal postsecondary educational opportunities, and as a result, most incarcerated students are not on an educational pathway likely to result in academic degree attainment. We must move beyond a recidivist paradigm not because certificate-based and vocational training is not valuable, but because it is simply not enough of what college-in-prison programming can be or do. Drawing upon the experiences of higher education students who are incarcerated, our analysis reveals how even well-intended practices in prison spaces pose obstacles to seeing incarcerated individuals as potential postsecondary students and degree completers

AVONET: morphological, ecological and geographical data for all birds

Functional traits offer a rich quantitative framework for developing and testing theories in evolutionary biology, ecology and ecosystem science. However, the potential of functional traits to drive theoretical advances and refine models of global change can only be fully realised when species‐level information is complete. Here we present the AVONET dataset containing comprehensive functional trait data for all birds, including six ecological variables, 11 continuous morphological traits, and information on range size and location. Raw morphological measurements are presented from 90,020 individuals of 11,009 extant bird species sampled from 181 countries. These data are also summarised as species averages in three taxonomic formats, allowing integration with a global phylogeny, geographical range maps, IUCN Red List data and the eBird citizen science database. The AVONET dataset provides the most detailed picture of continuous trait variation for any major radiation of organisms, offering a global template for testing hypotheses and exploring the evolutionary origins, structure and functioning of biodiversity

Immanent domains: Ways of living in Bone, Indonesia.

The dissertation is based upon research done in Bone, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Primary attention is paid to the relations among the members of the several social categories and the differential criteria for social action deemed sufficient and necessary by each. As a consequence of these interests, the bulk of the data gathered during this research derives from the interaction of the various branches of the Bone nobility, and the economic strategies of commoner families in the fishing village of Bajoe, which adjoins Watampone, Bone's capital. The discussion of this data in the dissertation has three major points of focus. First, it is argued that the Bugis of Bone themselves emphasize several cultural motifs as defining features of their existence. These motifs are the core of an attempt to establish the prerequisites for social action, particularly regarding the making and unmaking of personal status at a variety of social levels. Second, these factors, especially as they manifest themselves in the explicit connection between local history, politics, and Bone's current position in the broader regional and national arenas are contextualized with respect to the overarching structure of the Indonesian republic. The national government's ongoing effort to develop a pan-Indonesian culture is particularly important here. Third, the Bugis-Bone hegemonic system and its integration with domestic social organization is explored by way of analyzing some politically charged events. An essential part of this analysis comes from the use of these events to provide insight into the motivations of the people who live through them. One central conclusion is that the capacity of each individual to change social structure lies in the cultural recognition of an individual's ability to reject society's ties. The Bugis idealize this ability in the expectation that violence will result from contentious interaction.Ph.D.Cultural anthropologySocial SciencesUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/129112/2/9332022.pd

Does no-till soybean farming provide any benefits for birds?

a b s t r a c t Nesting success and avian communities were compared between tilled and no-till soybean fields in Illinois. No-till had greater densities of birds than tilled fields, and the overall community in no-till was of greater conservation value due to more grassland birds using no-till compared with tilled fields. Nesting density was greater in no-till (4.5 nests/100 ha) than in tilled (1.6) fields. The most common nesting species were American robins, vesper sparrows, and mourning doves. Nest success, as estimated from daily survival rates, was 19.4% in no-till and 9.4% in tilled fields. Predation was the main cause of nest failure, but 24.4% of failures were caused by farm machinery. The authors propose that the previous year's crop residue and greater abundance of weedy plants in no-till resulted in increased nesting and foraging activity in no-till and greater nest success because of increased opportunity to conceal nests in no-till compared to tilled fields. No-till provides greater benefits to birds than tilled fields, and the large amount of acreage in row crops dictates that we understand the contribution of no-till fields to grassland bird populations

Effects of Military Activity on Breeding Birds

United States military bases provide habitat for a diverse suite of wildlife species despite intense anthropogenic disturbance inherent in training activities. Little research has examined how military activity affects wildlife reproduction. We compared parental investment, reproductive success, offspring and adult quality, and stress hormone concentrations of northern cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) breeding in areas that differed 10-fold in levels of on-ground military activity. We found no evidence of direct impacts of military activity on cardinals, nor did the reproductive success of several other passerine species appear to be affected. However, we observed American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) much less frequently in areas of high military activity, and cardinals nesting in those areas were less responsive to crow models. The apparent displacement of this nest predator suggests that military activity could indirectly benefit some wildlife. Although these results are promising for the conservation of birds that depend on military bases for breeding habitat, further assessment of direct and indirect effects of military training on a wider array of species is required before concluding that such activity is benign. Copyright © The Wildlife Society, 2012