On the Margins of Friendship: Aggression in an Elementary School Peer Group

This article uses qualitative data from a larger study of two elementary schools in a rural city of about 15,000 people in the Midwestern United States. Here, I focus on a single peer group and those who are on its margins to provide insight into the intersection of friendship, aggression, and masculinity. In doing so, I address the lack of research examining how aggression functions within peer groups and why those who are victimized choose to remain in these groups

Paths to the Baccalaureate at a Hispanic-Serving Institution: The Lived Experiences of Latinos who Entered Higher Education at the Community College

The U.S. Census indicates that Hispanic participation in postsecondary education tripled between 1996 and 2016. If the traditional outcome measure of the six-year graduation rate is used, however, increased participation has not resulted in an increased number of Latinos who complete a bachelor’s degree. Further, typical examinations of baccalaureate completion have focused on the starting point—beginning at a community college or beginning at a four-year college or university and compare percentages of completion by race or ethnicity. Findings of such studies point to the disparity in bachelor’s degree completion rates between Latinos and other racial and ethnic groups and that the disparity is even greater among individuals who begin postsecondary education at the community college. This paper follows an anti-deficit approach to gain a greater understanding of the complexities of baccalaureate completion of Latina/o students beyond the common measure of a six-year timeframe and the simplified starting point of the community college. Learning from the success of the participants may provide insight helpful to educational leaders who seek to provide access and facilitate the success of Latino students

Checklist of American Uloboridae (Arachnida: Araneae)

Names, synonyms, and distributions uloborid spiders known from North, Central, and South America are provided

The IRB as Gatekeeper: Effects on Research with Children and Youth

Gatekeepers play an important role in research conducted with children and youth. Although qualitative researchers frequently discuss institutional and individual gatekeepers, such as schools and parents, little attention has been paid to the role that Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) play in determining who is allowed to research particular populations and the ramifications of these decisions for findings involving children and youth. In order to examine this role, we compare negotiations of two researchers working on separate projects with similar populations with the IRB of a large Midwestern university. In both cases, it is likely that board members used their own personal experience and expertise in making assumptions about the race, social class, and gender of the researchers and their participants. The fact that these experiences are supported by findings across a wide range of IRBs highlights the extent to which qualitative research with children is changed (or even prevented) by those with little knowledge of typical qualitative methodologies and the cultural contexts in which research takes place. While those such as principals, teachers, and parents who are traditionally recognized as gatekeepers control access to specific locations, their denial of access only requires researchers to seek other research sites. IRBs, in contrast, control whether researchers are able to conduct research at any site. Although they wield considerably more control over research studies than typical gatekeepers, the fact that they are housed in the institutions at which academic researchers work also means that we can play a role in their improvement

Race, Gender, and Research: Implications for Teaching from Depictions of Professors in Popular Film, 1985-2005

When students enter college classrooms for the first time they inevitably have preconceived images of professors. According to research on student evaluations of teaching, these preconceptions have important implications in college classrooms. This study explores one avenue through which these preconceptions are perpetuated – popular film. Using content analysis we examine popular films released between 1985 and 2005 that contain professors in either primary or secondary roles. Our findings show stereotypical depictions beyond glasses, bow ties, and tweed jackets. Specifically, we find stereotypical images of race and gender as well as an emphasis on the importance of research, sometimes at the expense of teaching or ethical behavior. This research provides instructors with knowledge of the stereotypes that students may have upon entering the college classroom, which may impact classroom interactions and provides insight into how race and gender affect student evaluations of professors

The U.S. Motor Vehicle Industry: Confronting a New Dynamic in the Global Economy

[Excerpt] This report provides an in-depth analysis of the 2009 crisis in the U.S. auto industry and its prospects for regaining domestic and global competitiveness. It also analyzes business and policy issues arising from the unprecedented restructurings that occurred within the industry. The starting point for this analysis is June-July 2009, with General Motors Company (GM or new GM) and Chrysler Group LLC (or new Chrysler) incorporated as new companies, having selectively acquired many, but not all, assets from their predecessor companies. The year 2009 was marked by recession and a crisis in global credit markets; the bankruptcy of General Motors Corporation and Chrysler LLC; the incorporation of successor companies under the auspices of the U.S. Treasury; hundreds of parts supplier bankruptcies; plant closings and worker buyouts; the cash-for-clunkers program; and increasing production and sales at year’s end. This report also examines the relative successes of the Ford Motor Company and the increasing presence of foreign-owned original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), foreign-owned parts manufacturers, competition from imported vehicles, and a serious buildup of global overcapacity that potentially threatens the recovery of the major U.S. domestic producers. This report, which establishes a context for examining the industry and analyzes a unique but highly specific period in the U.S. automobile industry’s history, will not be updated

Using \u27The Autobiography of Malcolm X\u27 to Teach Introductory Sociology

In this chapter, we make the case for using The Autobiography of Malcolm X to teach introductory sociology classes. While The Autobiography of Malcolm X is an autobiography and not a novel, we summarize the literature on using novels in sociology and compare this literature to our own experiences using autobiographies in the classroom. We then describe how autobiographies are particularly helpful for introducing students to the concept of the ‘‘sociological imagination’’ before highlighting this with an in-class exercise. Finally, we discuss student feedback and some of the drawbacks to using autobiographies and the extent to which these drawbacks can be mitigated. [excerpt