Review: Amakudari: The Hidden Fabric of Japan\u27s Economy by Richard A. Colignon and Chikako Usiu

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Movements of Crisis and Movements of Affluence : A Critique of Deprivation and Resource Mobilization Theories

In response to the empirical and theoretical weaknesses of the older social stress or deprivation theories of social movements, a new general theory of social movements—resource mobilization theory—has become increasingly popular. One of the most basic points of disagreement between theorists accepting one or the other general perspective involves the extent to which the development and growth of a social movement can be attributed to the preconditions of social stress or some form of deprivation. This article begins by describing how the two perspectives are indirectly rooted in differeing paradigms of social organization, which leads to divergent assumptions about the nature of social conflict and social order. Next, theoretical and empirical problems contained in each perspective are shown to be partially related to these assumptions. Finally, a continuum describing “movements of crisis” and “movements of affluence” is constructed to suggest that the structural conditions inviting social movement activity are varied. When such variance is recognized, we find there is a place for both theories in the complex field of study, though deprivation theories especially face many continuing problems

The Ecology of Welfare: Housing and the Welfare Crisis in New York City by George S. Sternlieb and Bernard P. Indik

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College Achievement among Native Americans: A Research Note

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A Sociology of Higher Education: The Japanese University in the Context of Japanese Culture, Social Organization, and Social Stratification

This paper examines the status of Japanese higher education to understand the impact of important characteristics of Japanese culture and social organization on the development of the university system and its function in the society. From a year and a half of participant observation in Japanese universities by the author, basic sociological principles from theorists such as Simmel, Coser, Park, and Gouldner are applied in an analysis of the Japanese culture and universities. A restraining and tradition bound group orientation within the Japanese society has made innovation and the individual competition of ideas within Japanese universities difficult. But though less actual education and research may be achieved in Japanese universities, these universities play an extremely important function in elite selection, and occupational attainment more generally. More than other countries the elite selection process goes through only a few universities, primarily Tokyo University, and to a larger degree than elsewhere is based upon contested mobility rather than sponsored mobility , at least at the level of university entrance and completion

Marxist and Functionalist Theories in the Study of Stratification

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