Winning and short-listed entries from the 2007 Feminist and Woman's Studies Association annual student essay competition

This special issue of the Journal of International Women’s Studies showcases the winning and short-listed entries from the 2007 Feminist and Women's Studies Association (FWSA) annual student essay competition. A cornerstone of academic feminism in the UK and Ireland since its inception in 1987, the FWSA is dedicated to the development of feminist research and pedagogy across the disciplines. As feminism broadens and diversifies in response to changing social, political, and cultural circumstances, the FWSA remains committed to the task of developing new points of contact between scholars; as an organisation, it sponsors a biennial international conference, a postgraduate seminar series, and has recently launched a book prize to recognise scholarship that innovative, interdisciplinary and grounded in feminist theory and practice. Since its launch in 2002 the annual student essay competition has attracted a growing number of entrants each year; in collaboration with JIWS it has come to play an increasingly key role in recognising and promoting academic excellence in the field. Open to candidates at all British and Irish universities, the essay competition seeks to encourage and support original, interdisciplinary work by an emerging generation of feminist scholars. This special issue, then, provides a unique forum for new feminist voices, and works to illuminate the vibrant landscape of feminist scholarship in the first decade of the twenty-first century. The essays printed here are genuinely reflective of the high quality of the submissions to the competition, and of the exciting undergraduate and postgraduate work that is currently being produced under the rubric of feminist and women's studies

Administrative Involvement with Student Discipline and Teacher Morale in Mississippi Schools

Administrative involvement is vital to the success of a school; therefore, the school principal has the authority and responsibility to offer various forms of support to teachers and students that make daily tasks and procedures more efficient and effective. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of administrative involvement in student discipline on teacher morale. This quantitative study explored the relationship between administrative involvement and teacher morale by examining the administrator’s involvement with student discipline accounting for school climate. Informed by a theoretical framework that includes path-goal theory (House, 1996) and leadership behaviors and traits that are associated with transformational leadership (Burns, 2010) and transactional leadership (Burns, 2010), this study endeavored to determine the influence of administrative involvement with student discipline on teacher morale. The results of this study found that three dimensions of teacher morale, rapport with principal, satisfaction with teaching, and teacher load, were related to administrative involvement with student discipline. The study found that certain aspects of teacher morale could be predicted by administrative involvement in student discipline. The results could be used by secondary education administrators to make more informed decisions regarding student discipline policies and practices

Victimization on social networking sites

The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of victimization on social networking sites. Current media reports depict social networks as being targets for violence and sexual predators, but limited research on the subject has shown otherwise. A total of 354 students completed a survey regarding harassment, stalking, and sexual assault both online and offline. Koss\u27 (1998) Sexual Experiences Survey was also used to measure sexual assault rates amongst the current sample. Analyses showed that violent victimization rates were low on social networking sites, while verbal harassment, incessant unwanted behaviors, and sexual harassment were all fairly prevalent on these sites. Furthermore, it was seen that there were significant differences between the location of victimization (online or offline), but further analysis is necessary to determine what factors influence these differences. The low rates of serious online victimization suggest that although social networking sites may provide opportunities for certain types of victimization, those perpetrated offline are still more prevalent and harmful

Creating an Effective Learning Culture in a New School

The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of the Principal and staff during the establishment of a new school, to understand the development of a learning culture and to examine the tensions for leadership. This study is situated within an interpretive paradigm and uses two methodologies: self-study research and case study research. Methods of collecting information in this study were designed to capture the culture in the school as it developed. The combined documentation of my professional journal, the focus group and school documents allowed an insight into the realities of developing a learning culture in a new school. The findings of this study highlight four themes: • Stakeholders having ownership of touchstone documents to provide focus. • The importance of relationship building. • Focusing on learning for students, staff and the community. • Leadership challenges for new schools. The study concludes by making recommendations at policy level to support new school principals and at school level to offer suggestions for focus points

Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Diabetes Care and Outcomes: A Mixed Methods Study

Limited research has examined racial/ethnic differences in diabetes care and outcomes among primary care patients. This study examined racial/ethnic differences in diabetes care and outcomes among an ambulatory patient population and explored patient perceptions of the patient-provider relationship to inform strategies to improve care delivery. Using data from 62,149 adults with diabetes who received care within Atrium Health in 2013, regression models assessed associations between race/ethnicity and the following outcomes: glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) tests, low density lipoprotein (LDL) and blood pressure (BP) screening, foot and eye exams, and HbA1c, LDL, and BP control. Eleven patients with diabetes and uncontrolled hypertension participated in three focus groups about their perceptions of the patient-provider relationship. Compared to non-Hispanic Whites, non-Hispanic Blacks had 22% to 73% higher odds of receiving screenings (HbA1c, LDL, BP, foot and eye exams;

Probation Officers’ judgements: A study using Personal Construct Theory

• Summary Social workers and probation officers are frequently called upon to make judgements about the likelihood of re-offending. However, whilst the use of risk assessment instruments is now commonplace, the cognitive processes through which these judgements are made are rarely explicit. • Findings This study used the repertory grid method to elicit the constructs of judgements about re-offending of 15 experienced probation officers. Primary factors in their judgements were related to: (1) responsibility and risk taking behaviour; (2) criminal history; (3) self-awareness; and (4) stability. Personality characteristics, substance misuse and family dysfunction were also important. The findings are discussed in relation to two theoretical frameworks for understanding decision making: heuristics and biases and image theory, which focuses on values. • Application It is suggested that the design and implementation of assessment tools should be undertaken in the light of the constructs used in making professional judgements which inform the relevant decision making. </jats:sec

Baile con la Muerte

Dos hombres ocupan una mesa frente a la pista de baile. Se sientan al unísono, sin hacer ruido, en unas sillas de aluminio y el que viste camisa negra, entallada al cuerpo, pide dos tragos. El bar está vacío pues son acaso las nueve de las noche de un miércoles, un día flojo que a las meseras y al bartender se les desliza como arena húmeda y espesa. Los hombres miran a las pocas parejas que se mueven en la pista. Ambos son de estatura mediana y piel clara. El de camisa negra tiene ojos pequeños y hundidos que parecen observarlo todo, nariz discreta y labios carnosos