Community, Regional Identity, and Civic Agriculture: A Structural Ritualization Analysis of Rural Online Farmers\u27 Market Sellers

Despite the impact of “new agriculture,” a revival of farmers’ markets (FMs) occurred in recent years. Though urban environments have FMs, people often neglect to consider their existence and functions in rural areas. Moreover, a lack of research specifically related to rural, online markets exists. This article is an analysis of rural, online farmers’ market sellers in the Arkansas River Valley. It provides a brief history of FMs and review of literature associated with food, identity, and community. It also uses structural ritualization theory to explore community bonds, regional identity, and civic agriculture themes. Results suggest that online sellers rarely create close bonds with buyers, though they believe doing so is important. They seldom identify their products with their region, though they recognize the benefits. In viewing their FM work as civic agriculture, sellers perceive local food as individually beneficial, but fail to see its ability to alleviate wider social problems. Simultaneously, they contribute to local nonprofit food distribution networks

Elder Crimes of the Law Abiding: Backwards Dresses, Covered Up Messes, and Nursing Homes

This article uses data from 75 biographies, autobiographies, and research monographs on nursing homes to explore physical neglect and abuse. Linked to crimes of the law abiding concepts, it implies employees see maltreatment as “normal.” It extends lines of research examining bureaucratic forces and their influence on nursing homes. It also provides a history of elder care in the UK and US and a review of structural ritualization theory. Findings concentrate on how rituals involving hierarchical structure, work efficiency, documentation, and rules adversely influence care homes. This includes physical maltreatment involving employee neglect of personal needs of residents, failing to provide medical help, bodily harm, and not maintaining quality living spaces

Senior companion program volunteers: Exploring experiences, transformative rituals, and recruitment/retention issues

Senior Companion Programs (SCPs) help the homebound elderly. They operate through local Area Agencies on Aging, but any nonprofit institution can apply for funding and operate a SCP. Program volunteers are 55 and older. They visit qualified elderly clients, which includes people who do not have the ability to fully care for themselves. Volunteers provide social interaction to clients, but they also provide a minimal level of services, such as grocery shopping, light housekeeping, and respite for caregivers. Examining the experiences of volunteers in these programs can help us better understand why actively engaging with others is important as we age. It can also help us establish a knowledge base that aids in our understanding of how to recruit and retain senior volunteers. This article uses data gathered from phenomenologically based, qualitative in-depth interviews of 10 SCP volunteers. Focusing on volunteer experiences, it uses structural ritualization theory to analyze various volunteer activities, which the research considers ritualized symbolic practices. It also considers how transformative rituals within a SCP impact volunteerism, and it provides recommendations on how to increase SCP volunteer recruitment and retain volunteers. The article concludes with suggestions for future research. © 2015: Jason S. Ulsperger, Jericho McElroy, Haley Robertson, Kristen Ulsperger, and Nova Southeastern University