The Return of the Surreal: Towards a Poetic and Playful Sociology

This article argues that the time is ripe to reacquaint sociology and surrealism. Taking inspiration from surrealism’s emphasis on making the ordinary strange through bizarre, lively and sometimes haunting methods might result in a more poetic and playful sociology. The article looks at how this might be applied in practice through drawing on a variety of examples of social research that share some of the tenets of surrealism, not least the latter’s focus on social justice. This enables discussion of a number of methodological concerns stemming from feminist and post-structuralist thought, including the troubling of narrative coherency and the notion of “voice.” Infusing sociology with “a surrealist spirit” requires opening up and moving away from rationality in ways that allow for the exploration of contradictions, irreverence, humor, and paradox

Surreal Encounters:Playing with the more-than-human at a community farm

This article explores synergies between surrealism and posthumanism, including ways of knowing the world in ways that simultaneously value and de-centre the human and inspire much-needed creative thinking about reworlding the planet. These are playful ways of knowing that embrace chance, accept paradox and question conventional understandings of time. Such ideas are explored though the example of an arts-based research project at a community farm in Lancashire, UK. The project’s ‘surrealist sensibility’ resulted not only in encouraging participants’ creativity but also in opening them up to encounters with the more-than-human and providing acknowledgement of how connected we really are

Late Holocene records of Antarctic fur Seal (Arctocephalus gazella) population variation on South Georgia, sub Antarctic

The Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella) population at South Georgia has increased dramatically through the 20th and 21st centuries following near extinction at the beginning of the 20th century. This rapid increase is now causing concern as the seals are damaging the coastal habitats of South Georgia including specially protected areas. To assess whether this population increase is part of a natural fluctuation or due to human induced changes in the marine ecosystem, the fur seal population has been reconstructed through the Holocene from seal hair abundance and geochemistry. Results from the fur seal hair abundance record show fur seals have been present at South Georgia for at least the past 3439 14C yrs BP and the population today is not unprecedented during the late Holocene. Although previous studies have found a correlation between fur seal populations and geochemistry, this study highlights that this is not effective at all study sites due to the complex relationship between climate change, catchment sediment delivery processes and seal population dynamics. At South Georgia, Cu and Zn are found to be indicators of fur seal activity once a threshold of 1500 hairs per 1 g of dry weight is reached. The fur seal hair abundance results suggest there is a link between fur seal populations and climate change. Although the largest increases in for seal population occur during cooler periods, the fur seal population is primarily controlled by prey availability (Euphausia superba), which is in turn influenced by climate change. Pre 200 yrs BP, an increase in prey availability is associated with colder periods, which are linked to changes in oceanography and led to a consequent increase in sea-ice extent. Post 200 yrs BP, the whaling industry has resulted in a krill surplus in the South Georgia region elevating krill availability, causing an increase in the fur seal population (that has been coincident with warming). Although the population has increased during the 20th and 21st century as a result of human induced causes, this increase cannot be sustained once the krill sumlus ceases, As the population has been at similar levels previously and the krill surplus is thought to be ending, it is concluded that the fur seal population increase during the 20th century is not abnormal and management of the fur seal population at South Georgia may not be necessary

Care housing for people with dementia : towards an evaluation

This study set out to evaluate a small scale model of care for people with dementia that aimed to support residents within a daily household routine (termed household care). Stemming from a pluralistic evaluation, this thesis examines issues identified as important to residents' experience, namely the ability of the care houses to provide a home for life, the process and effectiveness of recreating a homely environment and the implications of group-living. Three case studies were investigated with multiple methods, including semi-structured interviews with staff, relatives and representatives of managing agencies, structured observation and assessment of dependency. Respondents believed care housing was superior to its alternatives and attributed perceived improvements in residents' well-being to the nature of staff support and the 'homely' setting. Agency representatives were preoccupied with their relationships with each other and how to sustain and expand this model of care. Staff focused on the nature and conditions of the work. Kin were keen that residents should settle and stay in the care houses. Residents' support needs at least matched entry criteria but over half had to move out to hospital because of physical illness and behavioural problems. This study suggests that it was very difficult for residents to accept the houses as 'home'. Residents' and their relatives' participation was, in practice, limited but one house was particularly successful in implementing household care; reasons are suggested for this. Residents' interactions with each other seemed to be increased by household care but their relationships were influenced by a number of factors, including the presence of dementia. The latter exacerbated the tensions of group-living. The challenge for care houses was to sustain care as dementia progressed and extend good quality care to those with more substantial behavioural and physical support needs

Student Counselors \u27 Moral, Intellectual, and Professional Ethical Identity Development

Professional identity is characterized by the integration of individuals\u27 professional and personal selves. The authors used a multiple regression design to examine counselor professional ethical identity development, with specific attention to moral and intellectual development. Student counselors (N = 59) completed the Modified Subject-Object Interview (Monson & Hamilton, 2010), Defining Issues Test-2 (Rest, Narvaez, Bebeau, & Thoma, ), and Learning Environment Preferences scale (Moore, 1987). Moral development was the most significant predictor of professional ethical identity development. Preparatory and research strategies to enhance professional ethical identity formation are discussed

Myocardial dysfunction after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: predictors and prognostic implications.

We aim to determine the incidence of early myocardial dysfunction after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, risk factors associated with its development, and association with outcome. A retrospective chart review was performed among consecutive out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients who underwent echocardiography within 24 h of return of spontaneous circulation at three urban teaching hospitals. Our primary outcome is early myocardial dysfunction, defined as a left ventricular ejection fraction \u3c 40% on initial echocardiogram. We also determine risk factors associated with myocardial dysfunction using multivariate analysis, and examine its association with survival and neurologic outcome. A total of 190 patients achieved ROSC and underwent echocardiography within 24 h. Of these, 83 (44%) patients had myocardial dysfunction. A total of 37 (45%) patients with myocardial dysfunction survived to discharge, 39% with intact neurologic status. History of congestive heart failure (OR 6.21; 95% CI 2.54-15.19), male gender (OR 2.27; 95% CI 1.08-4.78), witnessed arrest (OR 4.20; 95% CI 1.78-9.93), more than three doses of epinephrine (OR 6.10; 95% CI 1.12-33.14), more than four defibrillations (OR 4.7; 95% CI 1.35-16.43), longer duration of resuscitation (OR 1.06; 95% CI 1.01-1.10), and therapeutic hypothermia (OR 3.93; 95% CI 1.32-11.75) were associated with myocardial dysfunction. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation immediately initiated by healthcare personnel was associated with lower odds of myocardial dysfunction (OR 0.40; 95% CI 0.17-0.97). There was no association between early myocardial dysfunction and mortality or neurological outcome. Nearly half of OHCA patients have myocardial dysfunction. A number of clinical factors are associated with myocardial dysfunction, and may aid providers in anticipating which patients need early diagnostic evaluation and specific treatments. Early myocardial dysfunction is not associated with neurologically intact survival

The Self-Reported Sexual Behaviors of Single Older African Americans

Abstract African Americans are disproportionally affected by HIV/AIDS, but little is known about the risky sexual behaviors of older African Americans. This cross-sectional, comparative study, investigated the self-reported sexual behaviors of sexually active older African Americans. The nonrandom sample (N = 78) included single African American men (59%) and women (41%), 50-74 years of age. Participants were recruited from various community sites, and data were collected with a standard sexual history questionnaire. Participants reported practicing risky behaviors such having unprotected oral, anal, and vaginal sex (96.5%), and having multiple sex partners (37.2%). There were several significant gender differences such as males using condoms more for vaginal sexual activity, and they discussed using a condom more than females. Faced with an aging population and a growing incidence of HIV/AIDS, older adults need to know the types of sexual behaviors that put them at risk and skills to reduce risky behaviors. Age/gender-appropriate interventions for HIV prevention are needed for older African Americans