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High-Achieving Mothers and the Choices They Make
No full textThis research explored the perceptions of selected women about personal high achievement outside of the home and how this may influence the role of nurturer to their family. This study sought to examine the lived experiences of seven women who are homemakers as well as career women on the impact of modern, American culture on the decisions they make. An investigation into how motherhood, gender, career, and family roles impact life decisions and roles was made. How these decisions impacted personal identity, satisfaction, and stress were revealed through personal stories and insight from the participants. The framework for this study was based primarily on two ideas, the psychological contract theory (Smithson & Lewis, 2004), which describes the unspoken expectations that exist between people and the capabilities approach theory (Nussbaum, 2000), which states that everyone is capable of living up to a certain potential, which not only contributes to personal growth, but also to society as a whole. Increased understanding into how some women manage a home, a family, and their career, within these theoretical frameworks, was uncovered. For this study, grounded theory was chosen as the method to guide the study of these women. Grounded theory is the study of experience from the standpoint of those who live it, the investigator is the primary instrument and the mode of inquiry is inductive (Merriam, 2002, p. 142). The basic analysis procedure used was the constant comparative method of data analysis. Data deemed meaningful were gathered and compared with each other in order to generate categories that emerged from the data. This qualitative research study was done using a sample of seven mothers who were both high achievers outside of the home and, yet, still responsible for the nurturing needs of their families and the upkeep of their homes. The analysis focuses on the themes that emerged from these interviews. They were (a) emergence of self, (b) the driving force, (c) voice, and (d) life satisfaction. The researcher offers conclusions, recommendations, and ideas for future research
A Study of Korean Schools in South-Central United States: Meeting Needs and Expectations of Adolescents
No full textDespite the rapid growth of Korean Schools (KS), from two in the 1960s to 681 by 2008, a few studies of KS in the United States have been done. This study endeavors to shed some light upon the challenges and difficulties that Koreans and their descendants who live in the United States are presently facing. In order to achieve such a purpose, it makes use of Bhattacharyya\u27s (2004) felt-needs principle of community development and Phinney\u27s (1992) Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure to investigate the relationship among ethnic identity, and felt-needs and satisfaction with KS. Three phases of this mixed-method study were developed in order to gauge the needs and satisfaction of the adolescents and how their needs and satisfaction differed depending upon their ethnic identity. The cultural similarities and differences between the adolescent and adult groups are discussed in the third phase of the study. Thirty-nine items of researcher-designed instruments measured the needs and satisfaction of 211 adolescents from 35 KS. The findings were classified into five categories: Learning Korean, Teachers, Friends, Usefulness, and School Structure. This study found a strong relationship among felt-needs, satisfaction, and ethnic identity of the study found a strong relationship among felt-needs, satisfaction, and ethnic identity of the sample. Most are working toward or have already found their ethnic identity. For the adolescents, learning Korean language and culture seems to be grounded in the need to have a common language at home and to better define their ethnic identity. Based on the results of this study, suggestions are given for the further improvement of KS in the United States and directions for further study of KS
The “Poor” in Zephaniah and First World Bias: Implications for Interpretation and Preaching
Get PDFThe crucial lines in Zeph 2:3; 3:12 state that a people described as ani and anawim (in Hebrew) will be saved from the coming wrath and left as a remnant faithful to the LORD.1 These terms in Hebrew, however, may be rendered either metaphorically (i.e., the spiritually poor or “humble”) or more literally as those who suffer material poverty (i.e., the poor). To date, the majority of First World English translations render the term metaphorically, including major Catholic translations. This article will argue, following historical and lexical evidence, that the terms ani and anawim in Zeph 2:3 and 3:12-13 should be translated as those who are economically poor. The common translation of “humble” or “meek” in these verses represents a First World bias and should be rejected. Revision to the Catholic lectionary’s translation would correctly represent the historical meaning of the texts as well as inspire homiletic exhortations on Catholic social teaching
The Current Impact of Leadership in Nigeria: Its Reality, Challenges and Perspectives
No full textThe purpose of this qualitative critical ethnographic research study was to understand the perception of selected leaders and their experiences in regional and national leadership positions in Nigeria. The study focused on identifying the leadership practices of past and present leaders involved in the operation of the Nigerian government, with emphasis on the eastern Region. The critical ethnographic design was used in order to gain in-depth knowledge and understanding ofthe issues and problems associated with the current impact of leadership in Nigeria, with regard to its reality, challenges, and perspectives. The researcher used Northouse\u27s leadership approach and process to understand the leadership in the current Nigerian situation. Twelve past and present leaders in the government operations of the Eastern Region of Nigeria participated in the study, and the leadership assessment instrument survey questionnaire was used to support the study. While the study showed that there is need for change in leadership, the results of the study revealed that most of the leaders and policy makers in the Eastern Region of the country lack effective leadership for the positions they hold. The study also suggested some recommendations for improving the current leadership situation in Nigeria
A Statue Gets a Fresh Coat of Paint: A Glimpse at the Catholic Church and Chicano Activists in the Rio Grande Valley in 1970
Get PDFIn December, 1969, at the end of a weekend conference, a group of Mexican American activist students painted a statue of Mary brown, causing an uproar among some priests and faithful. This reaction did not, however, cause the Church to pull back on its commitment to social justice. Indeed, some bishops, priests, and laity took strong positions and acted on issues related to farmworkers and Chicano youth projects in the face of opposition within the Church and among the public. This paper utilizes oral history interviews, newspaper accounts, and documents in archives of the Oblate School of Theolog
Killing An Inconvenient Truth: Social Justice and Forms of Oppression in Modern Society
Get PDFConsidered different, (less than human?) - Some are hated for what they are - for what they have been changed into, and believed to be. Others oppressed for what they symbolize - discriminated against for what they remind people of. Many are excluded because their wants are the same as other persons’. Many others are not listened to; made voiceless and even invisible, resilient, they stay. All humans have the same needs – biological, psychological, social, and spiritual. Nobody is asking for preferential treatments - We do not present impossible choices. All we are saying is – in relating to who appears to be unlike you, Seize the opportunity diversity offers; learn more about self, others and our world, Collaborate with others - so all become increasingly more human. (FMB, San Antonio, December 2008
A Philology of Liberation: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as a Reader of the Classics
Get PDFThis paper explores the intellectual relationship between Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the classics, particularly the works of Plato, Sophocles, and Aeschylus. Recognizing Dr. King as a reader of the classics is significant for two reasons: the classics played a formative role in Dr. King’s development into a political activist and an intellectual of the first order; moreover, Dr. King shows us the way to read the classics. Dr. King did not read the classics in a pedantic or even academic manner, but for the purpose of liberation. Dr. King’s legacy, thus, is not merely his political accomplishments but also his example as a philologist of liberation
Assessing Business Risk: Development of the Entrepreneurial Risk Assessment Scale
No full textThe purpose of this study was to develop and validate a researcher-designed instrument to measure the critical forces of business risk.
One of the primary concerns in a small business is the problem of risk. Many who begin the start-up process terminate it in less than one year. Of those that survive, many are unable to achieve sustained growth and profits. Small-to-medium business enterprises (SME) have a 50% to 90% chance of failure within the first five years. While there are measures of personal risk behavior of entrepreneurs, the literature contains no measure of risk orientation for the enterprise. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a researcher-designed instrument to measure the critical forces of business risk. The 37-item Entrepreneurial Risk Assessment Scale (ERAS) was developed from key theoretical concepts grounded in economics, marketing, management, finance, and entrepreneurship literature. It was developed and finalized through a process of reviewing literature, subject matter expert panels\u27 review, and a pilot test. The a priori assumption of the ERAS constructs were (a) personal characteristics, (b) intangible operations, (c) enterprise operations, (d) market climate, and (e) business environment. This study utilized a quantitative methodology to establish construct, content, and criterion validity using Bryant\u27s (2000) framework found in Reading and Understanding More Multivariate Statistics edited by Grimm and Yarnold (2000). A sample (N= 276) was taken from an urban/suburban area in South Texas. A principal axis factoring (PAF) analysis was used to establish construct validity; a principle component analysis (PCA) was used to establish content validity; and a logistic regression was used to establish criterion validity. Reliability was assessed within the efforts to establish content validity. What emerged from both the factor analyses were five new factors of entrepreneurial risk that were different from the a priori assumptions and thus renamed: (a) customer and resources, (b) security, (c) operations, (d) external pressures, and (e) other/alternate factors. The results of the PAF and PCA provided strong support for the content and construct validity of the ERAS instrument. In the assessment of criterion validity, the logistic regression analysis showed the endogenous factors, (a) customer and resources, and (c) operations reliably predicted risk behavior of both nascent and incumbent SMEs
Women’s Activism in Latin America and the Caribbean: Engendering Social Justice, Democratizing Citizenship
Get PDFThe Relationships Among Leisure Participation, Leisure Satisfaction, and Emotional Intelligence Among Elementary School Teachers in Northern Taiwan
No full textThe purpose of this research study was to investigate the possible relationships among leisure participation, leisure satisfaction, and emotional intelligence for elementary school teachers in Northern Taiwan. Demographic data such as gender, age, marital status, educational level, numbers of years of service in school, numbers of hours of leisure each week, numbers of children and religious affiliation were investigated as well. The survey consisted of four components: Leisure Participation Involvement (LPI), Leisure Satisfaction Scale (LSS), Multifactor Emotional Intelligence Scale (MEIS), and a demographic survey. The target population of this study was teachers in public elementary schools in Yilan County, Taipei County, Taoyuan County, and Hsinchu County in northern Taiwan. This study used stratified sampling to divide the population by county and then used simple random sampling sampled from each stratum of the population. The data were analyzed by Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS version 13) computer program. Study results suggest significant findings in the following areas: (a) The age group (51-60) participated in leisure activities more often than the other age groups, (b) Married elementary school teachers participated in leisure activities more often than single individuals, (c) Elementary school teachers, with more than 31 years of service in school, participated in leisure activities more often than other groups, (d) Elementary teachers with more children participated in leisure activities more often than the other teachers with less children, (e) The age group, 61 years old and more, had higher leisure satisfaction than the others age groups, (f) The elementary school teachers with more than 31 years service in school have higher leisure satisfaction than the other teachers, (g) Female teachers have higher emotional intelligence than male teachers, (h) Teachers with 21 or more hours of leisure time each week have higher emotional intelligence than others, (i) Teachers with 4 or more children have higher emotional intelligence than the others, (j) Leisure participation involvement, leisure satisfaction, and emotional intelligence have a positive correlation. The more leisure activities the elementary school teachers participated in, the higher leisure satisfaction and emotional intelligence they reported, (k) Leisure participation and leisure satisfaction have a positive correlation. The more leisure activities the elementary school teachers participate in, the higher leisure satisfaction they reported, especially in outdoor activities, indoor activities, and cultural activities. (1) Leisure participation and emotional intelligence have a positive correlation. The more leisure activities the elementary school teachers participate in, the higher emotional intelligence they reported, especially in outdoor activities, sports, indoor activities, and cultural activities, (m) Leisure participation and leisure satisfaction were found to significantly predict emotional intelligence