22 research outputs found
Welfare Reform and Lone Mothers Employment in the US
No full textThe Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996 represents a dramatic change in the US welfare state. One of its key goals was to move lone mothers, even those with young children, from welfare to work. Early evidence suggests that, in concert with a strong economy, progress has been made - welfare caseloads have fallen dramatically and the employment rates of lone mothers have increased substantially. In addition to the federal reforms, state level welfare reforms played an important role prior to 1996 and are playing an even more important role subsequent to 1996 as PRWORA gives states unprecedented flexibility in designing and implementing their welfare systems. In this paper, we examine some key state-level reforms, using evidence from selected states, to illustrate the three major types of policies used in the US to move lone mothers from welfare to work: mandating work (Michigan); making work pay (Michigan and Minnesota); and helping families with child care (Illinois). We conclude that each of these policies has a role to play in moving lone mothers from welfare to work, but that further policies are needed if the US is to also to do a better job of reducing child poverty.welfare, lone mothers, employment
Unbiased sampling of globular lattice proteins in three dimensions
No full textWe present a Monte Carlo method that allows efficient and unbiased sampling of Hamiltonian walks on a cubic lattice. Such walks are self-avoiding and visit each lattice site exactly once. They are often used as simple models of globular proteins, upon adding suitable local interactions. Our algorithm can easily be equipped with such interactions, but we study here mainly the flexible homopolymer case where each conformation is generated with uniform probability. We argue that the algorithm is ergodic and has dynamical exponent z=0. We then use it to study polymers of size up to 64^3 = 262144 monomers. Results are presented for the effective interaction between end points, and the interaction with the boundaries of the system
‘A View You Won’t Get Anywhere Else’? Depressed Mothers, Public Regulation and ‘Private’ Narrative.
No full textExact valence bond entanglement entropy and probability distribution in the XXX spin chain and the Potts model
No full text4 pages, 2 figuresBy relating the ground state of Temperley-Lieb hamiltonians to partition functions of 2D statistical mechanics systems on a half plane, and using a boundary Coulomb gas formalism, we obtain in closed form the valence bond entanglement entropy as well as the valence bond probability distribution in these ground states. We find in particular that for the XXX spin chain, the number N_c of valence bonds connecting a subsystem of size L to the outside goes, in the thermodynamic limit, as = (4/pi^2) ln L, disproving a recent conjecture that this should be related with the von Neumann entropy, and thus equal to 1/(3 ln 2) ln L. Our results generalize to the Q-state Potts model
Conformal boundary loop models
No full text28 pages, 19 figures, 2 tables. v2: added new section 3.2, amended figures 17-18, updated referencesWe study a model of densely packed self-avoiding loops on the annulus, related to the Temperley Lieb algebra with an extra idempotent boundary generator. Four different weights are given to the loops, depending on their homotopy class and whether they touch the outer rim of the annulus. When the weight of a contractible bulk loop (], this model is conformally invariant for any real weight of the remaining three parameters. We classify the conformal boundary conditions and give exact expressions for the corresponding boundary scaling dimensions. The amplitudes with which the sectors with any prescribed number and types of non contractible loops appear in the full partition function Z are computed rigorously. Based on this, we write a number of identities involving Z which hold true for any finite size. When the weight of a contractible boundary loop y takes certain discrete values, with r integer, other identities involving the standard characters of the Virasoro algebra are established. The connection with Dirichlet and Neumann boundary conditions in the O(n) model is discussed in detail, and new scaling dimensions are derived. When q is a root of unity and , exact connections with the type RSOS model are made. These involve precise relations between the spectra of the loop and RSOS model transfer matrices, valid in finite size. Finally, the results where are related to the theory of Temperley Lieb cabling
Combinatorial aspects of boundary loop models
No full textv2: Added new figures 6, 9, 12, 13, 17. Further comparison with Ref. [7].We discuss in this paper combinatorial aspects of boundary loop models, that is models of self-avoiding loops on a strip where loops get different weights depending on whether they touch the left, the right, both or no boundary. These models are described algebraically by a generalization of the Temperley-Lieb algebra, dubbed the two-boundary TL algebra. We give results for the dimensions of TL representations and the corresponding degeneracies in the partition functions. We interpret these results in terms of fusion and in the light of the recently uncovered A_n large symmetry present in loop models, paving the way for the analysis of the conformal field theory properties. Finally, we propose conjectures for determinants of Gram matrices in all cases, including the two-boundary one, which has recently been discussed by de Gier and Nichols
Critical behavior of loops and biconnected clusters on fractals of dimension d < 2
No full textWe solve the O(n) model, defined in terms of self- and mutually avoiding loops coexisting with voids, on a 3-simplex fractal lattice, using an exact real space renormalization group technique. As the density of voids is decreased, the model shows a critical point, and for even lower densities of voids, there is a dense phase showing power-law correlations, with critical exponents that depend on n, but are independent of density. At n = -2 on the dilute branch, a trivalent vertex defect acts as a marginal perturbation. We define a model of biconnected clusters which allows for a finite density of such vertices. As n is varied, we get a line of critical points of this generalized model, emanating from the point of marginality in the original loop model. We also study another perturbation of adding local bending rigidity to the loop model, and find that it does not affect the universality class
The Christian ministry : case studies of preachers of the Churches of Christ in Bicol, Philippines
No full textThis thesis examines the challenges faced by the ministers of religion in Churches of Christ (Restoration Movement) in Bicol, Philippines. The goal is to do theology from below, not from above, as pastoral ministry must come from the experience of those who practice it, not from textbooks. The pastoral perspectives of the dilemmas that the ministers raise are heard, observed, documented, and then reflected upon. To do this, case studies of four preachers are used and the mga problema that they present are explored with them.
As a result, first, I introduce some of those challenges which are perplexing on the ground level and which appear to be under-researched in serious theological circles, especially in an Asian context. Second, I hope that these case studies can be used to stimulate reflection in ministerial and spiritual formation. Third, I document some of the theology and methodology of the Churches of Christ, particularly as practiced in the Philippines.
Chapter 1 explores the dichotomy between the perceived satisfaction in the pastoral ministry with the crisis of role and identity. In particular, issues such as forced exits and stress are presented while baptism and preaching are scrutinized. Chapter 2 centres on the conundrums experienced in planting a new church and being the lone planter. Chapter 3 examines three challenges–the task of ministering in a home congregation, the issue of accreditation in ministerial training, and how the minister can be a success and grow the church. Never far from the thoughts and actions of any of the Bicolano ministers is the problema of poverty, so Chapter 4 considers some of the Filipino, personal, and spiritual complexities of poverty, delineates a number of factors that need to be taken into consideration in any effort to overcome this malady and concludes with a particular reference to ministry
Investing in Well-being: An Analytical Framework
No full textThe NZ Treasury is currently engaged in a project to identify cost-effective interventions to improve outcomes for children and young adults in order to maximise the value of government expenditures across the social sector. The central aim of this paper is to provide an empirically-robust framework to compare intervention across a range of social sectors. There are two key components to the framework. The first is a life-course view of child development that emphasises that experiences and influences in childhood can affect well-being throughout life. The second component involves viewing social expenditures as investments addressed at achieving particular outcomes, typically directed at enhancing well-being. The paper presents evidence from a review of the literature on how the process and experiences of childhood have a later impact on wellbeing; how child development and outcomes are influenced by individual, family and communal factors and how risk and resilience can be used to indicate that an individual is at increased or decreased risk of negative outcomes. Case studies of youth suicide, teenage pregnancy, educational underachievement and youth inactivity provide evidence about what interventions work using key empirical findings from the literature.Well-being; social investment; life-course; child development; child and adult outcomes; portfolio; intervention
