Contemporary Social Issues – serie

Breakdowns in civil societies can be catalyzed by factors ranging from war and genocide to natural disaster, disease and economic downturns. Restoring Civil Societies examines social processes related to civic engagement in the wake of these societal ruptures. The authors show how crises in civil society can be both pervasive and localized, broad-based and limited to defined social sub-groups. Whatever their scale, Restoring Civil Societies identifies models that analyze the social psychology of crises in order to devise ways of re-activating civic engagement and safeguarding civil society.Focusing on these positive interventions, the authors identify a number of key strategies, ranging from the simplicity and directness of bystander interventions to the volunteer armies mobilized in the wake of natural disasters. They include collective action organized to redress systemic inequalities, and the vital healing role played by truth commissions in Rwanda and elsewhere. Restoring Civil Societies fills the gap between basic research on social issues and translation into social policies and programs-an area which, in light of current economic and social unrest, is more important now than ever.

Examines the major aspects of giving and receiving help in interpersonal and intergroup relationsThis unique book extends the traditional emphasis on interpersonal help-giving in order to consider a wider spectrum of interpersonal and intergroup helping relations. Help giving is viewed as reflecting people’s care for others, while at the same time dependency on help and giving help imply lower and higher places on the social hierarchy, respectively. It studies the psychology of what goes into helping someone and integrates experimental work conducted in the social psychological laboratory with applied research from volunteer organizations, schools, and work and family environments. In addition to research on the giving of help, the book considers the recipient of help and reviews research and theory on people's readiness to seek and receive help. Unlike much of past research in this context that has been interested in the “generosity question” (i.e., whether or not people help others) the book considers how different kinds of assistance (i.e., autonomy and dependency-oriented help) shape helping interactions.  It then goes beyond the analyses of the immediate helping interaction to consider the long-term consequences of giving and receiving help. Finally, the book addresses theory and research on intergroup helping relations.Social Psychology of Helping Relations: Solidarity and Hierarchy begins with a general introduction to the topic. It then offers a series of broad perspectives, covering the philosophical and psychological theory, evolution, and overview of social psychological research. Next, the book looks at the social psychology of helping relations, examining the parties involvedt, and the “why” behind their actions. The positives and negatives of giving and receiving assistance, and the links between status and interpersonal and intergroup helping relations are also covered.  It considers how giving, seeking and receiving help maintains or challenges status relations between individuals and groups. The book finishes with a conclusion that wraps up the many lessons learned. Looks at solidarity and inequality in social interactionsExamines why people are ready to give and receive helpStudies the consequences of giving and receiving helpHighlights important implications to different kinds of help beyond the dichotomy between giving/receiving help or notAddresses research and theory on interpersonal and intergroup helping relationsThe implications of helping relations for personal and social changeSocial Psychology of Helping Relations: Solidarity and Hierarchy is an ideal book for advanced students, researchers and individuals interested in social psychology, counselling, social work, Sociology, and Political Science.

Examines the major aspects of giving and receiving help in interpersonal and intergroup relationsThis unique book extends the traditional emphasis on interpersonal help-giving in order to consider a wider spectrum of interpersonal and intergroup helping relations. Help giving is viewed as reflecting people’s care for others, while at the same time dependency on help and giving help imply lower and higher places on the social hierarchy, respectively. It studies the psychology of what goes into helping someone and integrates experimental work conducted in the social psychological laboratory with applied research from volunteer organizations, schools, and work and family environments. In addition to research on the giving of help, the book considers the recipient of help and reviews research and theory on people's readiness to seek and receive help. Unlike much of past research in this context that has been interested in the “generosity question” (i.e., whether or not people help others) the book considers how different kinds of assistance (i.e., autonomy and dependency-oriented help) shape helping interactions.  It then goes beyond the analyses of the immediate helping interaction to consider the long-term consequences of giving and receiving help. Finally, the book addresses theory and research on intergroup helping relations.Social Psychology of Helping Relations: Solidarity and Hierarchy begins with a general introduction to the topic. It then offers a series of broad perspectives, covering the philosophical and psychological theory, evolution, and overview of social psychological research. Next, the book looks at the social psychology of helping relations, examining the parties involvedt, and the “why” behind their actions. The positives and negatives of giving and receiving assistance, and the links between status and interpersonal and intergroup helping relations are also covered.  It considers how giving, seeking and receiving help maintains or challenges status relations between individuals and groups. The book finishes with a conclusion that wraps up the many lessons learned. Looks at solidarity and inequality in social interactionsExamines why people are ready to give and receive helpStudies the consequences of giving and receiving helpHighlights important implications to different kinds of help beyond the dichotomy between giving/receiving help or notAddresses research and theory on interpersonal and intergroup helping relationsThe implications of helping relations for personal and social changeSocial Psychology of Helping Relations: Solidarity and Hierarchy is an ideal book for advanced students, researchers and individuals interested in social psychology, counselling, social work, Sociology, and Political Science.

The first comprehensive volume to integrate social-scientific literature on the origins and manifestations of prejudice against disabled peopleAbleism, prejudice against disabled people stereotyped as incompetent and dependent, can elicit a range of reactions that include fear, contempt, pity, and inspiration. Current literature—often narrowly focused on a specific aspect of the subject or limited in scope to psychoanalytic tradition—fails to examine the many origins and manifestations of ableism. Filling a significant gap in the field, Ableism: The Causes and Consequences of Disability Prejudice is the first work to synthesize classic and contemporary studies on the evolutionary, ideological, and cognitive-emotional sources of ableism. This comprehensive volume examines new manifestations of ableism, summarizes the state of research on disability prejudice, and explores real-world personal accounts and interventions to illustrate the various forms and impacts of ableism.This important contribution to the field combines evidence from multiple theoretical perspectives, including published and unpublished work from both disabled and nondisabled constituents, on the causes, consequences, and elimination of disability prejudice. Each chapter places findings in the context of contemporary theories—identifying methodological limits and suggesting alternative interpretations. Topics include the evolutionary and existential origins of disability prejudice, cultural and impairment-specific stereotypes, interventions to reduce prejudice, and how to effect social change through collective action and advocacy. Adopting a holistic approach to the study of disability prejudice, this accessibly-written volume: Provides an inclusive, up-to-date exploration of the origins and expressions of ableismAddresses how to resist ableist practices, prioritize accessible policies, and create more equitable social relations with pages earmarked for activists and alliesFocuses on interpersonal and intergroup analysis from a social-psychological perspectiveIntegrates research from multiple disciplines to illustrate critical cognitive, affective and behavioral mechanisms and manifestations of ableismSuggests future research directions based on topics covered in each chapterAbleism: The Causes and Consequences of Disability Prejudice is an important resource for social, community and rehabilitation psychologists, scholars and researchers of disability studies, and students, activists, and academics across political, sociological, and humanistic disciplines.“This book is an excellent resource for both members of the academic field and lay readers seeking to know more about disability prejudice and ways to address it.”~ Charlotte Schreyer, Syracuse University, Published on H-Disability (September 2022)

Foreword by Nan Roman, President and CEO of the National Alliance to End HomelessnessThis book explains how to end the U.S. homelessness crisis by bringing together the best scholarship on the subject and sharing solutions that both local communities and national policy-makers can apply now.In the Midst of Plenty shifts understanding of homelessness away from individual disability to larger contexts of poverty, income inequality, housing affordability, and social exclusion. Homelessness experts Shinn and Khadduri provide guidance on how to end homelessness for people who experience it and how to prevent so many people from reaching the point where they have no alternative to sleeping on the street or in emergency shelters. The authors show that we know how to end homelessness—if we devote the necessary resources to doing so.In the Midst of Plenty: Homelessness and What to Do About It is an excellent resource for policy-makers, professionals in the homeless services system, and anyone else who wants to end homelessness. It also can serve as a text in undergraduate or masters courses in public policy, sociology, psychology, social work, urban studies, or housing policy."The knowledgeable and thoughtful authors of this book—two brilliant women who know as much as anyone in the country about the nature of homelessness and its solutions—have done a great service by taking us on a journey through the history of homelessness, how our responses have changed, and how we can end it."—Nan Roman, President and CEO National Alliance to End Homelessness."Shinn and Khadduri's new book is a thorough yet concise examination of what we know about the nature and causes of homelessness, and the crucial lessons learned. This critically important work provides a roadmap to restoring basic housing and income security as viable policy options, in the face of our daunting inequality divide that otherwise threatens millions with destitution and homelessness."—Dennis Culhane, Dana and Andrew Stone Professor of Social Policy, University of Pennsylvania"Marybeth Shinn and Jill Khadduri have combined their significant expertise to create an essential guide about the history of modern homelessness and to offer a clear path forward to end this American tragedy. Their policy recommendations on ending homelessness are culled from the best about what we know works."—Barbara Poppe, Executive Director US Interagency Council on Homeless, 2009-2014

Foreword by Nan Roman, President and CEO of the National Alliance to End HomelessnessThis book explains how to end the U.S. homelessness crisis by bringing together the best scholarship on the subject and sharing solutions that both local communities and national policy-makers can apply now.In the Midst of Plenty shifts understanding of homelessness away from individual disability to larger contexts of poverty, income inequality, housing affordability, and social exclusion. Homelessness experts Shinn and Khadduri provide guidance on how to end homelessness for people who experience it and how to prevent so many people from reaching the point where they have no alternative to sleeping on the street or in emergency shelters. The authors show that we know how to end homelessness—if we devote the necessary resources to doing so.In the Midst of Plenty: Homelessness and What to Do About It is an excellent resource for policy-makers, professionals in the homeless services system, and anyone else who wants to end homelessness. It also can serve as a text in undergraduate or masters courses in public policy, sociology, psychology, social work, urban studies, or housing policy."The knowledgeable and thoughtful authors of this book—two brilliant women who know as much as anyone in the country about the nature of homelessness and its solutions—have done a great service by taking us on a journey through the history of homelessness, how our responses have changed, and how we can end it."—Nan Roman, President and CEO National Alliance to End Homelessness."Shinn and Khadduri's new book is a thorough yet concise examination of what we know about the nature and causes of homelessness, and the crucial lessons learned. This critically important work provides a roadmap to restoring basic housing and income security as viable policy options, in the face of our daunting inequality divide that otherwise threatens millions with destitution and homelessness."—Dennis Culhane, Dana and Andrew Stone Professor of Social Policy, University of Pennsylvania"Marybeth Shinn and Jill Khadduri have combined their significant expertise to create an essential guide about the history of modern homelessness and to offer a clear path forward to end this American tragedy. Their policy recommendations on ending homelessness are culled from the best about what we know works."—Barbara Poppe, Executive Director US Interagency Council on Homeless, 2009-2014

Women and Poverty analyzes the social and structural factors that contribute to, and legitimize, class inequity and women's poverty. In doing so, the book provides a unique documentation of women's experiences of poverty and classism at the individual and interpersonal levels. Provides readers with a critical analysis of the social and structural factors that contribute to women's povertyUses a multidisciplinary approach to bring together new research and theory from social psychology, policy studies, and critical and feminist scholarshipDocuments women's experiences of poverty and classism at the interpersonal and institutional levelsDiscusses policy analysis for reducing poverty and social inequality

Women and Poverty analyzes the social and structural factors that contribute to, and legitimize, class inequity and women's poverty. In doing so, the book provides a unique documentation of women's experiences of poverty and classism at the individual and interpersonal levels. Provides readers with a critical analysis of the social and structural factors that contribute to women's povertyUses a multidisciplinary approach to bring together new research and theory from social psychology, policy studies, and critical and feminist scholarshipDocuments women's experiences of poverty and classism at the interpersonal and institutional levelsDiscusses policy analysis for reducing poverty and social inequality

Multiculturalism and Diversity focuses on the ways in which history and identity inform each other, and examines the politics of culture as well as the politics of cultural identities within the U.S. Illustrates the basic proposition that each of us is a unique multicultural human being and that culture affects individual self-definition, experience, behavior, and social interactionMoves from early simple definitions of multiculturalism to more complex understandings focused on culture as learned, teachable (shared), and fluidUses a critical approach to the study of culture and personal identity that is informed by historical and social factors and an appreciation of their interactionExamines the various cultural threads within the mosaic of a person's multicultural self such as sexual identity, gender, social class, and ethnicity

Multiculturalism and Diversity focuses on the ways in which history and identity inform each other, and examines the politics of culture as well as the politics of cultural identities within the U.S. Illustrates the basic proposition that each of us is a unique multicultural human being and that culture affects individual self-definition, experience, behavior, and social interactionMoves from early simple definitions of multiculturalism to more complex understandings focused on culture as learned, teachable (shared), and fluidUses a critical approach to the study of culture and personal identity that is informed by historical and social factors and an appreciation of their interactionExamines the various cultural threads within the mosaic of a person's multicultural self such as sexual identity, gender, social class, and ethnicity

The Psychological Wealth of Nations reviews the range of new scientific research related to individual and societal happiness. Presents a comprehensive review of happiness, from conceptual and measurement issues to an exploration of predictors and consequences of happinessExplores the psychology and economics of happiness and examines the correlations between societal wealth, productivity, and happiness in different countriesOffers compelling insights into the ways individual happiness impacts the psychological wealth of overall societyFeatures a highly interdisciplinary approach, with considerations of philosophy, sociology, economics, political sciences, as well as psychology

Provides a systematic framework for understanding and shaping moral action Taking Moral Action offers a timely and comprehensive overview of the emerging field of moral psychology, introducing readers to one of the most vibrant areas of research in contemporary psychology. With an inclusive and interdisciplinary approach, authors Chuck Huff and Almut Furchert incorporate a wide range of scholarly traditions, philosophical theories, empirical findings, and practical moral writings to explore the complex network of influences, contexts, and processes involved in producing and structuring moral action. Integrating key empirical and theoretical literature, this unique volume helps readers grasp the different aspects of both habitual and intentional acts of moral action. Thematically organized chapters examine moral action in contexts such as evolution, moral ecology, personality, moral identity and the self, moral reason, moral emotion, and more. Each chapter features a discussion of how neuroscience underlies or supports the influence and process addressed. Throughout the book, historical stories of moral action and examples of humanistic and experiential traditions of moral formation highlight what is possible, relevant, and appropriate in taking moral action in a variety of settings. Explores the relationships between moral psychology, empirical psychology, philosophy, and theologyConsiders the various ways that individuals experience and construct moral identityEmphasizes the practical application of the science of morality in service of moral goodReviews cultural, organizational, group, and social influences to investigate how individuals actively shape their moral environment Discusses the role of emotions in morality and considers if individuals can change or train their emotional responsesTaking Moral Action is essential reading for those new to the field and experienced practitioners alike. Containing extensive references and links to further readings, Taking Moral Action is also an excellent textbook for college and university courses in areas such as psychology, ethics, theology, philosophy, anthropology, and neuroscience.