This article explores John Dewey's Depression-era analysis of "liberalism" in an effort to clarify our own neoliberal moment. As Dewey argues, liberalism is a term used in the 1930s to signify diverse and often contradictory meanings. It variously refers to a minimalist state aimed at unbinding markets (laissez-faire liberalism) or…

This article presents the findings of a large scale study that tested a comprehensive model of predictors of three manifestations of sustainability: continuation, institutionalization, and duration. Based on the literature the predictors were arrayed in four groups: variables pertaining to the project, the auspice organization, the community, and…

It is a special characteristic of all modern societies that people consciously decide on and plan projects designed to improve their social systems. It is their universal predicament that their projects do not always have their intended effects. It seems inevitable that in most countries this common set of problems, combined with the obvious…

The paper develops a descriptive model of different aspects of involvement by academic staff in social planning; for example, involvement in different stages of planning, level of influencing decision-making processes, and involvement in development and action roles for promoting change. Using a structured questionnaire, research conducted in…

Family rituals provide a rich context in which to study the relation between ideology and action. Guided by the gender perspective, this article analyzes the experiences of 21 newly married heterosexual couples who described how they planned their weddings. The interplay among gender ideology, gender display, and gender assessment differed across…

Social workers, educators, psychologists, sociologists, and other social planning professionals have been concerned about the children of immigrants for over a century. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, social policies and practices toward immigrant families were based on negative assumptions about immigrant culture that characterized…

Total Quality Management Plus (TQM) goes beyond customer satisfaction to consider quality of life, environmental conditions, crime rates, and health and well-being. Steps to integrate such concerns into the TQM process include being ready for challenges, creating a quality system to collect performance data, defining the ideal school and world…

Examines what the term "information society" really means and investigates how it is related to national computer plans (NCPs). Analysis of several NCPs indicates that nations are more concerned with a general need to bolster and improve their national economies than in encouraging social transformation. (JKP)

The feasibility of applying multiattribute utility theory to the needs assessment and priority-setting activities of human services planning councils was studied in Essex County (New Jersey). Decision-making and information filtering processes are explored in the context of community planning. (SLD)

A synthetic method of estimating relative annual prevalence of severely mentally disabled (SMD) adults across Ohio's mental health board areas was evaluated. Indirect evidence of accuracy for the method, which relies on local catchment area data and local census data, is provided by comparison with actual SMD adult counts in federal programs. (SLD)

The MetroLink project supported and studied the process of collaboration for human resource development in American metropolitan areas. The project was conducted in 1984 and 1985 in the following eight metropolitan areas: Atlanta, Georgia; Boston, Massachusetts; Hartford, Connecticut; Indianapolis, Indiana; Louisville, Kentucky; Minneapolis,…

This paper traces the history of Ontario's curriculum development, analyzes the short- and long-term effects of declining enrollment on the present curriculum, explores possible extensions of the school system, and discusses social policy in relation to the curriculum. A survey of boards and teachers and interviews with supervisory officers in…

Social and governmental policies have attempted to improve the lives of children in poverty, but negative outcomes continue for African-American youth. Policy and programs for youth must be sensitive to developmental processes, racial and ethnic affiliation, and the environmental structures that put students at risk. (SLD)

An ongoing child care improvement study is being conducted of approximately 150 licensed child care providers in 4 Florida counties. The study is assessing the impact of state legislation, which mandated lower caregiver-to-child ratios and increased credentialing. Thus far, the study has found the following effects: (1) children's emotional and…

Following background information on primary school completion rates in Latin America and the Caribbean, this report discusses: (1) the problems of child labor in these regions; (2) a proposed action program for UNICEF and its partners; (3) an analysis of the child labor situation, including research and evaluation; and (4) possible solution…