This dissertation consists of three empirical studies that address questions regarding state welfare policy making in the post-welfare reform era. The first empirical study pays close attention to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) as a federal block grant program, which is a big departure from most previous TANF studies, to ask why American states differ in their decisions to allocate federal block grants across specific programs. Drawing on research on fiscal federalism and state and cross-national welfare politics, the study uses cross-sectional time-series data covering 50 states over the fiscal years 2004-2016 to examine factors that have an impact on state child care spending under the TANF block grant. The results show that several political factors and one socio-economic factor impact states’ TANF child care spending in the hypothesized direction. Most importantly, the study finds that a specific state government’s TANF policy designed to encourage work matters in an interesting way. States’ emphasis on work of TANF recipients, measured by the existence of the TANF job-search rule, exerts a positive, independent effect on the percentage of state TANF child care spending, but the positive marginal effect of implementing the job-search rule becomes negative as the percentage of female state legislators passes 28%. The study shed lights on our general understanding of the factors that influence state allocations of federal block grants for an understudied but increasingly important policy program in the American states—child care. The second empirical study examines whether the selection of indicators of welfare policy commitment makes any difference for the findings in studies of the determinants of state welfare policy. If so, what difference does it make? While scholars of state welfare politics have long been making efforts to find better explanations for variation in welfare policy across American states, the literature as a whole has paid little attention to how differently scholars operationalize state welfare policy even though they examine a variety of welfare policy measures. To address these questions, I estimate a series of different panel data models with different measures of state welfare commitment for the period after the welfare reform of 1996. Comparing the results across these models shows that the choice of dependent variable measures affects the estimation results, thereby suggesting that empirical findings are dependent upon the measure we use. This finding not only shows that scholars need to be cautious in interpreting their results but also opens up a new puzzle as to why a factor affects a particular welfare measure but not others. The last empirical study addresses the question: do the effects of party politics differ across welfare policies? In answering this question, the study draws on the literature on deservingness and social construction of target populations and hypothesizes that party politics would play a differential role in explaining the generosity of different welfare policies depending on the perceived deservingness of target populations. To test this hypothesis, I estimate three models each for TANF, Supplemental Security Income-State Supplements (SSI-S), and Medicaid generosity covering the period after the welfare reform. I find that party politics still remains as an important predictor of state welfare generosity, especially where welfare policy for the deserving poor and mixed population in terms of its deservingness is concerned. Also, there are differential effects of party politics across the welfare policies examined, but sometimes in an unexpected direction. This study provides a valuable addition to the literature in that it updates and enriches our understanding of welfare politics.

Há grande probabilidade de termos comunidades de fé em nossos dias como aquela descrita em Atos dos Apóstolos, na qual não havia nenhum necessitado. O que nos falta? Examinando bem as lideranças daquela igreja, bem como a própria vida e exemplo de Jesus, a generosidade era algo marcante e decisivo para determinar as ações. Mas de onde vinha isso? O Antigo Testamento deixa muitíssimo claro que desde o princípio o Criador e Deus de Israel tinha em mente uma sociedade de justiça. Essas providências e provisões são apresentadas em inúmeras passagens do Pentateuco, elas são louvadas nos livros de sabedoria, e os profetas as proclamam destemidamente, tirando quaisquer dúvidas quanto à origem do movimento social que tomou conta da primeira comunidade de fé. Ao examinar os currículos de uma seleção de nossas escolas de teologia, porém, descobrimos que não existe esta compreensão da importância da generosidade na liderança de nossas comunidades de fé. O ensino teológico está alcançando um nível cada vez mais elaborado, científico o que é muito bom, mas a sensibilidade solidária precisa ser cultivada. Para isso, precisa ser exemplificada, vivida, passada adiante. E se não começou no próprio lar, precisa ter seu início na igreja. Zaqueu, após o momento de graça com o Mestre, sabia muito bem o que fazer com os seus bens materiais pois conhecia as Escrituras. Propomos um currículo que coloque a generosidade como a marca do egresso um desafio que exigirá unidade na instituição, um corpo docente coeso, capaz e flexível, e a dedicação dos alunos, em sala de aula, nos projetos, em seus relacionamentos, na família, na comunidade. Ficará óbvio também que o neoliberalismo, o individualismo e o consumismo acabarão sendo desmascarados neste processo de formação pastoral. / There is a high probability of having faith communities in our day as the one described in Acts of the Apostles, in which there was no need. What do we lack? Examining the leaders of the early church as well as the life and example of Jesus, generosity was something striking and decisive to determine their actions. But where did this come from? The Old Testament makes it abundantly clear that from the beginning the Creator and God of Israel had in mind a society of justice. These measures and provisions are found in innumerous passages of the Pentateuch, they are praised in the books of wisdom, and the prophets proclaim them fearlessly taking away any doubts as to the origin of the social movement that swept the first community of faith. By examining the curricula of a selection of our schools of theology, however, we dont find this understanding of the importance of generosity in the leadership of our communities of faith. Theological training in Brazil is reaching an increasingly more elaborate, scientific plateau - which is very good, but the need to cultivate solidary sensitivity is obvious. For that purpose it must be exemplified, lived out, passed on. And if the process did not start at home, it must have its beginning in the church. Zacchaeus, after the moment of grace with the Master, knew very well what to do with his possessions - because he knew the Scriptures. We propose a curriculum that places generosity as the brand of the graduates - a challenge that will require unity in the institution, a faculty that is cohesive, capable and flexible, and the dedication of the students in the classroom, in the projects, in their relationships, family, in the community. It will also become obvious that neoliberalism, individualism and consumerism will eventually be unmasked in the process of forming a new generation of pastors.

Submitted by Yan Bernardes Vieites Castro dos Santos (yan.vieites@gmail.com) on 2017-08-10T14:56:37Z No. of bitstreams: 1 The Prosocial Class - How Social Class Influences Prosocial Behavior (Versão Final).pdf: 1469168 bytes, checksum: b516c5d38bb18756e5b26eef64cd026d (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by ÁUREA CORRÊA DA FONSECA CORRÊA DA FONSECA (aurea.fonseca@fgv.br) on 2017-08-10T16:23:38Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 The Prosocial Class - How Social Class Influences Prosocial Behavior (Versão Final).pdf: 1469168 bytes, checksum: b516c5d38bb18756e5b26eef64cd026d (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-18T19:40:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 The Prosocial Class - How Social Class Influences Prosocial Behavior (Versão Final).pdf: 1469168 bytes, checksum: b516c5d38bb18756e5b26eef64cd026d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-07-19 / The concept of noblesse oblige establishes that the differential in privileges between the rich and the poor should be balanced by a differential in duties towards those in need. However, the empirical findings regarding which are the most prosocial groups havebeenascontroversialasthisassertive. Whereasresearchintheso-calledpsychological framework has advocated a negative relationship between social class and prosocial behavior, the economic approach has claimed the opposite (i.e., positive) direction to be true. This article sought to disentangle conflicting findings from these strands of research across two different studies. In the first study, we conducted a series of focus groups in both wealthy and impoverished areas. Results suggested that research in the domain of social class has been circumscribed to an almost conventionalized few prosocial behaviors that are not representative neither of wealthy nor of poor individuals. In the second study, we conducted surveys in the same areas. Results revealed that, despite having less resources and opportunities to help others, lower social class individuals are more prosocial than their upper-class counterparts. Furthermore, prosociality differences cannot be explained by a different pattern of targets of help across the social spectrum. Implications for practice and research on prosociality are also discussed.

The theme of gift has in recent years been subject to considerable commentary in diverse disciplines including philosophy, anthropology, sociology, religious studies and literary criticism. The vast majority of these studies focus on how or whether gift can be differentiated from exchange. In this dissertation I maintain that gift is a form of giving and receiving that is distinct from exchange or commerce, and that it need not create an obligation to return or reciprocate. This gift is given unilaterally to the need of the other and results in relatedness rather than indebtedness. This essay considers the characteristics of exchange and of gift, then reviews the thought of five writers on giving/receiving and reciprocation. This is followed by an overview of the gift theme in African Traditional Religion and the Judaic and Christian traditions, and a concluding chapter summarising thoughts on gift and self-interest, sharing, need, and gratitude. / Religious Studies and Arabic / M.A.(Religious Studies)

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / This study demonstrates application of the demand/supply model that derives from the three failures theory to the study of partnership effectiveness, showing that effective partnership is a partnership that provides each partner with assets that help them spend fewer resources on achieving their goals than when working alone, by compensating for each other's weaknesses while maximizing their own strengths. The study uses public-private partnership (PPP) in humanitarian settings as a unique opportunity to investigate partnership as a process and contribute to a nascent collaboration theory. The study shows that factors that define effective PPP during different stages of disaster relief are similar. However, different stages of partnership require different levels of compensation mechanisms from partnership participants to ensure that both actors maximize their strengths while achieving their missions. As a result, different stages of partnership call upon different combinations and degrees of factors affecting partnership effectiveness. This research uses descriptive data and inferential analysis, based on interviews with 10 representatives of humanitarian agencies that partner with the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Office. It gives scholars and practitioners of philanthropy insights into the question: "how to give?" It also provides collaboration research and public policy with guidance on how to create stronger partnerships and increase the likelihood of better collaboration outcomes as well as how to better deal with hazards in order to mitigate disaster outbreaks.

National identity has in a growing field of literature been proposed as a possible tool which, if manipulated, can be used to construct institutions of social justice and particularly a redistributive welfare state. In contrast, decades of welfare state research is largely in consensus that redistributive welfare states were created in response to societal issues such as poverty, emigration and declining fertility rates. In arguing that a redistributive welfare state cannot be treated as dependent on national identity, this study constructs an analytical framework combining literature from welfare state research, institutionalism, and political psychology to argue that welfare state generosity is a determinant of national identity. The study distinguishes and investigates three dimensions of national identity – national attachment, national pride, and national chauvinism – and explores their relationship to welfare generosity. Employing multilevel modelling, the study finds a positive but not statistically significant relationship between welfare generosity and national attachment. Welfare generosity is, further, found to have a negative and statistically significant relationship to both national pride and national chauvinism.

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Thesis (MPhil (Philosophy))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study critically explores the meaning of difference in continental philosophy. Concomitantly, it reflects on the norm, with regard to, firstly, the authorities within the philosophical community who take it upon themselves to distinguish, on a “corporate” and/or intellectual level, between the normal and that which is different from the norm; secondly, the apparatus of limitation employed to constitute, legitimate and reinforce this distinction, alongside distinctions between the conventional and the peculiar, the traditional and the marginal, the philosophical and the non-philosophical, the essential and the secondary or supplementary, as well as, the same (or subject) and the other. The focus on these distinctions is narrowed to the field of phenomenology, more particularly, how the anthropologistic readings of Phenomenology of Spirit by the exponents of early French phenomenology not only add force to the canonical reception of Hegel as a follower of a philosophical tradition governed by solipsism and individualism, but also perpetuate two traditional concepts; to wit, otherness as something threatening that must be overcome and self-other relationships as inexorably violent. A reinterpretation of the dialectic of recognition reveals not only Hegel’s appreciation of the degree to which subjectivity is indebted to otherness, but also his notion of friendship as the reciprocal preservation of the other’s otherness. This notion of friendship is appropriated by Simone de Beauvoir, whose engagement with Hegel constitutes a radical departure from French phenomenology; by implication, normal practice. Beauvoir, both personally and in her work, confronts the philosophical community with the short-sighted, often destructive, ways in which it delimits the canon, particularly with regard to its “othering” of women and its disregard for the specificity of difference. In keeping with the anthropological spirit of the respective readings of Hegel, the study itself takes the form of an autobiography. It traces the intellectual journey of a non-Western, non-white, non-male scholar, from her sense of not belonging in the world of continental philosophy, to her critical engagement with Hegel, mediated by Beauvoir. In the process it aims to show that otherness matters and how it matters. Furthermore, it calls for writing and reading differently so as to encourage non-hegemonic philosophy. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie is ‘n kritiese verkenning van die betekenis van differensie in die kontinentale filosofie. Gepaardgaande hiermee, word besin oor die norm, met betrekking tot, eerstens, diegene wat gesaghebbend binne die filosofiese gemeenskap, d.w.s. met ‘n self-opgelegde mandaat om te onderskei, op ‘n “korporatiewe” en/of intellektuele vlak, tussen die norm en dit wat afwyk van die norm; en tweedens, die begrensing bepaal, wat aangewend word om hierdie onderskeid, tesame met onderskeidings tussen die konvensionele en die eie, die tradisionele en die marginale, die filosofiese en die nie-filosofiese, die sentrale en die sekondêre of aanvullende, asook (die)selfde (of subjek) en die ander, te konstitueer, legitimeer en versterk. Hierdie onderskeidings word ondersoek binne die veld van die fenomenologie; in die besonder, hoe die antropologistiese vertolkings van Phenomenology of Spirit, deur die verteenwoordigers van die vroeë Franse fenomenologie, die kanonieke beeld van Hegel as aanhanger van ‘n filosofiese tradisie, wat deur solipsisme en individualisme aangedryf word, bekragtig en daarmee saam twee tradisionele konsepte bestendig, naamlik, andersheid as ‘n bedreiging wat oorkom moet word en self-ander verhoudings as noodwendig gewelddadig. ‘n Herinterpretasie van die dialektiek van herkenning openbaar nie net Hegel se waarneming van die mate waartoe subjektiwiteit afhang van andersheid nie, maar ook sy idee van vriendskap as die wedersydse behoud van die ander se andersheid. Hierdie nosie van vriendskap word toe-geëien deur Simone de Beauvoir, wie se inskakeling met Hegel radikaal afwyk van die Franse fenomenologie, dus ook van standaard praktyk. Beauvoir, beide in persoon en in haar werk, konfronteer die filosofiese gemeenskap met die kortsigtige, dikwels afbrekende, wyse waarop hul die kanon begrens, veral met betrekking tot hul “be-andering” van vroue en hul minagting van die spesifisiteit van differensie. In ooreenstemming met die antropologiese gees van die onderskeie vertolkings van Hegel, neem die studie self die vorm van ‘n outobiografie aan. Dit volg die intellektuele verkenning van ‘n nie-Westerse, nie-wit, nie-manlike student, aanvanklik vanuit haar gevoel van ontuiswees in die wêreld van die kontinentale filosofie, tot haar kritiese inskakeling met Hegel, bemiddel deur Beauvoir. Hiermee wil die studie wys dat andersheid saak maak en hoe dit saak maak. Voorts beroep dit op ‘n anderse skryf en lees om sodoende nie-hegemoniese filosofie aan te moedig.

La thèse s’attache à mettre au jour la manière dont Descartes envisage le rapport de sa philosophie avec le christianisme, en montrant que l’articulation cartésienne de la raison et de la foi trouve son sens dans une séparation non contradictoire qui aboutit à un accord. Descartes apparaît soucieux d’instaurer des principes philosophiques novateurs qui, tout en prenant le contre-pied de ceux d’Aristote promulgués par la scolastique, s’accordent avec le christianisme.La thèse retient deux champs d’investigation pour étudier le sens d’un tel accord et le rapport au christianisme qu’il implique. D’une part, la théorie eucharistique cartésienne : Descartes élabore, à l’aune de ses propres principes physiques, deux explications du sacrement central de la foi chrétienne. Supplantant le modèle scolastique basé sur les principes aristotélico-thomistes, les explications sont destinées à se conformer aux décrets du Magistère (le concile de Trente), tout en protégeant le dogme catholique des attaques protestantes, en lui apportant un gain de rationalité. D’autre part, la morale cartésienne, tenue généralement pour absente du corpus cartésien : la thèse s’emploie à la reconstruire, par le prisme de la Correspondance et des Passions de l’âme. Nommée une « morale du contentement », de par la recherche philosophique de la vie heureuse ici-bas, la morale cartésienne se partage en deux axes : le souverain bien, résidant dans le bon usage du libre arbitre par lequel l’homme porte l’image et la ressemblance de Dieu, et la maîtrise des passions, dont la clef de voûte réside dans la passion-vertu de la générosité. Or, la morale manifeste, à un autre niveau que l’eucharistie, un effort d’articulation avec le christianisme qui se cristallise notamment dans plusieurs points forts, analysés par la thèse : la conception cartésienne de la providence, dans sa dimension générale et particulière, qui engage la soumission libre et joyeuse du sujet, illustrant une expérience proprement religieuse ; l’étendue de l’univers qui révoque l’anthropocentrisme tout en célébrant la gloire de Dieu ; l’immortalité de l’âme, ouvrant vers une autre vie, tout en étant dirigée vers la valorisation de la vie ici-bas ; l’image de Dieu qui rayonne dans le bon usage du libre arbitre, seule source d’une juste estime de soi ; la passion vertu de la générosité qui, incitant à préférer les autres à soi dans un amour d’amitié, peut tenir lieu de transposition philosophique de la charité chrétienne.Ainsi eucharistie et morale traduisent-elles deux grandes significations de l’accord, reflétant deux modalités d’articulation entre la philosophie cartésienne et le christianisme : d’un côté, la recherche d’une conformité au dogme ; de l’autre, la philosophie, se faisant plus ambitieuse, donne une compréhension du christianisme à partir de la manière dont elle interprète, selon ses propres présupposés, certains éléments partagés par la raison et la foi (Dieu et ses attributs, immortalité de l’âme, rapport à l’autre). A ce titre, la thèse entend renouveler les études sur la « pensée religieuse » de Descartes : le grand mérite de la pensée cartésienne est de mettre en oeuvre, sur la base d’une séparation préalable entre raison et foi, un accord qui ne se joue pas dans le même sens, tout en veillant à ne jamais outrepasser son domaine, en n’envisageant ni le salut ni la grâce, laissés à la théologie. / The thesis brings into light the manner in which Descartes considers the relationship between his philosophy and Christianity through showing that the Cartesian articulation of reason and faith finds its meaning in a non-contradictory separation which leads to an agreement. When analysing his work, Descartes appears as a philosopher who looks after to establish new concepts which conciliate with Christianity.The thesis focuses two fields of investigation to study the meaning of such an agreement and the relationship to Christianity that it involves. On one hand, there is the Cartesian Eucharistic theory: Descartes elaborates, in the light of his own physical principles, two explanations of the central sacrament of the Christian faith. The thesis points out the original purpose of the explanations. In brief, they are not only intended to supplant the scholastic model based on the Aristotelian principles but also to conform to the decrees of the Magisterium (the Council of Trent), amid protecting the Catholic dogma from Protestant attacks, bringing it a gain of rationality. On the other hand, there is the Cartesian morality, which is considered traditionally as absent of the Cartesian corpus. The thesis reconstructs the Cartesian moral theory using the Correspondence and Passions of the soul. Described as a "moral of contentment", due to the Philosophical research of “the happy life” here below, the Cartesian moral theory is divided into two axes. The first being the Sovereign Good, which consists in the right use of free will, and the second being the mastery of passions, where the keystone is the passion-virtue of generosity. The Cartesian moral theory manifests an effort to articulate with Christianity, which is illustrated in particular in several strong points which are analysed by the thesis: the Cartesian conception of providence in its general and particular dimension, and how it implies the free and joyful submission of the subject; the extent of the universe, which revokes anthropocentrism while celebrating the glory of God; the topic of the immortality of the soul, which opens up another life while valorising the current life; the image of God, which shines in the right use of free will, only source of the self-esteem; the passion of generosity, which incites one to prefer other people rather than the self in a love of friendship and can be a philosophical transposition of Christian charity.Thus Eucharist and moral translate two great meanings of the agreement, reflecting two modalitiesof articulation between Cartesian philosophy and Christianity. From one side, the search for conformity with dogma. From the other, philosophy, becoming more ambitious over time, gives an understanding of Christianity based on its own interpretation of some elements shared by reason and faith (God and his attributes, immortality of soul, relationship to other). For this reason, the thesis intends to renew the studies on the Descartes' religious thought: the great merit of Cartesian thought is to institute, on the basis of a prior separation between reason and faith, an agreement which has a variable meaning, while taking care not to go beyond his domain, Descartes giving up the salvation and the grace to theology.

The thesis looks at the gift and at what kind of morality allows contemporary gift-giving. It is based on ethnographic research that focuses on a "generous social network" Hearth.net. This network was founded by the entrepreneur, philanthropist and buddhist Libor Malý. His goal is to fulfill the vision of improving interpersonal relationships and creating an economic system that is able to complement the existing market economy in the case of a crisis. This system also requires a change of paradigm into the paradigm of generosity and kindness. Adato Paradigma Group and the Ambassadors, who are the most active users of Hearth, help Libor Malý in fulfilling this goal. Hearth is a space where users can offer and receive gifts without an expectation of a counter-gift. The gift should be the tool that will allow the paradigm shift. The new paradigm of generosity and kindness is seen here as a cosmology based above all on the values of generosity and kindness, which is influenced mainly by the spirituality of Libor Malý. At the same time, this paradigm of generosity and kindness forms the moral basis for gift-giving within the Hearth network. Nevertheless, in the final form, the gift is determined by the moral assemblage of three moral dimensions (Zigon 2010). The thesis therefore is analyzing the...