Gender minorities and sexual minorities have been historically under researched in the field of psychology. This becomes more so the case when looking at the intersections of those who identify as both gender and sexual minorities. Prior research has indicated that minority stress models have been shown to be linked to disparities in mental health between sexual minorities and non-sexual minorities. This has also been shown to be true between gender minorities and cis gender individuals. Little research has ever been done to establish this model on those who fall within both minority groups and how these models may differ. The present study attempts to look at this intersection by comparing a mental health and minority stress model – comprised of anticipated discrimination, social support, and depression – for those identifying as a gender and sexual minority to those who identify as purely sexual minorities. In order to do this, participants (N = 315) were recruited from social media and were given a series of surveys. All participants identified as sexual minorities and 53% (n = 167) identified as Transgender or Gender Non-Conforming (TGNC). The cross-sectional, online quantitative study featured a battery of surveys that measured anticipated discrimination in both major and every day events, LGBT community connectedness, depression, and anxiety. A mediated moderated model and a series of t tests were performed to analyze the differences between sexual and gender minorities versus sexual minorities only. Results indicated that TGNC individuals had significantly higher levels of anticipated discrimination (M = 3.56, SD = .86 compared to M = 3.30, SD = .92), lower levels of social support (M = 4.66, SD = 1.26 compared to M = 5.20, SD = 1.24), and higher levels of depression (M = 31.81, SD = 12.97 compared to M = 25.32, SD = 12.80). Further, anticipated discrimination and fewer support resources explain the increase in depression for TGNC individuals (bootstrapped indirect effects = -.4111 SE = .1720 95%CI = -.8675, -.1634). Overall TGNC individuals showed to have worse experiences and outcomes than their gender conforming, cisgender peers. These results may suggest that future counselling methods for TGNC individuals could benefit by focusing on fostering social support through methods such as interpersonal psychotherapy.

This thesis explores briefly two experimental cases, Czechoslovakia and Poland, where between 1919 and 1938, efforts were made to solve the “minority problem." This thesis consists of five basic parts: Chapter I, an introduction that defines or describes such concepts as nationalism, nation, state, and minority; Chapter II that succinctly presents backgrounds and problems of minorities in Czechoslovakia (Germans, Magyars, Ruthenians, and Jews), and Poland (Germans, Jews and Ukrainians); Chapter III that analyzes the provisions of the Minority Treaties prepared by the principal Allied Powers at the end of World War I to protect minority rights within Czechoslovakia and Poland; Chapter IV that examines the implementation and results of the planned protection of minority rights in Czechoslovakia and Poland between 1919 and 1938; and Appendices that illuminate the minority problem in the two states.

The multicultural nature of South Africa is recognised by our Constitution when it says that "the South African nation consists of a diversity of cultural, religious and linguistic communities." It also states that "everyone has the right to use the language and to participate in the cultural life of their choice" (South Africa, 1996). This supports the IFLA (1998: 6) International Guidelines for Library Services to Multicultural Communities which recommends that all ethnic, linguistic and other cultural groups be provided with library materials and services according to the same standards. It urges public libraries around the world to strive towards providing materials and services to all communities on an equitable basis - in their preferred languages and reflecting their own cultures. The LIASA policy supports this by recommending that libraries acquire, preserve and make available the widest variety of materials to reflect the plurality and diversity of South African society. Providing equitable library collections and services for the culturally diverse population of the City of Johannesburg is also supported by policy. This includes the Minimum Standards for the CJLIS (2003-2006) which maintains that the library should reflect the variety of cultures represented in the community; support cultural traditions; and be provided in the languages spoken and read in the local community. It also includes the Policy for the Selection of Materials for CJLIS (2002) which states that the Library's materials should reflect the cultural diversity of the City, especially materials in the languages of the indigenous communities. The purpose of this study is to investigate how the multicultural nature of South African communities - specifically that of Johannesburg - is reflected in the collections and services of public libraries. It also aims to identify suggestions on how these might be improved to ensure the representation of library collections and services to culturally diverse communities. To achieve this, a local and international literature review was conducted and interviews were held with librarians from CJLIS, Region Eight. It became evident from the investigation, that although policy documents that support the principle of providing equitable services and collections to culturally diverse communities exist, public libraries - such as the CJLIS, Region Eight, which operates within a culturally diverse environment - often do not provide these. The findings show that most of the collections and services are only offered in English and are not representative of the diverse communities. Reasons for this include the shortage of financial resources; non-availability of published materials in indigenous languages; and the lack of skills to offer these services. It is also evident from the study that multicultural services should be based on a thorough understanding of the composition and needs of each group in the community. This should be accomplished by means of user profiles and needs assessments. Based on these findings, recommendations on the development of multicultural library services and collections were made which may be applied - not only to the CJLIS - but also to other public libraries in South Africa that are similarly confronted with serving culturally diverse communities. / Information Science / M.A. (Information Science)

This research explores how race, class arid gerider act together in constructing black women's experiences of managing health arid everyday life. The methodology takes a feminist perspective, rendering the women interviewed subjects rather than objects. This is central for acknowledging and countering our different experiences of race arid class. One finding was that for women, health is inseparable from everyday life. Maintaining health is integral to the emotional arid material reproductiors of the family. In this management of everyday life the women Interact with a range of 'resources' which are themselves historically structured. This led to a consideration of the theoreti cal nature of resources. Following Giddens, 'resource' is used to provide a conceptual bridge between individual arid social structure. Resources are differentially distributed along the lines of race, class arid gender arid are the media through which power is exercised arid structures of domination reproduced. Resources may, however, be both enabling arid constraining. This use of resources avoids a deterministic view of r-ace, class and gender, allows a dynamic coriceptualisatior, of culture, arid refutes the labelling of the black family as 'pathological'. Rather, black family or-garsisatiori enables the coristructiori of black women's ideology of emotional and material independence. Then detailed are the women's childhood and migration experiences. Also consider-ed as resources for managing everyday life are sever-al areas of health care. These are Caribbean systems, home remedies, OPs arid hospitals. The analysis of these experiences provides a framework for- exploring their- relation to private medicine. Finally, a brief overview is giver, of the wider areas of everyday life which the women felt integral to their- accounts of managing health. The research concludes by suggesting that these women's experiences illustrates both the way in which resources are differentially structured by race, class and gender and how this constructs their experience of managing health and daily life.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

Canada actively promotes itself as a multicultural nation. Seeing that in the 2001 census, almost half of all Canadians reported an origin other than British, French, or Aboriginal, it can be said that Canada truly contains the globe within its borders. As the global economy becomes increasingly interdependent, and as linguistic and cultural diversity rapidly increase, it is as important as ever to address how Canada can fulfill its desire to become a multilingual and multicultural society. The 1971 federal policy of multiculturalism positioned the retention of heritage languages [HLs] as integral to maintaining cultural diversity. Yet, since the early nineties, HLs have been neglected by both federal and provincial governments. For many communities, language is at the core of ethnic identity. It has been Iong argued that the two are inextricably linked. Though the relationship between language and culture is a contentious issue, few deny the benefits of a multihngual society. Th~s thesis asks whether the government's laissez-faire approach to linguistic diversity has impaired cultural diversity and its maintenance. It investigates how the language policies of the Canadian government and three of its provinces, British Columbia, Ontario, and Alberta, have supported the maintenance of HLs, in talk and action, over the past thirty years. Through a critical analysis of federal and provincial discourse, it is demonstrated that government policy and action have excluded and diminished the value of languages and their role in sustaining multiculturalism. What is more, the lack of support for HLs, at both levels of government, has demonstrated an attack on culture and the core value of multiculturalism; the creation of an inclusive society that ensures all Canadians access to and participation in Canada's social, cultural and economic institutions. The goal of this study is to develop a policy framework which works to decelerate the loss of one of Canada's most valuable assets -- its hguistic and cultural mosaic.

No abstract provided

Ethnic minorities in the UK Parliament are numerically under represented, despite recent increases in the number of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Members of Parliament in the 2010 and 2015 General Elections. This under-representation is a problem for several reasons but especially because of the possibility that their interests are not adequately represented. In this thesis I ask the complex question of how, why, and when substantive representation of ethnic minorities takes place in the Parliament of the United Kingdom, using a multi-pronged approach. I draw on theories and concepts developed in studies of representation of other historically marginalised groups, including female political representation, gaining insights mainly from those writing in Europe and the USA. In the first of four empirical chapters I examine substantive representation by those Members of Parliament from BME communities, and who thus are descriptive representatives of those communities. Second, I explore substantive representation amongst those who operate as critical actors, who are not necessarily descriptive representatives of these communities. Third, I ask whether Members of Parliament respond in the same way to BME constituents. Finally, I test certain mechanisms that have been proposed as factors underlying substantive representation. I find considerable evidence for a link between descriptive and substantive representation, with BME Members of Parliament responding in ways that are different from their non-BME counterparts when critical events occur, in the way that they speak about and represent ethnic minorities in debates (Chapter 3). I also find that non-BME Members of Parliament, or their offices, are less responsive to an ethnic minority constituent, even when the question asked of the representative is of critical importance (Chapter 5). In each of these chapters I find evidence that both electoral incentives and the political party of the Member of Parliament are important. I also look at substantive representation without descriptive representation, or the potential for non-BME representatives to act for ethnic minorities. I find, in Chapter 4, that these critical actors are most likely to be in the Labour Party and represent ethnically diverse seats, as well as being most often found among BME Members of Parliament. In Chapter 6 I test certain mechanisms proposed as underpinning the relationship between descriptive and substantive representation. There, I find good evidence supporting intrinsic mechanisms; linked fate and a sense of responsibility to represent, and some evidence for electoral incentives as a mechanism. By taking this multi-pronged approach I am able to capture how the substantive representation of ethnic minorities takes place in the UK Parliament, from initial contacts between constituents and their Members of Parliament to how their interests are presented in the House of Commons. Substantive representation is, I argue, a journey, although not necessarily a linear one, which involves constituents' attitudes, how they communicate their concerns to their representatives, and how their representatives communicate them to Parliament. The approach I have taken has allowed me to understand how substantive representation happens at these different stages, and explore why and when representatives are motivated to act for ethnic minorities.