No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

Drought is a complex subject that has varied definitions and perspectives. Although drought has historically been characterized as an environmental problem from both the meteorological and agricultural communities, it is not considered a sociological disaster despite its severe societal impacts. Utilizing the framework developed by Spector and Kitsuse (2011) and Stallings (1995), this research examines the process through which drought is defined as a social problem. An analysis of the data revealed drought was well covered in Africa, India, China, Australia, and New Zealand, yet very little coverage focused on the United States. There were less than 10 articles discussing drought and drought impacts in the United States. The workshops/meetings examined also were lacking in the attention to drought, although their overall theme was focused on hazards and resilience. Six sessions in over 16 years of meetings/workshops focused on the topic of drought, and one session was focused on the condition in Canada. The interviews uncovered five thematic areas demonstrating drought understanding and awareness: Use of outreach to get the message out; agricultures familiarity with drought; the role of drought in media; the variability of what drought is; and water conservation. Drought's claims-makers who are dedicated to providing outreach and education to impacted communities. Drought is often overlooked due to its slow onset and evolving development makes it difficult to determine when to engage in recovery efforts. Drought defined as a social problem also expands theoretical conversations regarding what events or issues should be included within the sociological disaster list of topics.

This research is an examination of four sociological theories that attempt to explain deviant behavior: Control Theory, Labeling Theory, Subculture Theory, and Addiction Theory. Specifically, I focus on their ability to account for drunk driving and DUI recidivism. By applying general theoretical arguments to specific characteristics of drunk drivers, I investigate the adequacy of the theories for explaining this particular deviant act. I scrutinize these theories using a sample of 289 DUI offenders drawn from files at the Leon County Clerk of Court probation office, and the East Baton Rouge Parish Traffic Court records division. My analysis is two-fold. First, I examine the recognized correlates of drunk driving and compare first-time offenders to recidivists for differences. Results from these tests show that repeat offenders include a greater proportion of men, they are first arrested at an earlier age, and that recidivists have poorer driving and criminal records. I found that young arrestees (17 to 25 years old) are no more dangerous, or aggressive than older arrestees. The descriptive analysis also shows that prior experience with the legal procedures involved in DUI arrests can lead some people to refuse to comply with the breath analysis tests for blood alcohol content. Secondly, I test the theories with regression models and correlations. My concluding discussion addresses each theory's strengths and weaknesses with regard to empirical testing with secondary data, and examines the implications that these results have for social policy. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-07, Section: A, page: 2742. / Major Professor: James D. Orcutt. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1993.

In this dissertation, I examine the rhetorical analysis of a recent reproductive technology court dispute, Davis v Davis. This case was rendered by the Tennessee State Supreme Court by Justice Daughtrey on June 1, 1992. The opinion seeks to resolve the disposition of seven frozen embryos left in cryopreservation during an in vitro fertilization (IVF) agreement. / In my analysis, I first make an argument for the merger of postmodern, namely Foucauldian, and feminist voices. Later, I suggest that these postmodern feminists can mobilize around the Critical Legal Studies (CLS) to produce explicit change in the realm of IVF. Next, I explore the broad implications of postmodern feminism as applied to Davis. / In chapter seven, I apply the analysis of explicit change to a close reading of Davis. In my reconstruction of Davis, I turn to legal storytelling and feminist narrativity as a possible alternative reading. / Last, I conclude the major findings of the study and provide several suggestions for possible future research in the area. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-02, Section: A, page: 0370. / Major Professor: Marilyn Young. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1993.

The present research mirrored Doerner's (1987) study in order to examine the perceived seriousness of maltreatment and the maltreatment-delinquency linkage in Taiwan. The 415 subjects for this study came from Taiwan's universities and colleges. All subjects were over the age of eighteen, the age at which juvenile court jurisdiction ends. The instrument used to collect the data for this study was the same questionnaire developed by Doerner. The instrument contained four major sections: perceived seriousness of child maltreatment, child maltreatment victimization, self-reported juvenile delinquency, and respondent demographic characteristics. Like Doerner (1987), there is substantial agreement as to child maltreatment seriousness judgment within the study group. The results resemble Doerner's study in that some types of maltreatment correlate positively with some types of delinquency. But the results only meet the first criterion of causation. That is, an association exists. Whether a causal relationship exists is an open question. This study has attempted to initiate a cross-cultural comparative study in Taiwan. The results suggested that more research in this area is necessary because some issues remained unresolved. Finally, both strengths and limitations of this study lead to recommendations for future research. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 50-08, Section: A, page: 2660. / Major Professor: William G. Doerner. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1989.

acase@tulane.edu

acase@tulane.edu

acase@tulane.edu