Thesis (D. Min.)--Trinity International University, 2002. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 214-222).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Trinity International University, 2007. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 251-254).

Thesis (M.S.)--Springfield College, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--McMaster University, 2003. / Advisor: Michael Gauvreau. Includes bibliographical references (p. 304-328). Also available via World Wide Web.

Thesis (D. Min.)--Trinity International University, 2007. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 251-254).

The aim of this dissertation is to study the conditions of and changes in sociative democracy processes at club level. One sports club is studied, Örebro Sportklubb (ÖSK), from its foundation in 1908 up to 1989. The main sources are club minutes, member magazines and annual reports. Democracy, and its twofolded relation to sport and economy processes, is the main problem area of the study. The specific question is how aspirations for economic effectiveness and sporting success influenced the democracy processes in ÖSK between 1908 and 1989. The Swedish sports movement has been described as a democratic movement. But the same movement has also been portrayed as an undemocratic movement made of men, for men. The study is based on a broad understanding of the democracy concept where issues of representativeness, influence, participation and knowledge are prominent. At a club level, the study is analysing the contents of the Swedish sports movement's democracy and its change during the 1900s. The thesis also illustrates how the pursuit of economic efficiency affected the associative democracy. These efficiencies were visible already in the 1920s, but was deepened during the 1970s. In short, the democratic range decreased, and successful sections became less and less motivated to finance the deficits of other sections. But the increased market orientation did not only represent a threat to the associative democracy. Marketisation and commercialization also preconditioned the democracy. At the club arena (Eyravallen), the members met in the clubhouse and café which, in turn, deepened the social capital and friendships within the club.

The general purpose of this thesis is to evaluate the state of certain chosen aspects of the management of voluntary aid during the floods in the Czech Republic. It also aims at identifying the weaknesses of the system of management of voluntary aid. The processed data are divided into five logical groups. The thesis is primarily divided into a theoretical part, generally dealing with voluntary work as a significant and an indispensable element of the society and also with emergency events in particular the floods which affected the Czech Republic and which without the notable and distinctive voluntary aid could not have been coped with. The practical chapters are devoted to certain chosen aspects of the management of voluntary aid and focus on their specifics during the crises and character of concrete activities non-profit organisations which have taken a considerable part in coping with the recent floods over the last few years. The pivotal chapter of the thesis is the empirical research whose objective was the detection of single aspects of the volunteers' work and the management of voluntary aid during the floods in the Czech Republic. The adopted technique in collecting the data is the standardized questionnaires designed for two groups of volunteers and voluntary fire brigades, which are included in the appendixes of the thesis. The research has showed that there are certain drawbacks and deficiency in managing voluntary aid. Conclusion: The thesis proposes certain recommendations to improve the situation.

No description available.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Many academicians, business people, and government officials are calling for college students to not only earn a degree but to leave college ready to be active and engaged citizens in their communities. One of the fastest-growing responses to this call within higher education has been the introduction of service-learning courses across disciplines. This study was designed to attempt to bring some focus to community agency needs and desires in service-learning relationships, both in domestic and international programs. Factors and criteria frequently cited in the literature as important to community agencies and when creating partnerships were compiled into a list of 10 criteria. Community agencies and faculty/staff involved in service-learning at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) were then asked to respond to each factor, indicating how important each was to them and how satisfied they were with how each factor was carried out in their current relationship(s). Overall, the 62 respondents found having interaction based on mutual respect and relationships built on trust as most important and the factors with which they are most satisfied. Faculty/staff respondents tended rate each factor as more important than community agency respondents, though there were no significant differences between the two groups’ satisfaction ratings. International respondents, including both faculty/staff and community agency respondents, in general, rated each item more important and reported greater satisfaction than domestic respondents. Aspects of the relationships under study, including frequency of interaction, type of interaction, and frequency of supervising service-learning students, were also related to respondents’ ratings of each factor. Even with limitations, the study helps move toward a greater understanding of working with community agencies, establishing criteria to aid in evaluating and implementing service-learning relationships, and providing a base for future studies.

This dissertation attempts to fill the gap in the sociological literature at the intersection of religion and community by examining how local, urban Catholic churches shape and nurture multiple models of community commitment based on differing public-private dimensions of ritual practice and moral calls to action. For this study, I conducted 41 interviews with young adults ages 22-36 actively involved in one of three organizationally distinct Roman Catholic churches in downtown Boston: a parish church, operated by the Archdiocese of Boston; a service church, operated by a religious order of evangelical missionaries; and a Eucharistic shrine, operated by a liturgical order of devout priests and brothers. My empirical findings show that young adult Catholics gravitate towards churches that align with their conceptions of how Catholicism should be practiced based largely on patterns of parental socialization. Young adults who grew up in dual-Catholic-parent households are more likely to attend St. Cecilia’s diocesan parish or St. Clement’s Eucharistic Shrine. Young adults from families with only one active Catholic parent were more likely to attend The Paulist Center. The collective identity of young adult Catholics emerges from patterns of Catholic identity which are activated in church settings and defined through meaningful role identities established by the organizational framing accomplished by local clergy leadership. Young adult commitment to local churches may be explained through the interaction between their socialization into Catholic faith and its expression in organizational practices that resonate cognitively and emotionally. Ritual memory is tapped through the interaction of collective identities and institutional offerings that guide decision-making around church choice and commitment. Each institutional setting and respective community adapts its own modes of interaction to communicate the resonant message via social practices that result in active religious belonging. In addition, as previous research has shown, participation in church activities and strong social connections within congregations contribute to greater voluntarism and commitment in the larger community. The example of local Catholic churches highlights the importance of multidimensional social networks that can align collective identities with bespoke calls to action amid the evolving needs and aspirations of multiple groups and constituencies.