The purpose of this study was to gather and analyze qualitative data regarding alternative education programs which engage members of the anti-school subculture in learning. The researcher focused on a specific identifiable group of marginalized youth who have not been successful in regular high schools termed the Anti-School Kids. The researcher interviewed six adults who run a variety of alternative education programs in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The research instrument was a series of 15 questions designed to help identify strategies in school division affiliated alternative and non-school division affiliated alternative programs which would help marginalized youth learn, some of which may be transferable to mainstream institutions. The researcher conducted six personal interviews over a six-month period. The questions were grouped into four categories, which were also used to sort and code the data. They are as follows: Contextual dimension, interpersonal dimension, structural dimension and professional dimension. As a result of the perspectives shared by the study’s participants, a fifth category was identified during the process. This category of data reveals possible strategies of engagement used by these programs and supported by the literature review. The transcribed interviews resulted in a total of 100 pages of data. All of the data were then analyzed using a phenomenological research approach. Some of the major concepts which are covered in this thesis include the theory of the social bond (to school); the formation of youth’s social identity, formed through their associations. Wyn & White supply specific characteristics of the Anti-School Kid: “urban-living, high residential mobility, minority group status, weak attachment to school or poor school performance...” (1997, p.35). The sociological concept of grouping plays a critical role in both the problem and the proposed solutions, to be reported in Chapter 4 & 5. The researcher also relies on the theory of social capital to help explain the distribution of power within the high school groups. What has come through loud and clear from Davies & Guppy (2006) is the role that a youth's identity has in forming behaviours that facilitate school success and failure. The main questions of this thesis is how can educators work with the identity of Anti-School Kids to help them graduate high school, despite anti-school behaviours which are part of these youths’ life circumstances and group membership? Varied points of view were explored in the literature review as to what works for students who demonstrate anti-school behaviour. Also, how both students and teachers operate on a daily basis is definitely affected by institutional factors such as the structure of the timetable, the building itself, and other factors reported in the data. The researcher used the research instrument and the literature review to examine what role schools play in creating groups in the margins and maintaining them. The researcher argues the position that due to institutional factors, family situation, socioeconomic status and other environmental factors, Anti-School Kids do not freely nor consciously choose their negative paths. Their behaviours are inextricably rooted in their social identity, rendering them incapable of demonstrating pro-school behaviours. This position has only been strengthened with the data results. The conclusions in Chapter 5 highlight best practices brought to our attention by the experience of the study participants which successfully engage Anti-School Kids. First, to demonstrate caring to the students, showing an interest in their learning by dealing with them one-on-one as much as possible. Second, to be consistent, something that is crucial to Anti-School Kids’ who have little of this in their lives outside of school. Third, to recognize the importance of timeliness in terms of what that student needs at any given time and to handle their learning with flexibility. Last, to be able to organize the priorities within the education system in order to reach the overall goals for each student; in other words, do not let the timetable dictate what students need. Once the reader reviews the results of this study, he/she can decide what will help to successfully engage the anti-school subculture in learning.

The purpose of this study was to gather and analyze qualitative data regarding alternative education programs which engage members of the anti-school subculture in learning. The researcher focused on a specific identifiable group of marginalized youth who have not been successful in regular high schools termed the Anti-School Kids. The researcher interviewed six adults who run a variety of alternative education programs in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The research instrument was a series of 15 questions designed to help identify strategies in school division affiliated alternative and non-school division affiliated alternative programs which would help marginalized youth learn, some of which may be transferable to mainstream institutions. The researcher conducted six personal interviews over a six-month period. The questions were grouped into four categories, which were also used to sort and code the data. They are as follows: Contextual dimension, interpersonal dimension, structural dimension and professional dimension. As a result of the perspectives shared by the study’s participants, a fifth category was identified during the process. This category of data reveals possible strategies of engagement used by these programs and supported by the literature review. The transcribed interviews resulted in a total of 100 pages of data. All of the data were then analyzed using a phenomenological research approach. Some of the major concepts which are covered in this thesis include the theory of the social bond (to school); the formation of youth’s social identity, formed through their associations. Wyn & White supply specific characteristics of the Anti-School Kid: “urban-living, high residential mobility, minority group status, weak attachment to school or poor school performance...” (1997, p.35). The sociological concept of grouping plays a critical role in both the problem and the proposed solutions, to be reported in Chapter 4 & 5. The researcher also relies on the theory of social capital to help explain the distribution of power within the high school groups. What has come through loud and clear from Davies & Guppy (2006) is the role that a youth's identity has in forming behaviours that facilitate school success and failure. The main questions of this thesis is how can educators work with the identity of Anti-School Kids to help them graduate high school, despite anti-school behaviours which are part of these youths’ life circumstances and group membership? Varied points of view were explored in the literature review as to what works for students who demonstrate anti-school behaviour. Also, how both students and teachers operate on a daily basis is definitely affected by institutional factors such as the structure of the timetable, the building itself, and other factors reported in the data. The researcher used the research instrument and the literature review to examine what role schools play in creating groups in the margins and maintaining them. The researcher argues the position that due to institutional factors, family situation, socioeconomic status and other environmental factors, Anti-School Kids do not freely nor consciously choose their negative paths. Their behaviours are inextricably rooted in their social identity, rendering them incapable of demonstrating pro-school behaviours. This position has only been strengthened with the data results. The conclusions in Chapter 5 highlight best practices brought to our attention by the experience of the study participants which successfully engage Anti-School Kids. First, to demonstrate caring to the students, showing an interest in their learning by dealing with them one-on-one as much as possible. Second, to be consistent, something that is crucial to Anti-School Kids’ who have little of this in their lives outside of school. Third, to recognize the importance of timeliness in terms of what that student needs at any given time and to handle their learning with flexibility. Last, to be able to organize the priorities within the education system in order to reach the overall goals for each student; in other words, do not let the timetable dictate what students need. Once the reader reviews the results of this study, he/she can decide what will help to successfully engage the anti-school subculture in learning.

This interactive phenomenological study was an attempt to understand how marginalized, low socioeconomic students in a predominately white suburban school were able to succeed to graduation and beyond. Six students were interviewed using semi-structured questions in an audio-recorded interview while the researcher annotated body language, emotions, and pauses of the participant. The perceptions of the students were examined in relation to Buber's existential I-Thou relational theory as well as other care-oriented educators such as Freire, Dewey, and Nel Noddings. Also informing the conceptual framework of the study were Milstein and others regarding resiliency.<br> Significant themes emerged from the participants’ narratives; however, rather than the expected prevailing theme of resiliency, something unexpected emerged. The participants all discussed the necessity of mattering to someone, of being heard and seen. This prevailing theme is what transformed the lives of these young people and gave them the inner strength to cope with often devastating events in their lives. / School of Education; / Professional Doctorate in Educational Leadership (ProDEL) / EdD; / Dissertation;

The phenomenon of entrepreneurship has become increasingly important to civic and private leaders all over the world. In response to calls by scholars to develop theory on entrepreneurship by conducting systematic analyses of how specific institutions shape the entrepreneurial process, the current study explores how Muslim and Mormon religious institutions shape entrepreneurship for their adherents. Through observation and in-depth interviews with Muslim and Mormon entrepreneurs, the study found that religious institutions from both faiths shaped several important entrepreneurial phenomena: decision making, confidence and support, opportunity creation, and opportunity recognition, as well as management and other entrepreneurial skills. The study shows the contribution of institutional theory to understanding entrepreneurship, and proposes several contributions to theory on entrepreneurship. First, the study contributes to theory on the relationship between religion and entrepreneurship by proposing additional theoretical logic for the relationship. Second, the study contributes to understanding why certain individuals are able to bypass the shame inherent in the social deviance that can accompany entrepreneurship by proposing the concept of extra-social legitimacy.

Depression seems to affect a large portion of Americans living the U.S. Specifically, it has been found to affect the Latino population more so than other ethnicities. When considering Latino immigrants, it is important to take into consideration the additional challenges (e.g. adaptation, acculturation) that may lead to the development of depression. In the current study, the aim is to find a relationship between depression and other psychological constructs (e.g. dominant group and intragroup marginalization, acculturative stress) in order to determine high risk factors for depressive symptoms among Latino immigrants in the Florida community. 128 Latino immigrants (44 males, 81 females, 3 indicated no specific gender) residing in the Central Florida Community completed scales assessing Marginalization by non-Latinos, Marginalization by Latinos, Symptoms of Depression, and Social Support. Marginalization by Whites and by Latinos/as was not associated significantly with symptoms of depression (rs = .16 and -.02, ps > .05, respectively). In contrast, acculturative stress correlated significantly with symptoms of depression (r = .33, p < .01). It was also predicted that social support would mitigate the association between acculturative stress and symptoms of depression. To test this, I first established that social support correlated significantly with symptoms of depression (r = -.39, p < .001). Next, a partial correlation analysis was conducted to determine the relation between acculturative stress and symptoms of depression while partialing social support. The resulting correlation (r = .30, p < .01) suggested that social support did not account for the observed association between acculturative stress and symptoms of depression. From a clinical perspective, this research is beneficial in knowing what may contribute to depressive symptoms among a growing population, which could then create additional components to consider in treatments.

Young people is at the center of many of the rapid changes taking place in contemporary society and has to deal with the uncertainties that follows. One uncertainty is linked to the transition between leaving full time studies and entering employment were unemployment has become a natural step in becoming an adult. Hence the "becoming" has become a longer period of time in young people’s lives. The economic crisis in many European countries in recent years are the cause of many problems young people experience today. In relation to this brief background the thesis examines how social problems i.e. unemployment, deprivation, dependent on social welfare, low education and disability (affecting a person’s ability to work) is accumulated over time. The thesis point of departure is what Merton (1968) described in terms of The Matthew effect according to the Gospel of St. Matthew: For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. It is the last part of this “effect” that is the center of attention. The research questions are: is there such a thing as the Matthew effect and if so how this process can be understood. Theoretically the study at hand elaborates the accumulation process by drawing on the concept of marginalization and social exclusion. By analyzing changes over time (3 years) in the five social problems described above (unemployment, deprivation etc.) for 64236 young people in the age of 19 to 25 years living in Sweden it is possible to describe patterns of social problem and how and why one specific problem or social problems in combination may lead to the accumulation of problem over time. These results are also combined with data from in-depth interviews whit young people that have accumulated social problem over time. It is argued that the combination of research methods gives a better understanding to the phenomenon at hand. The theoretical contribution relates to a better understanding of the process of accumulation of social problems for young people and to a better understanding of different steps in the accumulation process as well as central fault lines in this process. These findings can be used in practice for pinpointing groups of young adults in need of more as well as less support in handling and overcoming social problem and the transition from school to work.

<p>Syftet med uppsatsen var att utreda romska ungdomars skolsituation i Västerås samt att föra en diskussion om studiens resultat i förhållande till Europarådets ramkonvention om nationella minoriteter. Syftet utreddes dels genom intervjuer med åtta romska elever och tre lärare därefter tolkades resultatet utifrån ett intersektionellt perspektiv. Vidare diskuterades resultatet med utgångspunkt i relevanta delar av ramkonventionen. Studien är kvalitativ och empirin analyserades genom en hermeneutisk tolkningsprocess. Vad som framkom i resultatet är att majoritetssamhällets etnocentrism påverkar unga romers skolsituation i Västerås eftersom romernas särskilda rättigheter i egenskap av nationell minoritet inte beaktas. Skolsituationen försätter de romska ungdomarna i en marginaliseringssituation där de pendlar mellan majoritetssamhällets krav och familjens förväntningar.</p>

While there are all of these programs and organizations currently operating in Guatemala, it is clear that they are not functioning as they should for Guatemala’s indigenous population. This is clear from the lack of improvement in any of the economic markers noted above, such as poverty, health and education. Furthermore, these same programs are functioning for Guatemala’s ladino population, which has seen an improvement in their living conditions. The difference in the results between these two groups naturally raises the question of why this type of program is significantly less effective for Guatemala’s indigenous population than it is for its ladino population. Why are these programs not reaching this portion of Guatemala’s population? Additionally, there are some programs that are beginning to see some initial success on a local level, such as Qachuu Aloom, a garden project in Rabinal, Guatemala. Why might this project be succeeding, when other similar projects are not?

The purpose of this research is to define racialized textbook bias, conduct a content analysis of Georgia history textbooks, and answer the following question: how is race framed in contemporary Georgia history textbooks? A content analysis of nine Georgia history textbooks was completed for grades two and eight. A Du Boisian theoretical framing of race prejudice as the macro-social condition of the micro-social process of race was an integral component of the content analysis. The findings revealed the existence of racialized textbook bias in the form of marginalization, compartmentalization, and omission suggesting the continuation of White supremacy and Black oppression in the process of education in Georgia public schools.

Syftet med uppsatsen var att utreda romska ungdomars skolsituation i Västerås samt att föra en diskussion om studiens resultat i förhållande till Europarådets ramkonvention om nationella minoriteter. Syftet utreddes dels genom intervjuer med åtta romska elever och tre lärare därefter tolkades resultatet utifrån ett intersektionellt perspektiv. Vidare diskuterades resultatet med utgångspunkt i relevanta delar av ramkonventionen. Studien är kvalitativ och empirin analyserades genom en hermeneutisk tolkningsprocess. Vad som framkom i resultatet är att majoritetssamhällets etnocentrism påverkar unga romers skolsituation i Västerås eftersom romernas särskilda rättigheter i egenskap av nationell minoritet inte beaktas. Skolsituationen försätter de romska ungdomarna i en marginaliseringssituation där de pendlar mellan majoritetssamhällets krav och familjens förväntningar.