On February 17, 2008,Kosovo declared its independence. The path to independence and the claim to Kosovo was a long process that developed in three primary phases: A) the fostering of territorial solidarity under direct rule and an emphasis on historical ties to the territory; B) the foundation of the national idea within the realms of proto-nationalism; and C) the emergence of peripheral and mass nationalism. This research seeks to define the development of nationalist ideologies in Kosovo and to explore where Roma fit within those ideologies. An historical and sociological approach to nationalism in Kosovo is critical in understanding the current situation of Roma living in, and deported to, Kosovo, including the recent phenomenon of ethnic scapegoating of the Roma by both Serbs and Albanians

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The purpose of this research is to examine the relationship between family structure including family size, number of parents at home, and presence of an older sibling at home, and the language development of young Latino children. I used data from the Head Start--Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) year 2000, which included information on 746 Latino preschool children and their families in different Head Start programs nationwide. A subgroup of 369 children were identified as English-language learners (ELL) because they were determined to be primarily Spanish speaking. Some of the findings indicate that more than two thirds of children (69%) who do not have two parents at home are primarily English speakers and more than two thirds of children (68%) who have two parents at home are primarily Spanish speakers. Independent sample t tests indicate there are statistically significant differences between Latino primarily Spanish speakers and Latino primarily English speakers on vocabulary and early literacy outcomes. Family background variables such as English language proficiency of parents and parent education are important factors that affect early language and literacy development of their children. In addition, family structure variables have some effects on these outcomes. The variables family poverty and family size, specifically having an older sibling, had negative impacts only on the primarily English-speaking group. The most influential social factors for the Latino primarily English-speaking preschool children's language and literacy outcomes are different than the most influential social factors for the same outcomes of their primarily Spanish-speaking preschooler counterparts who in general experience less favorable outcomes overall.

A descriptive analytical study was done of the influence of Federal government policies on the present economic and educational status of Indian Americans. Three Perspective views underlying government actions toward Indians were identified. The policy of extermination manifested itself in open conflict and the removal of Indian tribes to reservations. This segregation intensified Indian poverty and retarded educational development. The paternalism underlying the special wardship status of Indians created a sense of powerlessness in which Indians felt alienated from the decision-making process. Assimilation policies which were in essence Anglo-conformist policies were strongly followed in many government boarding schools. Anglo-conformity techniques in many cases led to a loss of self-esteem and cultural identity, and various types of social maladjustment became evident among Indians. Historically the policies which have shaped Indian educational and economic policies have been Anglo-directed. Certain social movements which are Indian-directed have arisen as a reaction to paternalism and assimilation. Tribalism and Pan-Indianism are two examples. The social movement which has most support among Indians and non-Indians is the move toward self-determination. Through self-determination Indians are seeking to establish greater respect for their culture and to increase belief in their competence to decide and direct economic and educational policy for themselves. Self-determination is compatible with cultural pluralism. Several schools and projects which have developed as a result of the self-determination movement are described and in part evaluated. Among these are schools at Rocky Boy and Ramah, The Rough Rock Demonstration School, the Navajo Community College, and the Institute of American Indian Arts, all of which are in New Yexico. Some industries which are financed and directed by reservation money and located on the reservations have been established in conjunction with this movement. The tribes which originated in the Southwest and which maintained an agricultural existence with social and religious institutions based on agriculture appear to have been less influenced by Anglo-conformist policies. These tribes have progressed far on the road to self-determination. One example is the Zunis who are independent and relatively autonomous. Tribalism and self-determination seem to be bringing about a renaissance of Indian culture and of cultural pluralism.

The purpose of the study was to explain the temporal variations of the residential distribution of Blacks in Nashville, Tennessee. A stepwise regression model revealed that Black occupancy exhibits positive relationships with substandard units and overcrowded units and an inverse relationship with average monthly rent. While the quality of housing became more equitable in the period of 1950 to 1970, overcrowding increased in severity. During this period of Black population augmentation, residential expansion took place. One of the three areas of ghetto growth was chosen as a study area in which to simulate residential diffusion in the 1960 - 1970 decade. Although the diffusion model was far from accurate, the pattern simulated proved beneficial in gaining insight into the succession process.

The purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence of low birth weight among non-Hispanic Blacks and non-Hispanic Whites along the rural/urban continuum, as well as the combined effect of being both non-Hispanic Black and residing in a completely rural county. Degree of social isolation and lack of support are proposed mechanisms for explaining disparities in low birth weight for Blacks in rural counties. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 (NLSY79) and the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 Child (NLSY79-C) datasets, logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds of low birth weight. Key variables employed in these models include race/ethnicity, a five category measure of counties by degree of rural versus urban residence, interaction terms for race by county categorization, measures of the degree of community level support or isolation, household composition as a measure of the family support structure, access to medical care, maternal SES, birth characteristics, and maternal pregnancy behavior. Results demonstrate that Blacks have much higher odds of low birth weight than Whites and living in a completely rural county exacerbates disadvantage in birth weight outcomes for non-Hispanic Blacks but not for non-Hispanic Whites. The community and household level support measures have little mediating effect on the magnitude of the negative birth weight outcomes found for non-Hispanic Blacks in the most rural counties. However, the first order effect for non-Hispanic Blacks was almost completely explained by the presence of the father in the household when interaction effects for race and place of residence were also included in the model.

Academic achievement disparities exist across race and ethnic groups. Parents may be a good resource to their children for their educational success. Parental academic involvement is associated with student academic achievement across race and ethnicity. This study explored the relationship between race and ethnicity and parent time-use on children's education. In addition to studying parental academic involvement across race and ethnic groups, the Latino American ethnic group was examined. Heterogeneity exists within race and ethnic groups. Understanding differences in parental academic involvement within the Latino American ethnic group is a step toward addressing education disparities across race and ethnic groups. The last aim of the study was to see if structural differences within families were associated with group differences. The sample was obtained from the 2010 American Time Use Survey and included parents with household children younger than 18 years. Logistic regression results indicated that race and ethnicity was associated with time spent on children's education. However, when the structural variables were accounted for, the race and ethnic differences became statistically nonsignificant. Many of the structural variables were associated with parent time spent on children's education. Parent demographics and other structural variables may make it more or less likely that parents spend time on their children's education. Study findings also showed that for the Latino American subgroup, one group, Central/South Americans, look more likely to spend time on children's education. Puerto Rican parents were statistically significantly more likely to spend time on their children's education for one model tested, but not the other. Controlling for structural variables did not remove the association in the Central/South American group. The results for the Latino American ethnic group analyses differed slightly from the race and ethnic group analyses. The results suggest that there are differences across groups regardless of parent demographics and family structure. The findings also suggest that teachers and school administrators may improve parental academic involvement by targeting programs to fathers and full-time employed Latino American families.

To understand attitudes about voting in Kenya, this study examines Kenyan voters’ feelings of freedom to vote according to their own will and without pressure. More specifically it seeks to determine the extent to which these feelings are affected by 1) perception of corruption, 2) levels of trust in the government, 3) fear of political violence and intimidation, and 4) ethnic identity. Rational choice theory and an insideroutsider perspective are applied to examine the issue from a theoretical framework. Previous research conducted in relation to voting behavior and perception of corruption, trust in government, and ethnicity, among other things, are considered. This study uses secondary data collected by the Afrobarometer in 2008, and bivaraite and multivariatea nalysis are employed. Logistic regression models are used to examine the extent to which certain variables explain feelings of freedom to vote according to personal preference. The results from the logistic regression analyses show that both trust in government and fear of being subject to political violence and intimidation affect Kenyan voters’ feelings of freedom to vote according to their personal preference. These results support two hypotheses. First, Kenyan voters will feel freer to vote according to their own preference as their levels of trust in the government increase. Second, Kenyan voters’ feelings of freedom to vote will be negatively associated with fear of being subject to political violence and intimidation.

In 2011, Amy Chua published a controversial memoir detailing her experience as a "Chinese" mother and subsequently juxtaposed her experience with those of "Western" parents. The Chinese mother concept reignited discussion on the Model Minority, reinforcing the notion that Asians thrived, despite the hardships of immigration, in the modern school system and job market. Historically, education has been found to be positively correlated with strong mental health, and it was assumed that Asian immigrants thrived psychologically. Research has shown that the model minority proves not only to be false, but has been detrimental to the mental health of the Asian American community. This report hopes to expand that understanding by looking specifically at the parent-adolescent dynamic within Asian American communities in regards to education and psychological strength. In review of previous studies, it was found that the relationship between the child and parent proves to be much more complicated and stressful than one education implied and that culture plays a significant role in how parenting affected mental health.