Dear S&SW Division Members: I wanted to provide members with a brief update about Division activities. Note that I have moved to the Department of Sociology at Georgia State University. My new email address is doakley1@gsu.edu. The theme for the 2008 Annual Meeting is “Crossing Borders, Activist Scholarship, Globalization and Social Justice.” The meeting will take place at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel and Towers in Boston, MA from July 31 to August 2, 2008. We have a number of exciting Division-sponsored paper sessions including Promising Initiative in Social Welfare throughout the World, organized by Richard Caputo; Renewing the New Deal at 75: Social Welfare from the Past for the Global Society Today, organized by Robert Leighninger; and Beyond the Numbers: Challenging the Success of Welfare Reform, organized by Luisa Deprez and Mary Gatta. We also have two co-sponsored sessions -- Technology, Youth and Social Justice, organized by Mona Basta and co-sponsored with the Division of Youth, Aging and the Life Course; as well as The Working Poor in the Global Economy, organized by Sondra Fogel and co-sponsored with the Division of Poverty, Class and Inequality. More details about these paper sessions can be found on page 2 of this issue. Antwan Jones, a doctoral student in the Department of Sociology at Bowling Green State University will continue to be the newsletter editor for the coming year. Antwan did a great job as editor during the past year and I am thrilled that he will continue in this post. Antwan also serves on the American Sociological Association's Student Forum Advisory Board and is running for the student position on the 2008 Board of Directors for SSSP. If you have any material you would like to appear in the newsletter please forward it to Antwan at antwanj@bgsu.edu. Richard Caputo of the Wurzweller School of Social Work at Yeshiva University and Sondra Fogel of the School of Social Work, University of South Florida have agreed to coordinate the 2008 graduate student paper competition. A more detailed announcement appears on page 3 of this issue. Lastly, my term as chair of the Division ends at the 2008 annual meeting so it is time to begin considering candidates for this position. I have sincerely enjoyed my term as chair and think it is a great way to get more involved with SSSP. I will send more information out around the time official nominations are requested by SSSP but I wanted to get members thinking about possible nominees. For a description of chair responsibilities you can contact me or log on to the SSSP website for the official description at http://www.sssp1.org/index.cfm/m/21/181 Sincerely, Deirdre Oakley Georgia State University Message from the Chair Sociology and Social Welfare Division Newsletter Fall 2007 S&SW Student Paper Competition The Sociology and Social Welfare Division announces its 2008 Student Paper Competition. The goal is to encourage scholastic endeavors that enhance our understanding of issues related to sociology and social welfare. Relevant papers might focus on social activism, social justice, empowerment, policy or any welfare-related issues. Qualitative and quantitative empirical analyses and theoretical papers are welcome. To be eligible for submission, papers must be: 1) written between January 2007 and March 2008 and not published or submitted for scholarly review; 2) authored by one or more students and not co-authored by faculty or a colleague who is not a student; 3) 25 pages or fewer, including references and tables; 4) accompanied by a letter from a faculty member at the student’s university nominating the paper for the competition. To be considered for the award, the author must make a commitment to present the paper at a SSWD session during the 2008 SSSP meeting. Send two copies of the paper along with the letter of support to either Richard K. Caputo, Wurzweller School of Social Work, Yeshiva University, Wilf Campus, 2495 Amsterdam Ave., Belfer Hall, Rm 907, New York, NY 10033, email: caputo@yu.edu; or Sondra Fogel, School of Social Work, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33620 email: sfogel@cas.usf.edu by April 11, 2008. The SSWD competition winner receives a cash prize of $150 plus 2008 SSSP conference registration and a banquet ticket. Movie Spotlight Wetback: The Undocumented Documentary Directed by Arturo Perez Torres This documentary follows several immigrants from Central American and Mexico on an extraordinary and extremely dangerous journal to North America. The film begins in Nicaraqua and takes the viewer on a journey through five borders and many other dangerous obstacles. Border control tightens as the migrants move North. Gangs in Mexico and vigilante groups in the United States are some of the perils they face. Over 3,000 Latin American embark on this journey every day, but only 300 make it to their destination and many get killed or go missing along the way. Playing time: 91 minutes Teaching Resources www.wetbackmovie.com Newsfilm Online This website offers over 3,000 hours of television news and cinema newsreels from the ITN/Reuters archive. Downloadable as MP3’s, nearly one hundred years of footage, from the 1910s to the present day, is available. http://newsfilm.bufvc.ac.uk/index.php Social Science Data Network SSDAN provides online data and exercise resources that make it easy to introduce the process of data analysis into a variety of sociological topics. http://www.ssdan.net/ Crime and Society: A Comparative Criminology Tour of the World In the 21st century, comparative criminology is a branch of sociology in which cross-national analysis has increasingly become a major focus. Announcing a New Global Criminology Website where sociology professors and students can: Research subjects in global criminology by accessing Interpol and United Nations datasets and text information for all countries of the world; Publish papers, works-in-progress, and articles pertaining to global criminology. The Global Criminology Website, called Crime and Society: A Comparative Criminology Tour of the World, can be viewed at the following address: http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/faculty/rwinslow/index.html Call for Papers Please consider submitting an abstract or complete paper to one of the sessions listed below. The deadline for submission is January 31, 2008. S&SW 2008 Annual Meeting Paper Sessions Promising Initiatives in Social Welfare throughout the World -- organized by Richard K. Caputo, Wurzweller School of Social Work, Yeshiva University, Wilf Campus, 2495 Amsterdam Ave., Belfer Hall, Rm 907, New York, NY 10033, phone: (212) 960-0813 email: caputo@yu.edu. Renewing the New Deal at 75: Social Welfare from the Past for the Global Society Today – organized by Robert Leighninger, School of Social Work, Arizona State University (papers should be sent to the following address: 9308 Cherry Hill Rd. #712, College Park, MD 20740), phone: 301-345-2870 email: Robert.Leighninger@asu.edu. Beyond the Numbers: Challenging the Success of Welfare Reform – organized by Luisa Deprez, Department of Sociology, University of Southern Maine, 96 Falmouth Street, P.O. Box 9300, Portland, ME 04104-9300, email: deprez@usm.maine.edu phone: (207) 780-4763 and Mary Gatta, Center for Woman and Work, Rutgers University, 391 George Street, 3rd Floor, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, phone: (732) 932-0051email: gatta@rci.rutgers.edu. Co-sponsored Sessions Technology, Youth and Social Justice – organized by Mona Basta, Binghamton University, College of Community and Public Affairs, Department of Social Work, P.O. Box 6000, Binghamton, NY 13902-6000, email: mbasta@binghamton.edu, phone: (607) 777-5873. Co-sponsored with the Division of Youth, Aging and the Life Course. The Working Poor in the Global Economy – organized by Sondra Fogel, School of Social Work, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33620 email: sfoget@cas.usf.edu phone: (813) 974-4675. Co-sponsored with the Division of Poverty, Class and Inequality. Publications Battleground: Immigration. Greenwood Publishing is producing a series on contemporary issues in the United States as part of a larger multi-volume reference collection on controversial issues and debates in contemporary society. We are seeking authors for the series on immigration. Each author is asked to write about a wide range of issues and debates concerning the chosen topic. Entries range from 1,000 to 5,000 words, depending on the theme. Authors will be awarded an honorarium for her/his contribution. Contact: Judith Ann Warner, Texas A&M International University, 5201 University Boulevard, Laredo, TX 78041-1900; email judithwarner@tamiu.edu or jwarner@tamiu.edu. Canadian Journal on Family and Youth invites researchers working in the areas of family, youth, and diversity to submit research papers. The journal includes a section for undergraduate papers and thus asks faculty to submit strong term papers for consideration. Contact: Korbla Puplampu at puplampuk@macewan.ca or Sandra Rollings-Magnusson at magnussons@macewan.ca. Spaces for Difference: An Interdisciplinary Journal is a peer-reviewed, open access journal that seeks to publish research that expands our understanding of issues relating to race and racism, gender/sexuality ideologies and social activism. Spaces for Difference represents a conduit for scholars to bridge the traditional disciplines including, but not limited to: anthropology, art, education, English, ethnic studies, film studies, history, linguistics, literature, music, political science, psychology, religious studies and sociology. Email: spacesfordifference@sa.uscb.edu for more information. Conferences Conference sponsored by the African American Studies & Research Program, April 3-5, 2008, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This conference marks the anniversaries of the 1908 Springfield, IL, riot and the cataclysmic events of 1968. This commemoration also provides a powerful point of entry into conversations about the history of riots, other organized violence against racialized bodies, rebellions and resistance, and their reverberations across time and space. “Rupture, Repression, and Uprising” seeks domestic, comparative, and international/transnational papers and organized panels of varied forms of violence that cross disciplinary lines. Deadline for panel and paper abstracts is December 1, 2007. Submissions should be mailed electronically to aasrp@uiuc.edu. Contact: Jennifer Hamer or Lou Turner at (217) 333-7781 or aasrp@uiuc.edu. For more information, visit www.aasrp.uiuc.edu. Southern Sociological Society’s (SSS) 71st Annual Meeting, April 9-12, 2008, Richmond, VA, Marriott. Theme: “Movement Matters: Vision, Mobilization, and Memory.” Submissions should be made online at www.southernsociologicalsociety.org. Abstract submission deadline: December 15, 2007. Contact: Program Co-Chairs Peggy Hargis at har_agga@georgiasouthern.edu, Woody Beck at wbeck@uga.edu, or President Larry Isaac at larry.isaac@vanderbilt.edu. Search for SSSP Executive Officer The Society for the Study of Social Problems (SSSP) announces an opening for the position of Executive Officer. The SSSP is an interdisciplinary and international community of scholars, activists, practitioners, and students creating greater social justice through social research. The members of the SSSP work in colleges and universities, non-profit organizations, research organizations, activist groups, and other applied settings. A detailed description of the Executive Officer’s position is posted on the SSSP web site, http://www.sssp1.org. Preference will be given to those familiar with, or a commitment to, SSSP’s purposes Interested applicants may apply by submitting a letter of interest, CV, contact information for three references and a letter of support from the applicant’s Department Chair and Dean to: Gabriel Aquino, Chair of the Permanent Organization and Strategic Planning Committee, Department of Sociology, Westfield State College, 577 Western Avenue, Westfield, MA 01086 (gaquino@wsc.ma.edu). The letter of interest should include a statement of the applicant’s vision for the future of the Society and understanding of the duties of the Executive Officer that are stated in the SSSP Bylaws and Operations Manual. The candidate should also indicate what support the host institution is willing to provide if selected for the Executive Office site. Institutional support information should be corroborated by the letters from an official with budgetary authority. Applications received by February 15, 2008 will receive full consideration. Antwan Jones Wants to be the Next Student Member of the Board of Directors! I am running for the SSSP Board of Directors—Student Member position for the 2008-2010 term. Below, you will find a brief biography and candidate statement. Please consider voting for me in the upcoming election. Educational Degrees M.A., Sociology, Bowling Green State University, 2007 M.S., Applied Statistics, Bowling Green State University, 2007 B.A., Sociology, Duke University, 2004 Honors and other Professional Commendations Donald J. and Susan E. Adamchak Outstanding Graduate Student Award in Demography, Bowling Green State University, 2007 Racial and Ethnic Minorities Division’s Student Paper Competition Winner, Society for the Study of Social Problems, 2006 Dean of Students Distinguished Scholar Award, Bowling Green State University, 2006 SSSP Offices, Committee Membership, and Position Active Member, Mental Health Division, 2006-current Active Member, Youth, Aging and the Life Course Division, 2006-current Active Member, Racial and Ethnic Minorities Division, 2006-current Newsletter Editor, Sociology and Social Welfare Division, 2006-current Candidate Statement Since I first joined SSSP in 2006, I have participated in a variety of ways within the organization. I have presented original research at both the 2006 and 2007 meetings. In 2006, my paper won the award for best graduate student paper within the Racial and Ethnic Minorities division. In addition, I serve as the newsletter editor for the Sociology and Social Welfare division. In addition to my service to SSSP, I also have leadership experience outside of the organization. Within the American Sociological Association, I am currently serving on the Student Forum Advisory Board, and I am involved in both the Racial & Ethnic Minorities Committee and the Committee on Children & Youth. Furthermore, I have been an organizer, a facilitator or a discussant at many sessions at various national, regional and local conferences. Most recently, I co-organized a joint BGSU-Ohio State University conference on population. I think that two areas specific to student members need to be addressed on the Executive Board. The first is student recruitment. Our organization’s staying power can only be insured if we have future professionals embedded in the organization. I would like to bring to the board practical ideas that can recruit more student members into the SSSP. Ideas such as contacting student-run organizations within social science disciplines or offering organizational discounts towards membership would help spread the word of the organization and can be an effective tool to increase student visibility within SSSP. The second is student retention. While it is important to recruit, it is also important that we continue to illustrate to students that SSSP matters and cares for its membership base. By doing so, we instill in students that this is not only an organization that can help at the graduate or undergraduate level, but also, this organization is ideal for those who advance in professional positions after receiving their degree. Retention can be easily attained through several mechanisms. One such mechanism is offering incremental benefits for students who maintain their active membership status consistently throughout their student experience. I also think it is important for student retention that the needs and concerns of current student members be addressed and validated. Thus, I would like to represent student interest within the Executive Board. By being a sounding board for student concerns, I hope to illuminate areas of change within the organization to the Executive Board. Based on my experience on committees and boards, as well as my unique ties to and familiarity with the organization, I feel that I would be a great addition to the SSSP Board of Directors as a student member. My ideas for recruitment and retention should also indicate my passion for both the organization and for the Board of Directors student member position. Be sure to join us for the annual meeting! SSSP 58th Annual Meeting CROSSING BORDERS: ACTIVIST SCHOLARSHIP, GLOBALIZATION, AND SOCIAL JUSTICE July 31-August 2, 2008 The Boston Park Plaza Hotel and Towers 64 Arlington Street Boston, MA Web: http://www.hotelbostonparkplaza.com/ SSSP Annual Meeting Call for Newsletter Submissions I wanted to use this space to call for future submissions to the Sociology and Social Welfare Division newsletter. Particularly, I wanted to ask for submissions for the Winter edition. I will accept submissions until February 20, 2008. Submissions have a wide range, from new publications to pertinent division information, awards, job openings, etc. You may send any material directly to me. My contact information is on the right hand side of this page. Thank you in advance for your submissions and I look forward to serving this division. For more information about my research and scholarship, I direct you to my website, http://personal.bgsu.edu/~antwanj. Division Chair Contact Information Deirdre Oakley Department of Sociology Georgia State University Atlanta, GA 30302 404.413.6511 404.413.65-5 (f) doakley1@gsu.edu Newsletter Editor Contact Information Antwan Jones 205 Williams Hall Department of Sociology, Bowling Green State University Bowling Green, OH 43403 419.372.2294 419.372.8306 (f) antwanj@bgsu.edu Society for the Study of Social Problems