Argues against the characterization of the functional theory of deviance as inherently conservative. Holds that (1) the theory is not inherently ideological, and (2) its value implications are more radical than is generally thought to be the case. (Author/GC)

This dialectical analysis is guided by four basic principles--social construction, totality, contradiction, and praxis. The organization is seen as a concrete, multileveled phenomenon beset by contradictions that continuously undermine its existing features. (Author/IRT)

Discusses the notion of community, describes communities of practice, and considers community initiatives on the Internet. Suggests that social aspects need to be considered and that virtual communities are effective when used as add-ons to already existing social structures, not as stand-alone initiatives. (Author/LRW)

Building on Nagel's theory of social structure, this paper argues that the microsocial dynamics occasioned by new technologies systematically reverberate up levels of analysis. This theory is illustrated by ethnographic and sociometric data drawn from a study comparing usage of traditional and computerized imaging devices in two radiology…

This study advances a conceptual framework for understanding the transformation of places into recovery machines after major hurricanes. This framework contends that in the years following such disasters, pro-growth coalitions take advantage of new sources of material and symbolic capital to promote further demographic growth. It also contends…

This article begins to fill a gap in recent discussions of the future of Islamic studies with an account of the nature and significance of Anthropological and Ethnographic contributions to the study of Islam and Muslims. Drawing attention to both the problem of essence in Orientalism and the dissolution of Islam's significance for Muslims in…

Poor people make use of a variety of contextually relevant resources to pursue their livelihood strategies, and there is wide empirical evidence that opportunities and constraints for accessing these may vary considerably for women and men, particularly in the rural areas of developing countries. In this article, micro-evidence from a case study…

This article was taken from a qualitative case study about Jason, a child who suffered from traumatic brain injury syndrome. This research focused on interactions among Jason, his classmates, his band director, his parents, and his school district. Jason encountered many challenges as a child with special needs in band. The purpose of this article…

Although there is a growing body of research based on social disorganization theory that relates the neighborhood context to juvenile crime and delinquency, it is unknown whether neighborhood social processes operate in a similar way across all types of disadvantaged neighborhoods. It is possible that some social processes are unique to…

In this study of changes in children's social schemata, kindergarten, fourth and eighth grade children were asked to place felt figures on a felt board in any way they wished. Pictures were analyzed to determine age-related changes in schemata to organize different groups of human figures and discussed in terms of the development of social…

The hypothesis that the effectiveness of an organization is determined by the consonance between its technology and its social structure is unsupported. (Author)

Education must become the vehicle that enables people to get beyond the reactionary stage (of changing consciousness) in order to formulate the new images and bring into being the social structures that are needed in the last quarter of the twentieth century. (Author)

Analyzes in depth the processes whereby society converts the lower classes into a superfluous and stigmatized institution, and introduces a possible mechanism of halting the processes of superfluity and stigmatization. (AN)

Author points out some of the economic, social, cultural and political problems that make the development of education in the developing countries difficult if not impossible. (RR)