This book presents methods for describing and analyzing dependency and irregularity in long time series. Irregularity refers to cycles that are similar in appearance, but unlike seasonal patterns more familiar to social scientists, repeated over a time scale that is not fixed. Until now, the application of these methods has mainly involved analysis of dynamical systems outside of the social sciences, but this volume makes it possible for social scientists to explore and document fractal patterns in dynamical social systems.
The Practice of Evaluation: Partnership Approaches for Community Change provides foundational content on evaluation concepts, approaches, and methods, as well as applied, practical examples, with an emphasis on the use of evaluation and partnership approaches to effect change.
Do Networks Help People to Manage Poverty? Perspectives from the Field
One's ability to manage the trials of poverty depends on their networks-the relationships, support, information, and resources they cultivate from them. Social ties come with obligations; whether networks ultimately help or hinder those living in poverty remains in question. This volume of The ANNALS examines the uncertain role of network systems in the context of low-income populations in the 21st century. Applying new fieldwork from subject experts across the globe, this volume highlights networks and the complex relationships that shape them, the local organizations that foster them, and the policy changes needed to bolster their value in times of economic distress.
The Rise of the Regulatory Welfare State: The Use and Abuse of Social Regulation
This volume of The ANNALS explores the expansion of regulation in the welfare state and in social policy. Considering such crises as climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic, it argues that policy-makers have turned increasingly to regulatory measures to promote welfare norms and outcomes. As a result, the regulatory welfare state is reemerging. Written by experts on regulation and governance in the context of social welfare, this volume's papers challenge the welfare state vs. regulatory state dichotomy and address a broad range of welfare state domains from multiple perspectives. Further, they demonstrate the reassertion of regulation and welfare in not only common policies and grand designs but also the structure and expansion of the state itself.
An Invitation to Environmental Sociology invites students to delve into this rapidly changing field. Written in a lively, engaging style, the authors cover a broad range of topics in environmental sociology with a personal passion rarely seen in sociology texts.
With rapidly expanding attacks and evolving methods of attack, organizations are in a perpetual state of breach and must deal with this existential threat head-on. Cybersecurity Readiness is intended to help students and practitioners develop and enhance this capability, as individuals continue to be both the strongest and weakest links in a cyber defense system. In addition to providing the non-specialist with a jargon-free overview of cybersecurity threats, Dr. Chatterjee focuses most of the book on developing a practical and easy-to-comprehend management framework and success factors that will help leaders assess cybersecurity risks, address organizational weaknesses, and build a collaborative culture that is informed and responsive. Through brief case studies, literature review, and practical tools, he creates a manual for the student and professional alike to put into practice essential skills for any workplace.
Statistics Alive! presents essential content on statistical analysis in short, digestible modules. Written in a conversational tone with anecdotal stories and light-hearted humor, it's an enjoyable read that will ensure your students are always prepared for class.
This practical, user-friendly resource helps students successfully complete an evaluation capstone: a dissertation, thesis, or culminating project where a student conducts an evaluation as their capstone experience. Authors Tamara M. Walser and Michael S. Trevisan present a framework to support students and faculty in maximizing student development of evaluator competencies, addressing standards of the evaluation profession, and contributing to programs and disciplinary knowledge. Their framework, and this book, is organized by six fundamentals of evaluation practice: quality; stakeholders; understanding the program; values; approaches; and maximizing evaluation use. Throughout the book they use the metaphor of the journey to depict the processes and activities a student will experience as they navigate an evaluation capstone and the six fundamentals of evaluation practice. In pursuit of a completed capstone, students grow professionally and personally, and will be in a different place when they reach the destination and the capstone journey is complete.
Jennifer Teramoto Pedrotti and Denise A. Isom's Multicultural Psychology will help students apply concepts to their own lives, to assess their own awareness and progress, and to consider their own role and ability to engage in social change. With this balanced approach, the text helps students entering the course with varied levels of cultural and diversity awareness to understand their individual and social cultural contexts, to gain awareness of their interactions with others, and to understand the intersections that occur with other cultures across their lives and careers.