Suchergebnisse

AbstractThe theory of collective efficacy emphasizes the role of the neighborhood as a unit of social control that can deter crime. The neighborhood unit is most often defined as a census tract or a similar administratively defined measure. These neighborhood definitions are not always sociologically meaningful. That is, administratively defined geographical areas do not necessarily align with residents' perceptions of their neighborhood's boundaries, which incorporate the familiarity with an area and interactions with other residents. Officially defined neighborhoods often present an inaccurate representation of collective efficacy, as these areas are not likely to function as a cohesive social unit. An alternative measure of "bespoke" neighborhoods is presented in geographical research. The bespoke neighborhood identifies a neighborhood area as the distance from a specific point or the number of people situated nearest to a specific location. This concept takes into consideration each resident's unique definition of the neighborhood. In addition, the bespoke neighborhood can be assessed on different scales to identify the most appropriate neighborhood size, where patterns of behavior are most meaningful. Bespoke neighborhoods can be used to identify sociologically meaningful neighborhoods that can inform the theory of collective efficacy.

Team-based learning (TBL) is a form of small-group learning that assumes stable teams promote accountability. Teamwork promotes communication among members; application exercises promote active learning. Students must prepare for each class; failure to do so harms their team's performance. Therefore, TBL promotes accountability. As part of the course grade, students assess the performance of their teammates. The evaluation forces students to rank their teammates and to provide rationale for the highest and lowest rankings. These evaluations provide rich data on small-group dynamics. In this paper, we analyze 211 student teammate assessments. We find evidence that teams consistently give the lowest evaluations to their least involved members, suggesting that the team component increases accountability, which can promote learning. From these findings we draw implications about small-group dynamics in general and the pedagogy of TBL in particular.

Sociologists define power as one party's capacity to influence another's action. Thus, power is a relational property of interpersonal interaction. However, its dynamics embed within institutions such as the church and the state. This paper explores power dynamics using a case study of the conflict between an Old Order Amish church and the civil law of Ohio. The church excommunicated a member for violating community rules. The member countered by suing the church in state court. We trace power within and across these spheres of influence, showing how each party defined the situation according to institutional vectors of power. While one might expect the state to possess greater power in this situation, we demonstrate that ultimately neither party had total power, and both lost to some extent. This case study identifies the importance of viewing power as interactional, dynamic, and contextual.

AbstractCongregations depend on their members for their success and survival. Yet there is a lack of research examining congregational retention or exit. Social networks are key to understanding religious group dynamics including retention; however, research on religious communities using network analysis is limited. We use Amish directories to compile longitudinal census data on intracongregational familial ties in our case study. We theorize and find that cohesion is inversely related to congregational size and positively related to retention. We find that splitting congregations reduces cohesion when members central to the network are removed even when congregational size is reduced. The findings may be particularly relevant for understanding retention and group dynamics in small congregations and ethnic congregations in which extended family ties more commonly form the membership base. The results demonstrate the utility of using social network analysis methods to test theoretical predictions drawn from the sociology of religion literature.