Sociology and Legal Studies

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This is the collection for the University of Waterloo's Department of Sociology and Legal Studies.

Research outputs are organized by type (eg. Master Thesis, Article, Conference Paper).

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Now showing 1 - 20 of 107

Planned Parenthood Waterloo Region: Adapting Feminist Organization Theory to Daily Practice
(University of Waterloo, 1998) Aubry, Christine G.
As a volunteer with Planned Parenthood Waterloo Region (PPWR), I observed an organization that was providing services in a feminist context. PPWR is a feminist organization: a goal of the agency is to reduce gender power differences. Further, PPWR's participants work within an atmosphere of consensus and support. Because PPWR adheres to central feminist values and principles, some feminist organization theorists would argue that PPWR could, and should, follow the model of feminist consensual organizing. However, PPWR is also a service organization (like many bureaucratic organizations). The goals of the organization make structure and hierarchy necessary for goal achievement. In this thesis, I examine how PPWR reconciles the need for structure and hierarchy with feminist values and principles. The goal of this research is to examine what is unique about PPWR's organizational structure. This was an exploratory case study. My position as an insider with the organization allowed for qualitative data collection through participant observation and semi-structured interviews. Using organizational models found in traditional and feminist organization theory, I examine the organizational characteristics of PPWR. I explore the reasons why PPWR is hierarchically structured despite adherence to feminist principles. I also look at some of the dilemmas of consensual organizing practice which are particularly relevant to service organizations. Although PPWR is becoming increasingly structured, I argue that the organization is not likely to experience goal displacement. I examine internal and external characteristics of the organization which reinforce participants' commitment to organizational goals. The controversial nature of PPWR's services and the organization's social movement orientation counter-balance the problems which some feminists have attributed to the traditional bureaucracy.
Membership Retention in Scout Troops
(University of Waterloo, 2001-08-16) Morland, Liam
Factors affecting membership retention in Scout troops were examined. Scout meetings were unobtrusively observed and program information questionnaires were completed for 17 urban Scouts Canada Scout troops (age range 11–14) in Waterloo Region, Ontario. Thirty Scouters (adult leaders) completed written questionnaires. The study found that many Scouts remain in the program for only one year. Scouts who achieved badges are more likely to stay and continue to the Venturer program (ages 14–17). Troops with more outdoor activities and which give more autonomy to the Scouts have higher rates of membership retention. The Scout uniform is examined from a symbolic interactionist perspective. Scout culture is discussed. Includes description of Scouting with brief history. 23 tables.
Memory, Modernity, and the City: An Interpretive Analysis of Montreal and Toronto's Respective Moves From Their Historic Professional Hockey Arenas
(University of Waterloo, 2004) Gunderson, Lisa
This thesis seeks to understand how and if the popular claims that hockey is an integral part of the culture in Toronto and Montreal are referenced, oriented to, and/or negotiated in everyday life. Taking the cases of the moves of the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens from Maple Leaf Gardens and the Montreal Forum, respectively, the thesis asks: What can these similar cases tell us about the culture of the cities in which they occurred and, if it is possible, in what ways can the culture of the cities (as a shaping force) be made recognizable in the discourse generated in, around, and by the moves? The perspective taken is a 'radical interpretive' approach, involving a critical blend of interpretive theories and methodologies - including semiology, phenomenology, hermeneutics, and dialectical analysis - that aim to reflexively question the themes that the cases themselves bring to light. The thesis thus concerns itself with issues of cosmopolitanism, globalization, and modernity as well as the concomitant questions of identify, commitment to place, and practical social action in the modern city.
Jury Decision-Making Study
(University of Waterloo, 2006) Hano, Katarzyna
In this thesis I combine the social network analysis approach with the traditional experimental approach to study the phenomena of jury decision-making. I examine whether with each trial a social network is formed. The jurors, the two teams of lawyers, as well as the accused and the judge, all form a social network with cliques and leaders. This division of individuals into specific cliques, along with the lawyers' performance in court, is hypothesized to have a significant impact on the jury's verdict.

Thus, by specifically studying the lawyers' engagement and disengagement on the jurors during a trial and the impact this has on the verdict, as well as understanding the structure of the social network that the individual jurors create, I hope to shed light on some of the influences that are key in delivering the verdict. In addition, this pioneering study may lead to significant policy changes in the future.
Using Media Consumption To Explain Political Identification and Behaviour and Perceptions of the News Media
(University of Waterloo, 2006) Leith, Jordan
Using secondary data from Pew's Early January 2004 Political Communications Study this thesis explains political identification, the range of media sources that a person uses, perceptions of political party bias and political participation using information about media use and perceptions of the media. The survey, which was conducted during the winter of 2003/2004, includes responses from 1506 individuals. Analytic techniques include means breakdowns, crosstabulations, correlations and multiple regression. Many associations are identified; however, in general, the media related variables were weakly related to dependent variables. The thesis speculates that the weak relationships can be attributed to a homogeneous range of available media content. Connections between the recent growth in the number of media sources and diversity in media content are discussed. The analysis finds that listening to talk radio, religious radio and watching the Fox News Channel were weakly associated with conservatism while use of non-profit media, including use of National Public Radio (NPR), the Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network (C-SPAN) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) were weakly associated with liberalism. The thesis questions if the use of "sound bites" used on talk radio programs and some 24-hour television news channels is related to the conservatism of these audiences. A positive relationship between the amount of bias that a person sees in the news media and the range of news sources that a person uses was found. Sources include Internet, television and print media. The implications of these findings in the context of the agenda-setting framework and a homogenous media are discussed. Use of the Fox News Channel and talk radio were associated with perceptions of a Democratic Party bias in the news media. Ideas from Bourdieu and Passeron are used to understand how communication styles are related to the perception of talk radio as an alternative to the "liberal media". The implications of the prevalence of the perception of a "liberal media" are discussed and related to theoretical work from Gramsci and Abercrombie. Media that attempt to add diversity through new operational models are described. Associations between political participation and several types of media use were found. The finding that use of comedy television is related to some indicators of political participation is seen as demonstrating the difficulty in distinguishing information from entertainment-oriented programming. The analysis questions assumptions about the relationships between media use, electoral cynicism and political participation. The thesis argues that better tools from examining media use in general and in the Canadian context are needed.
Cemeteries & the Control of Bodies
(University of Waterloo, 2006) Horn, Zachary
There has been a substantial change in cemetery administration over the last century. Where once cemeteries were predominantly run by religious organizations, now they are mostly run by local municipalities. This thesis examines the change in cemetery administration, using the cemeteries in the city of Hamilton, Ontario as a case study, drawing on material taken from an inventory of Hamilton cemeteries. The Ontario Cemetery Act of 1913 is examined to see how it helped to consolidate municipal power over cemeteries.

In addition to secularization theory, relevant concepts are also applied from the works of Talcott Parsons, Max Weber and Michel Foucault. The analysis suggests that the laicization of cemeteries is part of ongoing rationalizing trends in the larger society. The connection between cemeteries and changes in how we think about human bodies and death is also investigated. Rationalization is linked to a marginalization of the meaning of death as death itself moves from a religious understanding to the control of professionals and bureaucracies like hospitals and funeral homes.
Attitudes Toward Homosexuality: American and Canadian Patterns, 1981-2000
(University of Waterloo, 2007-05-23T15:54:40Z) Crowell, Mark
Previous research has determined that Canadians often exhibit more tolerant attitudes toward homosexuality than Americans, yet few studies have attempted to uncover why this pattern persists. Using World Values Surveys data, this study compares attitudes toward homosexuality between Canadians and Americans from 1981 to 2000. The study re-examines directly Reginald Bibby’s (2004) assertion that divergent levels of religious commitment, rather than other socio-demographic, cultural and socio-structural factors, largely account for attitudinal differences between the two neighbouring nations. Consistent with previous research, the findings suggest that differences in gender, marital status, age, education, home language, community size, region, and many indicators of religious involvement and religiosity assist in predicting attitudes toward homosexuality. Overall, the findings support Bibby’s theory that religious differences between Americans and Canadians largely explain more tolerant attitudes among Canadian citizens. Particular attention is also paid to factors outside of religion that may influence attitudes, but which are not directly observable in quantifiable data analysis.
"Depression Is A Medical Condition": Exploring the Medicalization of Depression on SSRI Websites
(University of Waterloo, 2007-08-30T20:13:29Z) Gawley, Adele
ABSTRACT “DEPRESSION IS A MEDICAL CONDITION”: EXPLORING THE MEDICALIZATION OF DEPRESSION ON SSRI WEBSITES Sociologists of medicine have become increasingly interested in mental health over the last two decades (Pilgrim and Rogers, 2005). Known as the “common cold” of mental illness, depression affects millions around the globe. The social understanding of depression has been shaped by a phenomenon known as medicalization, where an unusual behavior or state of being is labeled illness or disorder or disease, and addressed through rationalized medical intervention. The medicalization of depression is particularly evident on SSRI websites. SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) are a popular class of antidepressants used to treat depression. Pharmaceutical companies who manufacture these medications now advertise their products on the Internet, an increasingly popular source for health information. This thesis is a critical, empirical investigation of the medicalization of depression on SSRI websites. Five major research questions guide this study. First, how is depression portrayed on the websites? Second, what are the means used to construct this portrayal? Third, who is the apparent target audience? Fourth, what assumptions are made about this audience? Finally, what is absent from or silent in the websites? These questions are answered using an analytical framework called Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). This framework is both a theoretical orientation and a methodological process (Fairclough, 1992). This study reveals that medicalization has a strong impact on the portrayal of depression on the websites, and is the major perspective from which the issue is approached. The depressed person is seen to be affected by depression in a variety of ways, including being ill with a medical condition and at risk for further difficulty if treatment is not handled properly. A variety of means are used to construct the portrayal of depression, including structural means such as interactional controls, linguistic means such as word choices and meanings, and visual means such as the use of diagrams and caricatures. Embedded in the text are a number of indicators which highlight some apparent assumptions about the targeted audience, such as insurance coverage and general literacy. Absences or silences in the texts include a failure to discuss the prevention of depression. The most significant finding concerns “the symptom/side-effect” problem; this dilemma highlights the lack of clarity around definitions of recovery and mental health as well as the purpose of taking medications. It also reveals that, while the application of the medicalized perspective to depression is certainly useful given the efficacy of antidepressant drugs for many people, it is not infallible and requires careful critical consideration.
Risk Factors for Marijuana Use among Russian and Canadian Adolescents: a Comparative Analysis
(University of Waterloo, 2007-09-13T16:37:50Z) Korotkikh, Marina
The increasing use of toxic substances is one of the most serious problems in today’s society. Recent tendencies such as widening of the variety of drugs available, intensity of drug circulation, and the decrease in age for first time users indicates that drug abuse is becoming one of the most alarming problems globally. Marijuana use remains the most widely used drug among the world population, and the number of cannabis users is increasing every year. The major focus of this research is on the young adolescents’ social environment and the risk factors for marijuana use that it produces. The influence of such elements of social environment as family, school, and peers is examined in this study. Evaluating the applicability of some theories, such as social control theory (Hirschi, 1969) and peer cluster theory (Oetting and Beauvais, 1986), to marijuana use of Russian and Canadian samples of adolescents between the ages of 14-16, this research employs the risk-focused approach. This approach requires the identification of risk factors for marijuana use for its prevention. The study involves making a comparative analysis of risk factors for marijuana use produced by social environment of the Canadian and Russian adolescents. The analysis is based on the data obtained within a World Health Organization Cross-National Study “Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children” in 2001/02. The method of logistic regression modeling is applied in order to examine which aspects of social environment of adolescents produce greater risks for marijuana use. The results shows that in spite of the differences between countries, peers have the strongest influence on adolescent marijuana use, which supports peer cluster theory. In addition, the study shows that young people’s own use of licit drugs, such as alcohol and tobacco, significantly increase risks of getting involved in marijuana use, which supports the major gateway hypothesis. Although these variables are not in the major research interest, they have strong predictive power, which can be discussed and examined in detail in future research.
The Impression Management Strategies of Leaders in the Nonprofit Sector
(University of Waterloo, 2008-01-02T20:33:02Z) DePutter, Megan
Leadership represents a diverse and dynamic area of study, occupying a vast area in sociological literature. However, the nonprofit sector is somewhat neglected in literature that examines leadership as a performance. Heightened demand for accountability, funding shortages and other challenges in the nonprofit sector have spurred recent trends such as coalition-building and business-like practices. Nonprofit leaders must satisfy multiple internal and external stakeholders with opposing values and expectations. This creates a rich and yet incomplete area in which to study impression management. This thesis employs an interpretivist perspective, specifically utilizing symbolic interactionism to understand how the participants create and maintain impressions. By employing Erving Goffman’s dramaturgical metaphors, this thesis addresses how the participants use symbolic representations of leadership in order to create desired impressions. It also explores the strategies used by the participants in order to present a front of competent leadership during the interviews. Lastly, the research asks the participants to reflect on their impression management activities. To address these questions, 19 leaders were interviewed at 11 different nonprofits in Canada and in Egypt for approximately one hour each, using face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Simple observation was also applied. A combination of purposive, snowball and convenience sampling was used to select the organizations. iv The research offers a number of significant findings. First, the manner and appearances of the leaders and the design of their office space provides avenues in which to convey leadership, financial and organizational messages, as well as information about the leaders’ roles and statuses. For example, visual cues may be used to express their participative approach to leadership, convey organizational frugality or success and create a corporate culture. Second, the participants commonly self-identified as benevolent and humble “servant leaders” by attempting to appear as mentors. They downplayed their authority and claimed to integrate staff feedback into the organization. They also claimed to employ a benevolent form of discipline that focuses on learning. When discussing mistakes, the participants claimed to respond in an ideal way, by apologizing and learning from their errors. However, they claimed to, at times, act authoritatively and convey “professionalism.” The leaders displayed their authority during the course of the interview and laid claim to qualifications that made them especially suited for the job. These kinds of inconsistencies suggest that impression management is not static or flawless, but rather a series of performances fraught with contradiction and tension. Third, about half of the participants admitted to consciously changing their behaviour, language and appearances in situations in order to build trust with stakeholders. This involves at times appearing “professional” while at other times self-humbling in order to build a shared-identity with others. The participants struggle to appear sincere, but recognize that their impressions are sometimes met with suspicion. There are limitations to the sampling technique and research design. A larger sample that interviewed a group of leaders from one region would be preferable to this small, cross-national one. In this thesis it is impossible to know whether the participants’ claims are warranted. Longitudinal participant observation would enable the researcher to see inconsistencies and also to understand how others interpret the leaders’ impression management attempts. However, the research has many benefits; in addition to contributing to the literature and providing examples of Goffman’s dramaturgical metaphors in the context of nonprofit leadership, this thesis may assist leaders in their goals. This thesis could lead to increased self-reflexivity or sharing of impression management techniques and could potentially assist nonprofit leaders with their tenuous missions.
A Behind-the-Scenes Examination of the Kitchener Mental Health Court: The Diversion of Persons with Mental Disorders
(University of Waterloo, 2008-08-26T13:53:00Z) Leroux, Carlie Luciana
In this thesis I investigate how the Canadian criminal justice system handles persons with mental disorders who come into conflict with the law. Through an in-depth examination of the Kitchener Mental Health Court this research explores the legal concept of diversion. Diversion is a voluntary option for individuals accused of minor offences. Its main objective is to function as a positive intervention. Offenders who participate in diversionary programs avoid a criminal record but are still held accountable for their criminal behavior. Diversion programs lessen the burden on the criminal justice system by decreasing the volume of caseloads in the courts via diverting individuals away from incarceration through alternative measures. The goal of this study is to uncover the processes involved in diverting offenders away from incarceration and into appropriate mental health treatment. Two theoretical frameworks applicable to mental health courts include the medical model and therapeutic jurisprudence. The thesis explores the philosophies of mental health courts, the principles of sentencing, and the role of community support agencies in the location and provision of mental health treatment. This research includes a six-month observational study of the Kitchener Mental Health Court setting and five in-depth interviews with the Crown prosecutor, defense attorney, Canadian Mental Health Association Court Coordinator, Salvation Army representative, and a mother of one of the accused. The findings from this research suggest that mental health courts strongly adhere to the treatment ideology contained in the medical model and therapeutic jurisprudence. The Kitchener Mental Health Court demonstrates this through its empathetic, treatment-oriented approach towards offenders, language, and commitment to locate appropriate health care. This research also reveals the crucial role community support agencies play in directing individuals towards the necessary health care. But most especially, the evidence points to the role community support agencies play as key facilitators in the legal processes of mental health courts.
Feederism: an exploratory study into the stigma of erotic weight gain
(University of Waterloo, 2008-09-15T14:16:49Z) Bestard, Alyshia D.
This thesis presents qualitative exploratory research findings on the phenomenon of feederism. Feederism, also referred to as "erotic weight gain," involves people who are sexually aroused by gaining weight (called "feedees" or "gainers") or encouraging others to gain weight (called "feeders" or "encouragers"). Sometimes feederism is practiced within relationships and sometimes it is practiced alone. Respondents emphasize the importance that fantasy plays within feederism. The experiences and understandings of 30 respondents are considered in an attempt to examine how those who are interested in feederism might be stigmatized and how they may cope with having this stigma.
Cultural Competency in Hospice Care: A Case Study of Hospice Toronto
(University of Waterloo, 2008-09-18T14:45:01Z) Jovanovic, Maja
The population demographics of the greater Toronto Area are rapidly changing, with visible minorities comprising 43% of the GTA, and 10% of the total adult population of Canada. It is incumbent upon the health care sector to accommodate these changes in a culturally competent manner. Health care and culture intersect in the most delicate of ways during the last stages of life. The health care system must ensure that minorities have an equal access to end-of-life health care services and that their individual cultural beliefs and values are respected by culturally competent health care providers. Hence, this thesis examines the current state of cultural competence in hospice and palliative care in the Greater Toronto Area. This study will show the strengths and limitations of the current hospice care in terms of providing culturally competent care. To explore this topic in greater detail, my research is guided by the following questions: 1) What is the current state of culturally competent care in a hospice setting? 2) What are the challenges to providing culturally competent care in a hospice in the Greater Toronto Area? 3) What are some possible strategies for increasing competency within a hospice setting? To explore my research questions fully, I provide a critical analysis of six cultural competency theories, while integrating a social determinants of health framework, focusing on the theory of social exclusion and minority health care. This case study analysis is enhanced by the 14 in-depth interviews of hospice volunteer participants and 1 administrator. There are six major findings in this research. First, volunteer participants encountered cultural clashes when their levels of cultural competency were weak. Second, volunteer participants revealed there was a lack of adequate cultural competency training with the hospice. Third, volunteer participants gave abundant suggestions for improving cultural competency training. Fourth, volunteer participants perceived the hospice to be unsupportive of some of their needs. Fifth, the lack of ethnic, cultural and linguistic diversity of the hospice volunteer participants was noted. Last, the lack of religiosity amongst the volunteer participants was surprising. This research is significant for its Canadian hospice volunteer focus and the findings will be beneficial in practice for patients, their families, volunteers, and other health care providers, by providing the knowledge and tools necessary to enhance their level of cultural competency.
Occupational Prestige of Canadian Professions in the New Economy
(University of Waterloo, 2008-12-19T19:11:45Z) Pomeroy, Emily Anne
Canadian professions have, paradoxically, lost prestige at least in a relative sense, despite being the prototype for the expanding new economy. The early 1990s saw a transition from the old economy to a new economy emphasizing a highly educated and knowledge-focused workforce that values flexibility, innovation and risk. Professions exemplify the knowledge-intensive and education-centered traits emerging in the new economy particularly well. This research examines factors that influenced changes in the prestige ratings of professions during the 40-year period between 1965 and 2005. Occupational prestige and census data collected in 2005 are used to measure the impact of changes in education, income, and the gender composition of professions on the prestige levels. Abbott’s “professional purity” thesis is also used to examine the effects of people-complex versus data-complex practices on prestige ratings. The influence of rater characteristics is also examined in terms of prestige allocation to professions. Finally, using a lawyer survey, the prestige associated with areas within the legal profession is examined in a study of internal stratification. Professions experienced a relative gain in occupational prestige over this 40 year period; however, professions did not gain as much in comparison to all occupations. In predicting 2005 occupational prestige between 1965 and 2005, the change in income, data and people-complex tasks, gender of incumbents, and the gender of the rater all impact the prestige that professions receive. Women’s increase in numerical representation within professions increases the 2005 prestige ratings of professions. In predicting 2005 prestige, female raters attributed significantly more and male respondents attributed significantly less prestige to professions. Gender significantly predicted the level of law an individual practiced and the distribution of gender across specializations also suggests that the legal specializations where many women work are less prestigious than men’s specializations.
What's Love Got to Do With It? A Study of the Effects of Infidelity on Contemporary Couples
(University of Waterloo, 2009-03-31T15:55:39Z) Touesnard, Lisa
Research on infidelity has been criticized for its lack of theoretical approach and emphasis on the negative impacts on marriage. Twenty in-depth interviews were conducted with individuals who had an affair, or experienced the affair of a spouse. Combined with a critical sociological approach to the existing literature on infidelity, this study explores the usefulness of theoretical concepts and perspectives adopted by other researchers. This study offers suggestions for future areas of inquiry and stresses the importance of studying extramarital relationships from a sociological perspective.
Student Satisfaction Surveys and Nonresponse: Ignorable Survey, Ignorable Nonresponse
(University of Waterloo, 2009-05-13T21:44:27Z) Boyer, Luc
With an increasing reliance on satisfaction exit surveys to measure how university alumni qualify their experiences during their degree program, it is uncertain whether satisfaction is sufficiently salient, for some alumni, to generate distinguishable satisfaction scores between respondents and nonrespondents. This thesis explores whether, to what extent, and why nonresponse to student satisfaction surveys makes any difference to our understanding of student university experiences. A modified version of Michalos’ multiple discrepancies theory was utilized as the conceptual framework to ascertain which aspects of the student experience are likely to be nonignorable, and which are likely to be ignorable. In recognition of the hierarchical structure of educational organizations, the thesis explores the impact of alumnus and departmental characteristics on nonresponse error. The impact of survey protocols on nonresponse error is also explored. Nonignorable nonresponse was investigated using a multi-method approach. Quantitative analyses were based on a combined dataset gathered by the Graduate Student Exit Survey, conducted at each convocation over a period of three years. These data were compared against basic enrolment variables, departmental characteristics, and the public version of Statistic Canada’s National Graduate Survey. Analyses were conducted to ascertain whether nonresponse is nonignorable at the descriptive and analytical levels (form resistant hypothesis). Qualitative analyses were based on nine cognitive interviews from both recent and soon-to-be alumni. Results were severely weakened by external and internal validity issues, and are therefore indicative but not conclusive. The findings suggest that nonrespondents are different from respondents, satisfaction intensity is weakly related to response rate, and that the ensuing nonresponse error in the marginals can be classified, albeit not fully, as missing at random. The form resistant hypothesis remains unaffected for variations in response rates. Cognitive interviews confirmed the presence of measurement errors which further weakens the case for nonignorability. An inadvertent methodological alignment of response pool homogeneity, a misspecified conceptual model, measurement error (dilution), and a non-salient, bureaucratically-inspired, survey topic are proposed as the likely reasons for the findings of ignorability. Methodological and organizational implications of the results are also discussed.
The Economic Integration of Recent Immigrants to Canada: A Longitudinal Analysis of Dimensions of Employment Success
(University of Waterloo, 2009-06-22T14:39:34Z) Frank, Kristyn
The employment success of immigrants to Canada has been a primary focus of sociological research on immigrant integration. However, much of this research has examined the concept of “employment success” solely in terms of earnings. Studies that focus on whether immigrants obtain employment matching their desired or pre-migration occupations provide inadequate measures by examining whether or not immigrants obtain employment in their desired occupations at a very broad level. In addition, the majority of quantitative analyses use cross-sectional data to examine the economic integration of immigrants. The following research tests hypotheses which examine the relationships that various ascribed, human capital, and occupational characteristics have with multiple dimensions of employment success for a cohort of recent immigrants to Canada. Longitudinal analyses of several dimensions of the employment success of recent immigrants are conducted with the use of the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada. These “dimensions” include an examination of the likelihood that an immigrant will obtain employment in his or her intended occupation, or a “job match”, at some point during his or her first two years in Canada, the rate at which he or she obtains a job match during this time, and the change in his or her occupational prestige scores and wages between jobs. A case study of immigrant engineers is also presented, providing some insight into the employment success of immigrants seeking employment in regulated professions. Human capital theory, the theory of discrimination, and Weber’s theory of social closure are employed to examine different predictors of immigrant employment success. A distinctive contribution of this study is the examination of how different characteristics of an immigrant’s intended occupation may influence the likelihood of him or her obtaining a job match and the rate at which he or she does so. By examining several different aspects of employment success and accounting for immigrants’ employment throughout their first two years in Canada a more comprehensive picture of the economic integration of recent immigrants is obtained. However, the results indicate that one over-arching theory is not adequate in explaining the process of the economic integration of recent immigrants to Canada.
The Information Age? Resource Accessibility for African Immigrant Women
(University of Waterloo, 2009-08-27T18:23:30Z) Flagler, Jenny
There has been an influx in the number of African people entering North America since the 1960's. Despite the fact that women who emigrate from Africa tend to be more highly educated compared to the rest of Canada's population, they are far more likely to be unemployed and low-income (Statistics Canada, 2007: 7). Economic security is linked to decision-making power in many aspects of a woman’s life, including personal safety and freedom of choice. The original research question investigated in this study was how do female African immigrants in the Region of Waterloo access the services they require to gain economic security? The intent of the study was to explore how the services in the Region of Waterloo are accessed by African immigrants with diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. However, during the interview process the information collected extended beyond the initial research question. The analysis of the research answers three important questions. What are the various types of resources that women need to access in order to achieve economic self-sufficiency? How do they find out what these resources are? How can they acquire them? The qualitative research used in-depth interviews that were conducted with fifteen African women living in the Region of Waterloo. The analysis of the thesis emerged from the lived experiences of the participants following a feminist ethnographic approach. Women were given the opportunity to discuss their personal backgrounds and their reasons for leaving their countries of origin from their perspectives. The barriers to economic security after arriving in the region were analyzed with special attention to the unique barriers women face because of care-taking responsibilities. The impact of the loss of social support networks was explained. The use of government support services was discussed, leading into an analysis of the lack of information regarding support services. Participants identified that there is collective action of African immigrant women in non-profit organizations operating to fill the information gap. There are a number of important conclusions that can be drawn from this research. First, the women interviewed argued that they felt that it was the government’s responsibility to provide economic support services to new African immigrant families in order to help them become established. Second, although the government does have a number of programs designed to economically assist immigrants, they are not accessible nor do they reflect the needs of African immigrant women. Third, non-profit women’s organizations in the region are effective in providing information about available resources, and do take the needs of African women into consideration. Fourth, non-profit organizations in the region empower African women locally and help them to integrate into the community. Finally, participants asserted that non-profit organizations should be funded by the government in order to be able to provide sufficient economic support to community members. This research adds to the actions of local non-profit agencies and builds a needed step in bridging that gap between government and non-profit organizations by acknowledging the contribution of non-profit organizations.
PREVENTING OCCUPATIONAL INJURY: AN EXAMINATION OF TWO PARTICIPATORY WORKPLACE HEALTH PROGRAMS
(University of Waterloo, 2009-09-01T15:44:49Z) Dixon , Shane
Attempting to enhance their productivity or improve working conditions, many businesses have adopted organizational change programs that involve a participatory component. To attain a comprehensive understanding of these change programs we need to investigate the influence of social factors such as power, the impact of local and global contexts, and the role that agency plays in these programs. Further, because organizational programs do not unfold linearly and the contexts in which they are embedded continually evolve, it is crucial to employ an approach that allows studying organizational programs over time. Attending to these considerations enables the production of narratives of organizational change that are congruous with the dynamism of organizational life. This dissertation explores the dynamics of an organizational program in a particular type of occupational health and safety program, which emphasizes employee involvement: participatory ergonomics (PE). Participatory ergonomics, intended to reduce workers’ exposures to work-related musculoskeletal disorders, draws on the input of small groups of labour and management representatives called ergonomic change teams (ECTs) to address exposure to hazards that may lead to musculoskeletal disorders. The dissertation’s examination of an organizational change program consists of an analysis of PE programs in two workplaces: a courier depot and a manufacturing plant. The dissertation’s investigation of the PE programs is based primarily on observations, which were gathered longitudinally as the ECTs endeavoured to make ergonomic changes, and fifty-five semi-structured interviews, which were carried out with ECT members and other key informants who were not members of the ECTs. Data collection occurred during 48 months in the manufacturing setting; in the courier company, collection took place during a 30-month period. The dissertation’s analysis is informed by negotiated order and critical theory lenses. Negotiated order considers social order as an ongoing process and draws attention to the activities of individuals and groups, and the manner in which they influence the dynamics of social life. In regard to organizational programs, it rejects the idea that they unfold independently of actors’ efforts; rather, it considers them as products of individuals’ attempts to establish and maintain the necessary agreements to ensure their operation. Critical theory, as it pertains to occupational health, identifies the constraints that shape working conditions and links these with the uneven distribution of power in the workplace and production imperatives. The dissertation addresses the following general research questions: What actions were undertaken by individuals to ensure the PE programs functioned and continued? How did the organizational and societal context enable or constrain the pursuit of PE program activities? The presentation of the findings begins with an account of the problem-solving processes used in both of the settings, an overview of the types of knowledge that were used, and a description of the actors’ access to knowledge. In each setting, design parameters, production pressures, the nature of the knowledge required to design solutions, and the differential distribution of that knowledge among workplace personnel influenced (a) the effectiveness of the ECTs’ solution building activities, (b) the design process, and (c) the nature and degree of participation by the teams’ worker members. The dissertation then proceeds to an examination of the implementation process. It explores how this process is affected by the organizational context, in particular the ECTs’ limited authority as agents of change, and shows that the minimal authority they possessed prompted the ECTs to select an array of strategies to accomplish their work. These strategies often took the forms of persuasion, persistence, and enlisting the assistance of other personnel. Extending the discussion of implementation, the dissertation then focuses on the division of labour within the ECTs as they carried out their activities. In both settings, implementation activities were unevenly distributed among the ECTs’ membership; they were predominantly carried out by managerial personnel. Both the programs’ functioning and the participation of worker representatives were influenced by the interplay among three main factors: the type of activities that needed to be carried out, workplace hierarchy, and stance, or participants’ views about their ability to act effectively. The discussion of the PE programs then proceeds to an examination of whether the programs were supplied with the resources required to continue over time. The outcomes differed: in Courier Co. the program was discontinued, whereas in Furniture Co. it was maintained. The discussions investigate how PE program continuation was affected by the program supporters’ activities and shaped by conditions both internal and external to the organization. Foremost among these conditions were management’s view of health and safety and the occupational health and safety regulatory framework. The dissertation’s examination of the PE programs over time provides evidence that the functioning and the degree of worker involvement in participatory occupational health programs are conditioned by structural and interactional elements. The programs were shaped by an uneven distribution of power, limits on access to knowledge and scarce resources, and actors’ divergent interests and their capacities to act in accord with these interests. The final chapter of the dissertation reviews the key findings and examines common themes that arose across the workplaces. The dissertation concludes with observations on several topics: the challenges of evaluating program outcomes in settings such as occupational health and safety; the lessons that participatory ergonomics practitioners can take from the study’s findings; and suggestions for possible avenues of future research.
Dealing Drugs: Careers of Involvement, Subcultural Life-worlds, and Marketplace Exchanges
(University of Waterloo, 2009-10-01T18:52:31Z) McLuhan, Arthur
This thesis is an ethnography of drug dealers. Working from a Chicago School Symbolic Interactionist approach (Mead, 1934; Blumer, 1969), nineteen interviews were conducted with current and former drug dealers. I inquired into their careers (initial involvements, continuities, disinvolvements, reinvolvements) of participation in selling drugs. The data analysis is primarily located in three chapters – Chapters Five, Six, and Seven. Chapter Five considers people’s involvements in selling drugs as well as dealers’ interpersonal exchanges with their customers. In particular three processes are considered in Chapter Five: initial involvements in drug sales,expanding the customer base, and making sales. Chapter Six discusses dealers’ relationships with suppliers as well as dealers who become involved in supplying activities. This chapter discusses the matters of: making contacts with suppliers, working with suppliers, and becoming suppliers. Chapter Seven examines some of the identity allures and problematics of being a drug dealer as well as instances of disinvolvement and reinvolvement in drug dealing. This includes considerations of: striving for respectability, encountering regulatory agencies, and the problematics of disentanglement.

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