Lynn D. Nelson

Property to the people : the struggle for radical economic reform in Russia

This collection fills the need for a resource that adequately conceptualizes the place of non-European histories in the larger narrative of world history. These essays were selected with special emphasis on their comparative outlook. The chapters range from the British Empire (India, Egypt, Palestine) to Indonesia, French colonialism (Brittany and Algeria), South Africa, Fiji, and Japanese imperialism. Within the chapters, key concepts such as gender, land and law, and regimes of knowledge are considered.

The Multidimensional Measurement of Death Attitudes: Construction and Validation of a Three-Factor Instrument

While the complexity of death attitudes has been recognized, the measurement of different dimensions of the concept is problematic. Through analysis of data collected from 587 undergraduate students, a 15-item instrument was developed which measures three attitudinal factors: avoidance of death symbols and the dead (death avoidance), reluctance to confront death processes (disengagement from death), and fear of personal death (death fear). Internal consistency reliabilities are adequate for each factor; alpha coefficients range from.71 to.76. Tests of discriminant and predictive validity indicate that the instrument may have research utility.

Socialization and demographic determinants of mortality expectations

Since subjective life expectancy (SLE) has been found related to a variety of personal orientations, the clarification of its determinants should facilitate understanding of social behavior. A theoretical model is presented which includes sociodemographic and socialization predictors. It was hypothesized that SLE would vary with exposure to early death among near relatives, family size, and desired longevity (DL). Exposure and DL were expected to vary with socioeconomic status (SES), age, and ethnic membership. Results from a sample of 513 students (18–29 years of age) indicated that the mean SLE of females exposed to same-sex early death was markedly lower than that of males or of females exposed to opposite-sex death. Among respondents with death exposure, family size was inversely related to SLE. SES had a direct effect on the dependent variable; the effects of age and ethnic membership were indirect. While death socialization attenuates SLE, it does not affect DL. It was suggested, therefore, that increased exposure to early death could heighten personal frustration, especially among females.

SUPPORT FOR RESOURCE CONSERVATION: A PREDICTION MODEL*

Normative support is created for social movements in a variety of ways. In previous studies of the diffusion of environmentalism, the complexity of this process has not been recognized. By synthesizing Smelsers (1962) collective behavior theory, Olsons (1971) theory of collective action and generalizations from diffusion research, we develop a theoretical model of support for resource conservation which includes socioeconomic status and aspiration, need identification, perceived problem immediacy, assessment of problem solubility and perceived personal efficacy. To provide a preliminary test of the theoretical model, survey data were gathered from a sample of 485 undergraduate students. The six measured predictors explained 25 percent of the variance in support for resource conservation. The results suggest that the internal logic of conservationism may be self-defeating, and that therefore the diffusion of support for voluntary resource conservation will probably not be extensive.

Functions and Dimensions of Religion

The vitality of religionsfrustration reductionfunction is examined in terms of deathfear and self-esteem, and the utility of religion in promoting norm adherence is assessed through analysis of the effects of religion on orientations toward the social responsibility norm. Religion is dimensionalized into public and private ritual activity (church attendance and devotionalism), religious experience and religious orthodoxy. Results from a statewide probability sample of males indicate that high levels offrustration are no more prevalent among the nonreligious than among those high in religiosity, but that devotionalism promotes norm adherence.