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- Creator:
- Ibrahim, Christine
- Description:
- This research draws upon the experiences of ten individuals tasked with addressing the issue of human trafficking. While human trafficking has grown into the second largest international crime (U.S. Department of Homeland Security 2015), little sociological research has been conducted on the ways that individuals respond to their experiences with human trafficking. Moreover, not only is there limited information on how people respond to human trafficking, but there is even less known about the experiences of those who are specifically tasked with addressing the issue. This research examines the experiences law enforcement and victim advocates tasked with addressing human trafficking to understand the meaning behind their interactions with those involved in human trafficking. In this paper I explore the perceptions of these law enforcement and victim advocates’ interactions to the problem of human trafficking. Those who are specifically tasked with addressing human trafficking have an important role in the fight against it. Through interviews with law enforcement officials and victim advocates, I examine how they perceive human trafficking through the victim-centered approach and recommended prevention measures. The findings show how the victim-centered approach influences their interactions with victims and what they perceive the ideal victim to be.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Sociological Practice
- Creator:
- Nahar, Lillian
- Description:
- We Are Unpersuaded: Judicial Discourses Deny Existence of Workplace Racism” This scholarship examines judicial discursive practices that deny Blacks redress for workplace race discrimination. Through examination of judicial language and rulings the presence of both colorblind epistemology and white supremist ideology is exposed that silences the Black voice and denies access to justice while valorizing the white voice and legitimizing workplace race marginalizing, oppression, and discrimination that perpetuates inequality
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Sociological Practice
- Creator:
- Camacho, Taelani
- Description:
- My research inquiry is understanding how foster youth understand success through de-institutionalization from the foster care system-- a form of reentry into society-- compared to the case managers of the system who formally determine whether or not foster youth are successful. The following research explores the complexities of success within a transitional housing program from the perspectives of case managers and youth. Conducted were semi-structured, open-ended interviews with 3 case managers and 9 youth. The complexities of success pertain to past experiences with care, institutionalization and de-institutionalization, and independence and interdependence. The study provides a guideline to what is needed to reintegrate youth back into society. Recommendations were made to be more inclusive of de-institutionalization processes as well as change the dominant ideology toward a shift of interdependence. Spaces that allow youth to transition back into society are valuable thus should be further examined and implemented.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Sociological Practice
- Creator:
- Turchiano, Mayra
- Description:
- This study examines the experiences of low-economic Latino parents who resisted school residency fraud policies to provide quality education to their children in a privileged school district in Southern California. Ten semi-structured, open-ended interviews of parents who enrolled their children in a district other than their assigned school district, or helped someone do so, were conducted. In addition, document analysis was used to better understand the residency policies and sanctions used by the school district under investigation. Using the frameworks of Critical Race Theory and Merton’s Strain Theory, I analyzed the lived experiences of low-income parents of color with school residency policies and school residency verification programs and the circumstances under which they circumvented structural barriers to quality educational access. I found that at the center of the parents’ experience were their lack of in-depth understanding of the school residency policies and the sanctions associated with the violation of these policies. Participants acknowledged that their actions were not appropriate, but justified their actions as doing the best for their children. They challenged the retaliatory measures the educational and criminal system adopted to discipline them and resisted their criminalization, although they suffered from the sanctions imposed upon them in many cases.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Sociological Practice
- Creator:
- Victory, Olivia
- Description:
- This research delves into the lives of individuals who have experienced living in group homes in the foster care system. I look specifically at how these forms of institutional care affect their transitions into adulthood. Through conducting eight semi-structured interviews, participants share their stories and experiences of these institutions and bring insight into how such institutions have affected their lives. The interviews provide knowledge on the standpoints of each participant, through their retrospective reflections on at their time spent in group homes and transitions into adulthood. The participants reveal the structured abuse found inside of group homes, and highlight how this abuse has affected their lives. My research represents a social justice approach for youth in the foster cares system, which demands transparency and accountability to the care provided in group homes.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Sociological Practice
- Creator:
- Hernandez, Erendira Irais
- Description:
- There is an extensive amount of research on students’ experiences with school disciplinary policies, however there is little to no research in regards to educators’ perspectives on the enforcement of school disciplinary policies. This study focuses on educators’ perspectives on school disciplinary policies as it is applied to Chicana/o youth. The sample size for this study was twelve educators from two different school sites from two different school districts. Six interviews were gathered from each location. This study relied on extended open-ended semi structured questions. The findings in this study suggest that school administrators and educators are enforcing school disciplinary policies that are ineffective, heavily targeting Chicana/o students and create conflicts between students and educators, as well as conflicts between educators and administrators. In addition, this study found that educators had difficulties discussing the topic of race in reference to who gets disciplined and how school disciplinary policies fuel the school-to-prison pipeline. I conclude that having an educators’ perspective of school disciplinary policies will enhance our understanding of the inequalities within the educational system that young Chicana/o students face daily.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Sociological Practice
- Creator:
- Soto, Oscar Fabian
- Description:
- Until recently, law and policy makers have given little systematic attention to the process of individual’s reintegration into society. This research identifies current reentry trends among the formerly incarcerated, especially People of Color. This thesis analyzes four main areas: education, employment, housing, and prison trauma effects on different Chican@s. A sample of 12 individuals, who served time in an adult prison, participated in this study. This social inquiry relied on semi-structured open-ended questions, while also observing the experience of formally incarcerated individuals in the Together Foundation housing complex in a San Diego, California. Through participant/ethnographic research I was able to navigate through the daily lives of people who had just been released from prison. The findings in this study outline the major barriers social institutions have over the formally incarcerated successful reintegration; these include discrimination, policy implementation (through budget cuts), and institutional racism. I conclude that social institutions, specifically education, employment, and housing, play a major role in blocking a successful reintegration of formally incarcerated individuals, by stereotyping and criminalizing their daily lives through a concept I coined as the revolving prison door industrial complex. Additionally, the traumas in the prison system follow the formally incarcerated throughout their reintegration process.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Sociological Practice
- Creator:
- McGlaston, Rachael
- Description:
- This research explores how users of online cybersexual communities navigate relationships and negotiate power. Utilizing complete observation methodology and the theories of Bounded Authenticity and Emotional Labor, this research found that members in online cybersexual communities often utilize these platforms to establish homosocial relationships with other webcamming members.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Sociological Practice
- Creator:
- Villafan, Freddy
- Description:
- The purpose of this project is to validate the voices, experiences, and needs of homeless veterans in San Diego, California. I investigated how homeless veterans navigate and negotiate homelessness and related services in San Diego County. This study seeks to understand veteran homelessness in relation to San Diego military bases, government and non-governmental veteran organizations, and the types of funding that circulate through these institutions and spaces. This study utilized qualitative research methods to explore the following questions: What are the unmet needs of the homeless veteran population that are addressed (in)efficiently or not at all? What are the strengths and weaknesses of programs and services that seek to address veteran homelessness in San Diego? How do veterans engage with these services, if at all? This study utilized a phenomenological method to address research questions through individual narratives. For my data collection I conducted (13) face-to-face semi-structured interviews. The interviews demonstrate there is a multitude of state, city, military affiliated (such as Veteran Affairs), and community organizations (non-profits, churches, individual and philanthropic efforts) attempting to fill gaps of homeless needs and services provided. Participants provided their own direct and indirect evaluations of various programs and practices that they find troubling or helpful. Veteran’s discharge status played an essential role in determining their access to services as well as their comfortability and likelihood they would share their veteran status with others. Participants’ responses revealed different experiences with their veteran identity depending on their discharge status because it influenced their access to services and fear of judgement from others. I explore these varying understandings of “deserving” and “undeserving veteran status.” One of the most significant patterns that emerged was the organic homeless veteran community that circulated information about resources, news, politics, laws, and other services. There was a heightened sense of legitimacy if information came from another veteran. These channels of information played an instrumental role in determining what services the veterans would seek out and who they would trust. There is the potential that the results of this study can be used to educate lawmakers and other decision makers about best-practices concerning the dispersal of money and resources to veteran homelessness.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Sociological Practice
- Creator:
- Roethel, Katie Monderine
- Description:
- This exploratory pilot study examines how middle school staff in North County San Diego perceive and utilize LGBTQ-supportive resources for trans*students despite personal and school-wide barriers they face. Current literature on trans* youth primary focuses on trans* identity politics, familial support, and school climate issues. Queer theory and Dean Spade’s “administering gender” concepts are used to inform my findings. Seven semi-structured interviews were conducted with middle school staff around North County San Diego who identified as LGBTQ allies, revealing their perceptions of gender identity and how they support trans* students at their schools. Findings showed that participants acted as voluntary advocates by starting GSAs, gathering information from local workshops, organizations, and conferences to learn about LGBTQ education and rights. They used safe space stickers and posters to promote their status as “allies”, allowing for trans* students to feel safe and supported in their company or classroom. Participants described several barriers that hindered their ability to provide support for trans* students, including lack of staff trainings at their school, parental interference, and resistant colleagues and administrations. As predicted by queer theory and Spade’ administrating gender theory, school staff who would like to support trans* students must challenge strict enforcement of binary gender norms, school-wide barriers and gender categorization within the school system. The findings of this research demonstrate the need for mandatory safe space trainings at the middle school level.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Sociological Practice