Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: Social capital is defined as a combination of networks of civic engagement, norms of reciprocity and generalized trust. Our central claim is that social capital studies, which tend to focus on trust, should address reciprocity more explicitly. First, reciprocity is a weaker, procedural norm than the substantive norm of trust, and therefore it is better adapted than trust to function in divided, plural and increasingly diverse societies. While trust requires a degree of normative consensus, this is not the case for reciprocity. Highlighting the role of reciprocity therefore, allows us to reconcile the social capital concept, which has been accused of referring too strongly to homogeneous societies, with the liberal democracy model of John Rawls. Second, more easily than trust, reciprocity functions as a mechanism to start a cooperative relation. This way a stable distrust-based equilibrium can be disturbed and reciprocity could function as a mechanism to build a process-based form of trust.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Research in international relations explains reciprocity as an efficient tool for opening more options for cooperation and problem resolution between egoist actors in the anarchical international system. Reciprocity is further cited as an instrument encouraging the development of long term trust and obligations (Keohane 1986). Yet, there are plenty of examples in which actors in the international system follow a different course of action utilizing unilateral moves to further their own interests regardless of the other side’s positions and actions. In addition, there are cases of actors employing reciprocity that produce spirals of conflict and violence instead of cooperation. This paper is a preliminary attempt to identify the factors that cause reciprocity to develop in different directions in international relations and negotiations. Understanding this set of dynamics is valuable for both scholars and practitioners. Beginning with a theoretical analysis of these divergent dynamics, the paper then presents a model utilizing prospect theory in an attempt to shed light on the above puzzle. An illustrative case is used to clarify the operation of the models.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: The link between emotional well-being and social problems and behavior is an important topic of inquiry among social scientists. However, analysis generally takes one of two perspectives on the matter: well-being as a mitigating or aggravating factor in social problems, or social problems and behavior as contributing to various facets of well-being. Combining the two perspectives, while rare, can facilitate theoretical development and a deeper understanding of complex social phenomena. Our study moves sociological inquiry forward by examining the complex, dynamic, and contemporaneous relation of depressive affect and alcohol use among a sample of American teenagers. A set of full-information maximum-likelihood nonrecursive structural equation models are estimated and compared. Clear circularity exists when adolescent boys’ and girls’ depressive affect and drinking are modeled together: the more a teen drinks ostensively the more depressive symptomatology they report, while the more depressed they become the more they drink. A very different—asymmetrical—picture emerges when gender is modeled separately. Although depressed mood does not influence girls’ drinking, drinking increases girls’ reports of depressive symptomatology. The reverse is true for boys: depressive affect has a substantial effect on increased drinking, but drinking has no discernable impact on their well-being.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Increasingly, immigrants to the U.S. have immediate or extended family members residing not only in different households, but also in several different nations, as well as their country of origin. The processes involved in maintaining international family relations occurs to a greater or lesser extent in all immigrant families, regardless of their national origin or their settlement location. Yet, within international migration literature the transnational family has been until recently overlooked. This paper explores an aspect of transnational kinship relations, financial and non-financial exchanges between immigrants and their families abroad. Specifically, this paper focuses on the impact of gender on the frequency of contact and family reciprocity between immigrant family members in the U.S. and their kin residing outside of the country. Data was gathered from life-history interviews centering on migration experiences, settlement, and goals or family plans of social mobility. Findings suggest that reciprocity or exchanges within the family vary by gender, length of stay in host nation, situation of parents in country of origin. Additionally, this study reveals a relatively unreported aspect of immigrant exchanges; immigrants indicate that they received finical assistance or “get help” from family members residing abroad during the years directly following migration and later after the immigrants have become settled and established “give help” to relatives.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: . The common use of the number of deaths as a measure of the conflict intensity treats the effect of one death as having the same impact as the occurrence of the one hundred and first death. The metrics of death project examines whether a death count can truly measure intensity. Specifically we examine the casualties resulting from the conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians to determine the impact of various levels of death. We ask whether it is the number of casualties per incident or across time (i.e. across incidents) or some interaction of time and number of dead that is driving the reactions of the participants. The key question becomes what is the difference between these incidents? For instance it is possible that the reaction to an event is effected not only by the total number of dead but also by the time period in which this occurred. We use time series event data for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from 1979-2002 to model how the two actors responded to each other with regard to casualties. We find that different aggregation levels lead to different results.