Every year, American universities publish glowing reports stating their commitment to diversity, often showing statistics of female hires as proof of success. Yet, although women make up increasing numbers of graduate students, graduate degree recipients, and even new hires, academic life remains overwhelming a man's world. The reality that the statistics fail to highlight is that the presence of women, specifically those with children, in the ranks of tenured faculty has not increased in a generation. Further, those women who do achieve tenure track placement tend to report slow advancement, income disparity, and lack of job satisfaction compared to their male colleagues. Amid these disadvantages, what is a Mama, PhD to do? This literary anthology brings together a selection of deeply felt personal narratives by smart, interesting women who explore the continued inequality of the sexes in higher education and suggest changes that could make universities more family-friendly workplaces. The contributors hail from a wide array of disciplines and bring with them a variety of perspectives, including those of single and adoptive parents. They address topics that range from the level of policy to practical day-to-day concerns, including caring for a child with special needs, breastfeeding on campus, negotiating viable maternity and family leave policies, job-sharing and telecommuting options, and fitting into desk/chair combinations while eight months pregnant. Candid, provocative, and sometimes with a wry sense of humor, the thirty-five essays in this anthology speak to and offer support for any woman attempting to combine work and family, as well as anyone who is interested in improving the university's ability to live up to its reputation to be among the most progressive of American institutions.

"There was a time when Elaine Richardson was one of 'the Negroes everybody pointed to as the Negroes you didn't want to become.' The title of this book is no metaphor or allusion, but a literal shorthand for a remarkable, unpredictable journey. She inherits a plain way of talking about horrific pain from a mother who seemed impossible to shock. The way too fast way she grew up was and is too common, but her will to remap her destiny is uncommon indeed. To call her story inspiring would be itself too plain a thing, hers is a heroic life." -dream Hampton, writer and filmmaker

A collection of personal essays from men who wrestle with what it means to be a father in academia today. Organized in three sections, the stories of the contributors depict not merely a balancing act of parenting, teaching, and writing, but also the revelatory collision and occasional fusion of competing identities. Essays in the first section, "Fathers in Theory, Fathers in Praxis, " focus on challenges related to merging work and parenting. The authors contemplate to what degree we engage our children in the academy, while also allowing them to grow independently, recognizing the challenge of keeping the roles of parent and teacher distinct. The second section, "Family Made, " explores fatherhood against the grain and includes narratives of single dads, fathers raising children with disabilities, biracial families, and other "non-traditional" parenting situations. "Forging New Fatherhoods, " the third section, articulates the strategies created by men to "balance diapers and a doctorate" or to reconcile fatherhood with professional ambition. The contributors' reflections reveal how fatherhood is instrumental to their successes and failures in the workplace, and demonstrate that the relationship between fatherhood and academia is a rich and legitimate subject for study.

For many parents, the idea of “work-life balance” is a work-life myth. In The PhD Parenthood Trap, Kerry F. Crawford and Leah C. Windsor use insights from original survey data and vignettes from scholars to reveal the realities of raising kids in academia and suggest reforms to help support parents throughout their careers.

Mamas Voice is the product of a middle-aged Christian psychiatrist and mother who journals her life observations and experiences, hoping to pass on some life lessons to her children. What started off as random journaling of thoughts ended up being a published book released as a birthday present for her children. The book is written in a random manner with life lessons ranging from self-esteem, bad habits, addictions, snobbery, conflict, money, selfishness, greed, and codependent relationships through to family dramas. The author attempts to capture some important life lessons with a touch of humor and rawness that depicts the real-life dramas. Both pleasurable and painful life observations and experiences are unapologetically expressed with a rawness that does not coat it with sweet candy. Its about real life seen through the eyes of a mother going through a midlife crisis and questioning most things she had taken for granted. The messages are given as direct instructions to her children in second or third person voices and riddles. The messages are just as random as they entered the authors thoughts. This is a light read for both the middle aged and young, who are questioning a few things in their worldview. Like the philosopher in the book of Ecclesiastes, the author grapples with certain life issues until she finally realizes that she cannot fix the world and she gives up control. The forty-five-year-old author starts off by writing a letter to her thirteen-year-old self and ends the book with her modified version of the Ten Commandments and a futuristic letter to her eighty-five-year-old self.

Global knowledge is increasingly essential for all aspects of social work. Today's professionals respond to concerns including permeable borders, the upheavals of war, displaced workers, natural disasters, international adoption, and human trafficking. Everywhere, social workers work with service users and colleagues from diverse cultures and countries. Globally relevant concepts such as human rights, development, and inclusion offer new perspectives to enhance policy and practice and facilitate the international exchange of ideas. This handbook is the first major reference text to provide a solid foundation of knowledge for students and researchers alike. The extensive collection of 73 chapters confirms the integral and necessary nature of international social work knowledge to all areas of practice, policy, and research. Chapters systematically map the key issues, organizations, competencies, training and research needs, and ethical guidelines central to international social work practice today, emphasizing the linkages among social work, development, and human rights practice. In-depth country case studies and policy examples encourage readers to understand how their practice in social work touches on international issues, regardless of whether the work is done at home or abroad. Representing all regions of the world, a wide range of contributors that are leaders in their fields have put together an exhaustive collection that represents the state-of-play of international social work today.

"This book examines and forms strategies to respond to the particular needs of gay men living with non-HIV chronic illnesses and disabilities such as diabetes, cancer, obesity, and muscular sclerosis. Bringing together the interdisciplinary expertise and unique perspectives of leaders in social work, psychology and rehabilitation counseling, Gay Men Living with Chronic Illnesses and Disabilities discusses key issues from theoretical, clinical, practical, and personal perspectives. With extensive, up-to-date bibliographies at the end of each chapter and case studies that illuminate its theoretical discussions, this book is essential reading for those involved in health policy and practice with gay men living with chronic illnesses and disabilities." --Book Jacket.

Examination of the usefulness of current frameworks for research with GLBT populations and the necessity for greater complexity in the conceptualization and design of research with these populations. The authors consider the advantages and limitations of having an 'inside' perspective when conducting research and explore the ways in which this research can be used to better understand issues facing GLBT communities. This monograph is published simultaneously as the Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services, Vol. 15, Nos. 1/2.).

Field Instruction in Social Work Settings explores the relationship between field instruction and the setting in which it occurs. The book asserts that certain aspects of social work, including laws, funding, political climate, organizational policies, and values, affect the relationship between student and field instructor and shape teaching and learning. The book explores dimensions of the student/field instructor relationship such as goals and expectations, development of professional identity, uses of the self, issues of diversity, authority, dependency, autonomy, value dilemmas, and the structure of supervision. It presents a framework for teaching field instruction and uses the framework to explore its relevance, meaning, and use in the following settings: perinatal AIDS program public child welfare child advocacy agency public school occupational health and safety project family service psychiatric hospital case management program for the elderly day center for the elderlyField Instruction in Social Work Settings is the only book available relating field instruction to the specific context in which it occurs. It recognizes the social work field’s diminished budget and increased demands and points out the critical necessity of students learning to address and manage policy and organizational issues as they develop their social work skills. This book is an aid to field instructors balancing increases in enrollment and curriculum content and decreases in placements and budgets. It integrates all of these concerns with field practice and seeks to provide a model for those working in the field as instructors and students. Field Instruction in Social Work Settings applies classroom material to social work settings and emphasizes the value of field instruction by relating it to the branches of child welfare, mental health, and health care. It allows the reader to integrate social work policy and advocacy with field work, and it provides the reader with an appreciation of how social work and field instruction can work together directly.

About the Book Confessions of a PhD shares the stories of twelve authors and their struggles and successes of pursuing their doctorate degrees. Each doctoral graduate has their own struggle and personal situations to overcome. We see a domestic abuse survivor, whose husband threw out all her textbooks. She fought to reach her goal in obtaining a doctorate. A former drug dealer who turned his life around. A graduate who didn’t care to study in high school die to their football dreams, and the injury that made them pursue another path. And another who was a former stripper. Each story has its own message, its own advice to provide to anyone pursuing a doctorate degree, especially for those who seek further advancement in the field of education. Their stories will bring laughter and heartbreak, share successes and failures, all with the affirmation that through hard work, perseverance, and dedication, anyone can achieve their PhD. About the Author Managing editor and contributor for Confessions of a PhD, is a serial entrepreneur, award-winning researcher and statistician, award-winning professor, legal expert witness, business expert, and best-selling author. Dr. Miles is a nationally known startup and marketing expert, and a forensic marketing expert. He has been featured on ABC News, CBS News, Fox News, NBC News, CNN, Huffington Post, Reader’s Digest, Bloomberg Radio, and numerous others. Dr. Miles is also CEO and founder of Miles Development Industries Corporation, a consulting practice and venture capital acquisition firm. He is also the host executive producer of the Game on Business Talk Radio Show. Dr. Miles’ own journey earned him a PhD in Entrepreneurship from the University of the Incarnate Word, an MBA in International Business/Marketing from Our Lady of the University, and a BBA in Marketing from University of Texas at San Antonio.