Inter-Racial Adoption: A Comparative Study of Legislation and Practice in the Fifty United States of America, 1966
Abstract
The fields of Social Work and Law have many common bases, all formularized to effect the welfare of the community and the individuals that comprise the community. Although law is a very old institution, while social work is still in its infancy, both professions have to deal with one common phenomenon in order to be a true vital force in their particular areas of specialty. This phenomenon is called "cultural lag", a very nebulous term that is at the core of both law and social work. The term is nebulous because the dynamics of the process are very complex, and as many men who study it will render their own interpretations. Broadly, cultural lag refers to the retardation of one aspect or quality of society while inter-related areas or qualities are developing at a more rapid rate. An example of a cultural lag in America can be seen in the country’s tremendous mechanization of industry, which is an acceleration of the technological qualities in American society, while simultaneously there are thousands of jobs that require technological skills that are not being filled. This is due to the less rapidly adapting educational quality of society. The total gap that exists between the two qualities is measured in terms of "cultural lag".
Subject Area
Social work
Recommended Citation
Malette, Lawrence William, "Inter-Racial Adoption: A Comparative Study of Legislation and Practice in the Fifty United States of America, 1966" (1966). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI30308764.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI30308764
