The convoy model has provided a useful framework in the study of aging, especially for understanding predictors and consequences of social relations across the life course.

A systematic analysis of how age, race, and their interaction influence the characteristics of social networks furnishes important empirical knowledge about social networks among diverse groups. Such data may provide a context for how, and some explanation for why, support exchanges occur.

An examination of within-group variability reveals influences of age and SES on personal networks among men and women.

Findings suggest that instrumental social support provides some protection from everyday stress. Social support, however, does not offset the impact of acute stress caused by frequent perceptions of everyday discrimination.

Attention to social patterns within immigrant groups provides a critical means for discerning processes of ethnic identity formation. This study draws from the theoretical foundations of boundary work to examine identity formation among second-generation Arab American adolescents. Contested spaces of identity emerge as teens distinguish themselves from immigrant culture and "white" society. Focus group discussions highlight the significance of gender relations and the way in which interpretations of religious teachings shape identity formation. Specifically, boundaries drawn reflect moral superiority by controlling girls' behaviors as interpretations of religious teachings are used to justify restrictions. However, while these boundaries provide significant markers of in-group inclusion, they also are contested. This study concludes by discussing the implications of symbolic boundaries lodged in race, gender, and religion and suggests avenues for future research.Two prominent theoretical perspectives regarding identity formation among children of immigrants are segmented assimilation (Portes and Rumbaut 2001) and transnationalism (Levitt and Waters 2003). The former posits that among the secondgeneration assimilation may occur upward or downward, depending on both the social capital held by the immigrant group and the predominant culture of the host society in which children of immigrants are enmeshed (e.g., Zhou and Bankston 1998); the latter addresses identity formation by highlighting how regular contact with parents' country of origin contributes to this process (Espiritu and Tran 2003;Kibria 2003). Yet with a few notable exceptions (Das Gupta 1997;Diner 1983; Espitiru 2001; Lopez 2003) the absence of gender relations in the articulation of the boundaries that distinguish ethnic membership is a conspicuous omission in the study of second-generation ethnic identity formation processes. This study contributes to the emerging work on gender relations and ethnic identity by exploring the mechanisms associated with activating and maintaining boundaries,