This paper examines the roles that companion animals play in the lives of American families, and discusses how those roles change as families progress through the stages of the family life cycle. It highlights the importance of pets in the lives of children and the benefits they receive from such relationships. It also presents information regarding the role of a child that animals often assume within families that do not have children. This paper also discusses the impact that the death of a pet has on the family, and provides suggestions for social workers who assist families that have strong attachment to companion animals.

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As the rate of pet ownership increases, companion animals are fulfilling a variety of roles in the lives of their humans. This article provides insight on the role that companion animals play in the lives of women. The women in this study showed stronger attachments to those animals that either preceded the birth of their children, or followed the children leaving home. This finding has potential implications for services provided to women by various helping professions.

This study examines university student attitudes concerning social justice and their perceptions of inequality. In this article, we explore how gender shapes students’ understanding of issues of inequality, sexism, racism, classism, and their inclinations to act against these issues. This research seeks to explore how gender shapes students’ understanding of social justice. Moreover, it seeks to answer the following questions: Are women or men more willing to engage in social justice actions? Are women or men more likely to recognize and perceive inequality? Lastly, are women or men more determined to do something to achieve social justice? Results show that women students are far more likely to identify inequality and engage in actions to achieve social justice.

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