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This paper develops a basic causal model describing the effects of factors such as socialisation, rural-urban background, current occupation, perceived job stressors and locus of control as determinants of psychological distress in a sample of Nigerian factory workers. The analysis builds upon major results and theories of causation of psychological distress in African populations experiencing high rates of social change. Findings regarding perceived job stressors are similar to results found in Western samples, but the findings concerning the effects of cognitive attribution tendencies contrast with what is usually found in Western samples. The ensuing discussion of the reasons for such differences emphasises basic themes in the sociogenesis of psychological distress in an African context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the role of traditional rulers in the processes of reforming exconvicts in Nigeria. It does not seek to underplay the various roles of government institution like prisons, social welfare services, religious leaders and the Churches, nor those of informal family and kinship groups. Each contributes to the reformation and reintegration of deviants or recalcitrant individuals and groups into their society. However, the seedy seeks to identify and add yet another dimension in the rehabilitation process. The emphasis on 'traditional rulers' arises from their closeness to members of their communities, and from the fact that, as wise elders and custodians of their people's culture, they are trusted and respected by their subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban development since the colonial period in Nigeria has led to a rural-urban migration pattern in the post-independent state. A return labour migration process with implications for rural development has, however, accompanied certain socio-economic and political events in Nigeria in the 1980s. This paper highlights some factors that have impaired the rural transformation prospects of the new migration trend. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This brief paper will attempt to do the following: it will describe the evolution of Nigerian sociology, highlight its orientation and contributions, as well as attempt a prognosis of its future direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This article reports on the International Sociological Association's (ISA) Second Worldwide Competition for Young Sociologists. Two highlights should be mentioned first in this report on this year's Second Worldwide Competition for Young Sociologists, which was organized by Veronica Stolte-Heiskanen and ended with a two-week colloquium in Oerlinghausen. First, counting all Chinese papers into one, they were the largest group with seven finalist papers. Considering further that, for the first time, sociologists from Beijing were officially permitted to participate, then the strong Chinese participation with finalist quality essays is an important result for the World Congress in Bielefield and a point to note in future sociological ventures. Second, Nigerian sociology was represented by four participants which turned put to be an active, sociologically well trained group in the Oerlinghausen Colloquium organized by Steven Vaitkus. They were filled with the sociological imagination in its best conceptual sense. As already indicated in the Round Table on Nigerian Sociology and crowned by the recent election of Layi Erinosho onto the new Executive Committee of the ISA--Nigeria proves to be the first station of sociology in Africa.