'THE POLITICS OF FAITH AND THE POLITICS OF SCEPTICISM': MICHAEL OAKESHOTT, EDUCATION AND EXTREMISM

ABSTRACT:  This paper considers a distinction between two types of politics developed by Michael Oakeshott in his book The Politics of Faith and the Politics of Scepticism (1996) and argues that the theoretical framework proposed supplies an illuminating and productive perspective for examining the notion of political extremism. These positions are linked to two other important aspects of his work, namely his account of 'enterprise' and 'civil' association and his differentiation between abstract philosophical entities and concrete political situations. There is also a discussion of the idea of 'perfectionism' which is central to the politics of faith. The paper concludes with a consideration of some of the implications for political education arising from this analysis.     

THE INTEGRATION OF RESEARCH,EDUCATION, AND PRACTICE IN GERONTOLOGY: SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND

This article focuses on the development of education relating to aging in a specific professional education program: social work at the University of Queensland. A brief outline of features of the aged population and services for the aged in Queensland, an Australian state, is given as a background for describing one approach to gerontology education with the University of Queensland social work faculty. The challenges and tasks of curriculum development in relation to gerontology in a generic undergraduate course are described. Specific training in gerontology at a theoretical and practical level is provided through field practicums in an institution for the aged and proposals to extend this to a community‐based practice research program for the aged are outlined. To give a combined approach to social work, current research programs relating to this program — social policy and aging — are described.     

CONTINUING EDUCATION,THE PROMOTION OF CULTURE,AND THE SOCIAL ROLE OF THE UNIVERSITY

For many years, the author has been thinking about the problem of how to combine continuing education courses in universities with efforts to promote the dissemination of culture in the broadest sense. He begins his article with two definitions, one of the concept of continuing education itself, the other of the concept of culture. He indicates that increasingly a popular demand is being manifested for courses combining both objectives, particularly on the part of those who had to interrupt their studies prematurely or who completed them some time ago. He cites two seminars currently being offered at the University oE Athens, one an interdisciplinary seminar in philosophy, organized eight years ago, the other, a seminar in the philosophy of art. Both of them have opened their doors to all interested persons. They have been extremely popular, despite the fact that enrol‐lecs earn no credit for attending them. With the aid of the appropriate national authorities, similar programmes could be created in other universities in the countries belonging to Unesco so as to respond to a genuine social need.     

HOW IS EDUCATION POSSIBLE? PRAGMATISM, COMMUNICATION AND THE SOCIAL ORGANISATION OF EDUCATION

ABSTRACT:  Education cannot mean that the young are the product of the activities of their teachers. At the same time, we do not speak of education if students would simply learn something irrespective of the ac­tivities of their teachers. In this paper we focus on the question: How is education possible? Our aim is to contribute to a social theory of education, a theory that does not reduce our understanding of educational processes and practices to underlying 'constituting elements' but rather tries to understand the social nature of education as a reality sui generis.     

终生教育及其模式构建

科学技术的突飞猛进,加快了人类社会的变革与发展.为了适应这种变化,人类必须不断更新自己的知识,因此终生教育成为越来越多国家和地区教育改革和发展的指导原则.终生教育体系主要由社区教育与家庭教育、学校教育、回归教育三种模式构成.在构建过程中,要注意各模式之间的联系,以促进终生教育目标的实现.     

终生教育及其模式构建

科学技术的突飞猛进,加快了人类社会的变革与发展。为了适应这种变化,人类必须不断更新自己的知识,因此终生教育成为越来越多国家和地区教育改革和发展的指导原则。终生教育体系主要由社区教育与家庭教育、学校教育、回归教育三种模式构成。在构建过程中,要注意各模式之间的联系,以促进终生教育目标的实现。*     

试论社会稳定与和谐社会构建

维护社会稳定,是构建社会主义和谐社会的必然要求.和谐社会的首要标志便是稳定和有序.但是,当前在我国还存在着诸多影响社会稳定的因素.本文从多角度、多侧面探讨了如何确保社会稳定,促进和谐社会的构建.     

日本"聋文化宣言":权力政治、社会不平等与文化再生产

1996年日本的"聋文化宣言",乃是一篇对聋人进行重新界定的战斗檄文,它宣称"残疾人"云云,只不过是听人给聋人贴上的标签。聋人并没有把自己看做是残疾人,失去听力本身并不必然意味着痛苦,痛苦更可能来自生活在听人世界与听人相处过程中所受到的种种歧视和偏见,以及基于这些歧视和偏见之上的一厢情愿的意志强加。聋人的世界本是一个完整的世界,聋人与听人语言不同、文化不同,问题的本质不在生理的缺陷而在文化的差异。在把聋人的世界看作是一个完整的世界之意义上来谈论聋教育,教育社会学为分析权力政治、社会不平等、文化再生产等问题提供了新的视角。