Stability for Development,Development for Stability: The Relationship Between Regional Organizations and Social Cohesion Through the Lens of the EU and MERCOSUR

Strategies aiming to foster social cohesion seek to enhance predictability and trust among heterogeneous actors. Although undoubtedly nation-states remain the dominant context for examining social cohesion, in Europe and in South America, nation-states have formed regional organizations to support political stability and economic cooperation in a world increasingly shaped by political and economic forces beyond the reach of any single nation-state. The comparative extent to which the regional political bodies of the European Union (EU) and the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) impact social cohesion within and across member states relates to their capacity to engender reciprocal patterns of political stability and economic development in the region. This article examines the EU and MERCOSUR's stake in social cohesion and how these organizations impact social cohesion in their respective regions through the establishment of institutionalized standards and norms, the content of specific regional policies, and the processes that accompany institutional governance at the regional level. The article finds that the existence of collective support and trust in the institutions that enable these regional organizations to effectively create desired political and economic conditions has implications for the depth of these integration projects and their ability to foster social cohesion across a region.     

Curriculum forms: On the assumed shapes of knowing and knowledge

Historically, the logico-rational mode of argumentation co-evolved with particular mathematical systems and particular geometrically-informed manners of interpreting experience and perception. We examine some of the ways these geometries continue to shape the sensibilities, practices and structures of much of curriculum discourse, in spite of the well-developed critiques of their associated logics. We draw on fractal geometry, a new field of mathematical study, to illustrate the pervasiveness and the constraining tendencies of classical geometries. We develop the suggestion that fractal geometry is a mathematical analogue to such discourse fields as post-modernism, post-structuralism and ecological theory. We attempt to show how, through the visual metaphor of a fractal image, conventional theories of knowing and knowledge might be seen as not only compatible, but as nested in and suggestive of one another. We briefly examine how fractal geometry can complement and inform other emergent sensibilities in curriculum, in particular, those discussions critical of the linear structures associated with classical logic.     

A Doubled Heterotopia: Shifting Spatial and Visual Symbolism in the Jewish Museum Berlin's Development

This essay considers the rhetoric of space in a rapidly transforming culture. Using Michel Foucault's concept of “heterotopias” to understand the rhetorical power of a building's disposition, it is argued that the Jewish Museum Berlin contains two heterotopias, one within the other. The first is Daniel Libeskind's original building design in relation to the surrounding city, but the second is the placement of an art installation, Menashe Kadishman's Shalechet, in a central location within the museum. The doubling of heterotopian space uses dialectical–rhetorical transcendence to build identification with the museum's message for an increasingly international audience.     

Communication with feeling: Emotion,publicness, and embodiment

AN EMOTIONAL HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES. Edited by Peter Stearns and Jan Lewis. New York & London: New York University Press, 1998; pp. 476. $22.50.

ANOTHER SELF: MIDDLE CLASS AMERICAN WOMEN AND THEIR FRIENDS IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. By Linda W. Rosenzweig. New York & London: New York University Press, 1999; pp. 225. $35.00.

BATTLEGROUND OF DESIRE: THE STRUGGLE FOR SELF CONTROL IN MODERN AMERICA. By Peter Stearns. New York & London: New York University Press, 1999; pp. 434. $28.95.

CRYING: THE NATURAL AND CULTURAL HISTORY OF TEARS. By Tom Lutz. New York & London: W.W. Norton & Company, 1999; pp. 352. $25.95.

EMOTIONS IN SOCIAL LIFE: CRITICAL THEMES AND CONTEMPORARY ISSUES. Edited by Gillian Bendelow and Simon J. Williams. London & New York: Routledge, 1998; pp. 336. $29.99.     

An Operant Model for Skill Acquisition

Despite the familiar claim that participation in the Olympic sports is broadly educational and developmental, a growing body of empirical evaluation suggests otherwise—so much so, that at the very least, beneficial results can no longer be left to chance. However important, most of what is called Olympic education addresses other concerns. This paper, written by an active participant in the Olympic Movement, argues for a formal, outcomes-based pedagogy of the Olympic sports and the Olympic Games, and offers several proposals on how it may be realized.     

Complexity science and educational action research: toward a pragmatics of transformation

In this article, the authors extend Phelps & Hase's (2002) explorations of the theoretical and methodological connections of complexity theory and action research by emphasizing complexity science as the study of learning systems. By emphasizing the importance of ‘complexity thinking’, an argument is made for conceptualizing action research as a ‘pragmatics of transformation’ that explicitly aims to bring together the self-interests of autonomous agents into grander collective possibilities. In addition, the authors offer pragmatic advice that is relevant for the ‘educational’ and ‘learning’ aspects of educational action research by describing a number of conditions that need to be in place in order for complex learning systems to develop and thrive.     

A QUALITY INITIATIVE FOR POSTSECONDARY TECHNICAL INSTRUCTORS

The quality of instruction provided through the post‐secondary technical institutes reflects the capabilities of the instructors. It would be ideal ifinstructors were trained through traditional teacher education programs. However, instructors inpost‐secon‐dary technical education generally have few collegiate programs in teacher preparation available to them.

The Georgia Instructor Academy is responsible for delivering in‐service training to both new and experienced instructors. The academy is divided into three specific divisions: the Technical Training Division, the Instructor Training Institute (ITI), and the Professional Development Division.

Technical Training provides instructors with opportunities to advance their occupational expertise. Training is delivered through classes, workshops, seminars, and industry‐based practicums and internships.

The ITI delivers pedagogical development. It provides new instructors with the basic pedagogical skills needed to become effective teachers. The ITI is broken into three hierarchical phases.

Professional Development provides experienced instructors with activities that enhance their professional lives. Classes, seminars, and workshops offer instructors opportunities to serve themselves, their home institutes, and professional organizations.

Educationally, the Georgia Instructor Academy provides various opportunities to develop and enhance the quality of Georgia's postsecondary technical teachers. By addressing these three important areas of teacher education this comprehensive program will benefit both students and, ultimately, the State of Georgia.     

BOUNDARIES OF AN ADMINISTRATIVE LABOR MARKET: THE CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER IN PUBLIC COMMUNITY COLLEGES

A number of studies have shown that 2-year colleges comprise a labor market for administrators. This study extended the work of two previous studies on organizational and membership boundaries to this labor market. Twombly (1986) identified employment in a postsecondary (2- or 4-year) institution in the immediately previous position as a membership boundary to the administrative labor market of 2-year colleges. B. C. Clark, Twombly, and Moore (1990) found state lines to be organizational boundaries that affected movement from one position to another in the labor market. This study examined the organizational and membership boundaries relatedto the chiefacademic officer position inpublic community colleges. It expanded the membership boundary to include 2-year, 4-year, and K-12 educational organizations and investigated organizational boundaries for up to four position moves. Findings indicate that membership in the labor market becomes increasingly closed to those employed by 2-year institutions as an individual moves closer to the chief academic position. The state line was found to be an organizational boundary, and there was also a strong within-institution influence affecting position-to-position mobility.     

Making the hard decisions: Student teachers moving towards ethical judgment

Abstract

In Australia in recent years, as in other countries, there has been media attention to, and public interest in, the ethical and proper behavior of people considered to be leaders in society. Some have been “caught out” for acting unethically—harming children, engaging in corruption, disregarding human rights and dignity. The time is right for educators, researchers and authors to demonstrate leadership in ethics by focusing on morals and ethics more strongly and overtly.

The teaching profession has not escaped scrutiny and criticism of their ethical practice. Members of the early childhood sector of the profession however, have demonstrated proactive leadership in ethics. In Australia, for example, a code of ethics and supporting materials were developed and leaders continue to develop supporting resources. This paper focuses on the professional preparation of the next generation of early childhood teachers. It has two primary purposes. Firstly, I raise questions about current notions of student teacher preparation for ethical practice in complex, changing contexts. Secondly, I propose some ideas aimed at better preparing student teachers for ethical judgment.