Comment on Hanasaki Kohei: decolonalization and the assumption of war responsibility

Abstract

The first Asian Lesbian Film and Video Festival, held in Taipei in August 2005, brought forth media art, social activism and cultural exchange on one occasion. It provided a rare opportunity to showcase the experience of Asian lesbians, which is vastly different from the experience of those in Western countries. While there were great similarities in their love experiences among the 36 Asian lesbian shorts selected, they also reflected the differences among the Asian countries in terms of local development of tongzhi culture and community as well as the visibility of tongzhis. Among the Chinese communities, Taiwan was seen to be at the forefront of the development of tongzhi culture, Mainland China was new to the movement, and Hong Kong was somewhere in‐between. Japanese and Korean videos took a critical and reflective attitude towards social regulations and mainstream thoughts, although witty and farcical at times. While the Filipinos show a more tolerant attitude to the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) community, the major oppressive forces on lesbians were poverty, gender inequality and sexual violence. Only one Israeli documentary was shown at the film festival, which focused on lesbians living in the Jewish Orthodox traditions. The film won international acclaim and attracted much public attention to the issue. Films and videos were found to be an effective means to transcend language barriers and cultural differences for a true cross‐cultural exchange among Asian lesbians. During the few days of festival, a ‘queer nation’, not defined by nationalities or languages, but by the pursuit of love expressions, was constructed around The Taipei House.     

Facilitators of and barriers to school psychologists' social–emotional/behavioral practices

Using data from a national survey of school psychologists we investigated (a) the extent to which school psychologists supported students' social–emotional and behavioral well-being using data and evidence-based practices programming, (b) how facilitators and barriers impacted school psychologists' service delivery in these areas, and (c) how participants' demographic characteristics predicted facilitators to these practices. The survey was administered to randomly selected National Association of School Psychologists' members. One hundred ninety-nine full-time, school-based school psychologists (24% response rate) completed the survey. Results indicated more practitioners reported using data to design, implement, and evaluate evidence-based strategies for social–emotional and behavioral supports (M = 3.32, SD = 0.90) than reported using evidence-based strategies themselves in these same areas (M = 3.10, SD = 1.05). School psychologists who reported more facilitators were more likely to use data and engage in evidence-based practices related to social–emotional and behavioral supports for students. Results also indicated certain barriers impeded school psychologists' practices in these areas. Few demographic characteristics predicted the presence of facilitators or barriers. Findings from the current study extend the extant literature by providing empirical data on facilitators of and barriers to services related to school psychologists' use of data and evidence-based practices in these areas.     

Community cartography in health communication: An asset-based mapping approach in four communities in rural Ecuador

Scholars and practitioners are increasingly turning to maps as tools for promoting health and development communication. These maps are often criticized for privileging the interests of the global North and for authorizing (neo)colonial approaches. The authors offer a case of community mapping incorporating asset-based community development that offers an alternative cartography. Drawing on the maps produced by members of four communities in rural Ecuador, the authors articulate how their maps productively use and challenge assumptions about maps. Following this analysis, the authors offer some implications that community-scale maps have for articulating rhetorical alternatives in health and development communication.     

Pragmatism, Ideology and Educational Change: The Case of Special Educational Needs

A major theme of recent debate and policy development in the area of special education is that of inclusion: the placement of all pupils in mainstream schools and the development of curriculum and pedagogy to meet the needs of all. Analysis of national statistical data shows some movement in this direction, but of a slow and very uneven kind. An exploration of the concepts of pragmatism to describe an important aspect of LEA decision making and of ideology to describe an important aspect of pressures for inclusion helps to explain this pattern of development. The paper concludes that both approaches require further systematic empirical data on the outcomes of different patterns of educational provision.     

Great expectations: single mothers in higher education

This ethnographic study examines the educational experiences of 10 women who are both social service recipients and higher education students. Study participants view higher education in a variety of ways that include both instrumental and transformational purposes. By situating participants’ experiences in the larger economic and social context of welfare reform and shrinking employment opportunities, this paper provides a critical analysis of their assumptions concerning higher education.     

A TYPOLOGY OF CHILD SCHOOL BEHAVIOR: INVESTIGATION USING LATENT PROFILE ANALYSIS AND CLUSTER ANALYSIS

To describe and facilitate the identification of child school behavior patterns, we developed a typology of child school behavior (ages 6–11 years) using the norming data (N = 2,338) for the second edition of the Behavior Assessment System for Children Teacher Rating–Child form). Latent profile analysis was conducted with the entire data set, whereas cluster analysis was conducted within each latent profile. The resulting classification system included three latent profiles: (a) Adequate Adjustment (AA), (b) Mild Adjustment Difficulties (MAD), and (c) Functionally Impaired Adjustment (FIA). The AA latent profile included the (a) Well‐Adapted, (b) Average, and (c) Worry clusters. The clusters identified within the MAD latent profile were (a) Academic Problems, (b) Physical Complaints, (c) Disruptive Behavior Problems, and (d) Internalizing Problems. Finally, the FIA latent profile comprised the (a) Clinical Problems–External and (b) Clinical Problems–Internal clusters.     

The effects of formative reading assessments closely linked to classroom texts on high school reading comprehension

Older student reading of informational texts like those found in most high school classrooms continue to be a concern. College entrance exams scores attest to the fact that this age group of readers remain largely unprepared for the rigorous, discipline area reading and comprehension demands of higher education. In response to this issue content area teachers have been encouraged to teach reading skills for their subject matter. Standard reading instruction tools have included reading guides and summative reading assessments. This study sought to compare the effects of standard reading pedagogy with computerized, formative reading assessments given to students as they read. The largest publisher of high school textbooks, Pearson Prentice-Hall, and the publisher of the high school government text used in this study currently does not have in place digital, formative reading assessments tracking section by chapter section. High school seniors in nine sections of American Government under two different instructors participated in this mixed method, quasiexperimental study. Results indicate a significant difference in content comprehension with the formative assessment pedagogy. Survey and questionnaire responses suggest students thought they read better and were more motivated to read responding to computerized formative assessments (CBA’s) that closely tracked their subject matter textbooks.     

Can I Bring My Gun? A Fifty-State Survey of Firearm Laws Impacting Policies Prohibiting Handguns in Public Libraries

In Capital Area District Library v. Michigan Open Carry, 826 N.W. 2d 736 (2012), the Michigan Court of Appeals concluded that state law preempted the library's weapons policy prohibiting firearms in the library. This survey asks how laws in each state impact similar policies prohibiting handguns in public libraries.