Exploring the construction of social class in educational discourse: the rational order of the nation state vs. global uncertainties

This article aims to create intellectual space in which issues of social inequality and education can be analyzed and discussed in relation to the multifaceted and multi-levelled complexities of the modern world. It is divided into three sections. Section One locates the concept of social class in the context of the modern nation state during the period after the Second World War. Focusing particularly on the impact of ‘Fordism’ on social organization and cultural relations, it revisits the articulation of social justice issues in the United Kingdom, and the structures put into place at the time to alleviate educational and social inequalities. Section Two problematizes the traditional concept of social class in relation to economic, technological and sociocultural changes that have taken place around the world since the mid-1980s. In particular, it charts some of the changes to the international labour market and global patterns of consumption, and their collective impact on the re-constitution of class boundaries in ‘developed countries’. This is juxtaposed with some of the major social effects of neo-classical economic policies in recent years on the sociocultural base in developing countries. It discusses some of the ways these inequalities are reflected in education. Section Three explores tensions between the educational ideals of the ‘knowledge economy’ and the discursive range of social inequalities that are emerging within and beyond the nation state. Drawing on key motifs identified throughout, the article concludes with a reassessment of the concept of social class within the global cultural economy. This is discussed in relation to some of the major equity and human rights issues in education today.

Immigration, security and the public debate on US language policy : a critical discourse analysis of language attitudes in the United States of America

The narrative of the United States is of a "nation of immigrants" in which the language shift patterns of earlier ethnolinguistic groups have tended towards linguistic assimilation through English. In recent years, however, changes in the demographic landscape and language maintenance by non-English speaking immigrants, particularly Hispanics, have been perceived as threats and have led to calls for an official English language policy.This thesis aims to contribute to the study of language policy making from a societal security perspective as expressed in attitudes regarding language and identity originating in the daily interaction between language groups. The focus is on the role of language and American identity in relation to immigration. The study takes an interdisciplinary approach combining language policy studies, security theory, and critical discourse analysis. The material consists of articles collected from four newspapers, namely USA Today, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and San Francisco Chronicle between April 2006 and December 2007.Two discourse types are evident from the analysis namely Loyalty and Efficiency. The former is mainly marked by concerns of national identity and contains speech acts of security related to language shift, choice and English for unity. Immigrants are represented as dehumanised, and harmful. Immigration is given as sovereignty-related, racial, and as war. The discourse type of Efficiency is mainly instrumental and contains speech acts of security related to cost, provision of services, health and safety, and social mobility. Immigrants are further represented as a labour resource. These discourse types reflect how the construction of the linguistic 'we' is expected to be maintained. Loyalty is triggered by arguments that the collective identity is threatened and is itself used in reproducing the collective 'we' through hegemonic expressions of monolingualism in the public space and semi-public space. The denigration of immigrants is used as a tool for enhancing societal security through solidarity and as a possible justification for the denial of minority rights. Also, although language acquisition patterns still follow the historical trend of language shift, factors indicating cultural separateness such as the appearance of speech communities or the use of minority languages in the public space and semi-public space have led to manifestations of intolerance. Examples of discrimination and prejudice towards minority groups indicate that the perception of worth of a shared language differs from the actual worth of dominant language acquisition for integration purposes. The study further indicates that the efficient working of the free market by using minority languages to sell services or buy labour is perceived as conflicting with nation-building notions since it may create separately functioning sub-communities with a new cultural capital recognised as legitimate competence. The discourse types mainly represent securitising moves constructing existential threats. The perception of threat and ideas of national belonging are primarily based on a zero-sum notion favouring monolingualism. Further, the identity of the immigrant individual is seen as dynamic and adaptable to assimilationist measures whereas the identity of the state and its members are perceived as static. Also, the study shows that debates concerning language status are linked to extra-linguistic matters. To conclude, policy makers in the US need to consider the relationship between four factors, namely societal security based on collective identity, individual/human security, human rights, and a changing linguistic demography, for proposed language intervention measures to be successful.

Corporal Punishment : A study about attitudes and opinions to corporal punishment and the connection to children’s rights in South Africa and Sweden

Corporal punishment is a worldwide problem. The purpose withthis thesis is to promote a constructive discussion about the problem andconnect this to children’s rights. This gives the possibility to start adiscussion about suggestions and measures to reduce the problem. Thetheory is that corporal punishment is used as a disciplinary method tochange behavior. Children’s rights is regulated by conventions and nationallaws. The method is to conduct an analysis with interpretations andcommentaries of the research materials from South Africa and Sweden.The conclusion is that those who are positive to corporal punishment thinksit is an efficient working method, and it is about children’s safety. Thosewho are negative have experienced that alternative methods works. Asuggestion is to involve children in the work with children’s rights andeducate them in human and children’s rights with focus on obligations andresponsibility.

O princípio constitucional do desenvolvimento sustentável: análise da sua concretização no Estado do Rio Grande do Norte

The Article 225 of Constitution of the Federative Republic of Brazil in its main body, stipulates that everyone is entitled to ecologically balanced environment and the use of common people and essential to the healthy quality of life, should be imposed on public authorities and the community the duty to defend it and preserve it for present and future generations. Following a universal trend, the letter raised the Brazilian environment the category of one of those values ideals of social order, dedicating it, along with a constitution of rules sparse, a chapter, itself, which definitely, institutionalized the right to healthy environment as a fundamental right of the individual. The national public policies and state should be in line with modern theories of Sustainable Development, outlined within the international society, and certainly instruments that should be made effective through the mobilization of civil society as a whole. The implementation of Human Rights, in fact, depends on a strong political action and not just a legal problem. Thus, this work of theoretical-descriptive nature we will address various dimensions of sustainable development, such as environmental education, water, sanitation, health and sustainable development plans, evaluating its current stage in our state

Direito à moradia em cidades sustentáveis: parâmetros de políticas públicas habitacionais Natal 2013

The right to housing is included in several international human rights instruments and in Brazilian legal system integrates the constitutional catalog of fundamental social rights (art. 6) and urban development policy (art. 182 and 183). Besides, it is for all federative governments its effectiveness by building programs and improvement of housing conditions and sanitation (art. 23, IX), which justifies the investment in urban planning and public policy of housing affordability because they are tools for achieving this right. Newer strategies in this area have been based on tax incentives, combined with the mortgage as a way to induce the construction of new housing units or reform those in a precarious situation. However, there is still a deficit households and environmental soundness, compounded with the formation of informal settlements. Consequently, we need constant reflections on the issue, in order to identify parameters that actually guide their housing policies in order to meet the constitutional social functions of the city and ensure well-begins of its citizens (art. 182). On the other hand, the intervention of the government in this segment can not only see the availability of the home itself, but also the quality of your extension or surroundings, observing aspects related to environmental sanitation, urban mobility, leisure and services essential health, education and social assistance. It appears that the smoothness and efficiency of a housing policy condition to the concept of adequate housing, in other words, structurally safe, comfortable and environmentally legally legitimate, viable from the extensive coordination with other public policies. Only to compliance with this guideline, it is possible to realize the right to housing in sustainable cities

Serviço Social e Política: uma análise da participação dos assistentes sociais no Conselho Regional de Serviço Social 14ª região

This paper analyzes the political participation of Social Workers at the Social Service Regional Council Region 14th. The theoretical and methodological framework of this investigation has as its perspective the totality of social life and its determining relations within the object of study. To the production, analysis and collecting of data it was used a qualitative approach considering a bibliographical and documental research as well as a series of twelve interviews with 2005-2008 and 2008-2011 managing counselors of CRESS/RN. It was also used the data obtained from other special interviews held with the social workers in the period between 2007 and 2008. The results of this study allow and affirm the political dimension of Caseworkers and the CRESS/RN as a space of political activity with opportunities for effective and collective elaboration of strategies in order to reach the fulfillment of the ethical and professional policy of the Social Work. From a historical viewpoint, the beginning of this process is marked by the struggle for democracy, the end of military dictatorship, the establishment of the State of Human Rights. The Democratization of the so called Federal Council of Social Workers and its Regional Councils of Social Workers, CFAS / CRAS, respectively, area a result of the participation of the category in an effort to fight for democratization in Brazil. The objective of this research, so, is to understand which the socio-historical determinants are, that focus objectively and subjectively in the demobilization of social workers in CRESS Region 14th - in the contemporary and historical context. Among the results obtained we identified the ignorance of some professional workers and also of some advisors, regarding the existence and the role of the Council, as well as the commercialization of Education that compromises the quality of the professional training in its theoretical and methodological, ethical and political dimensions. According to our understanding, this shows a the presence of a non-critical professional profile based on a false reality, on the precariousness of employment contracts which undermine the political organization and submit the worker to various social exploring mechanisms such as double shift and ultimately the fragility of the management of the Regional Council -, as a consequence of the offensive capitalist system that ideologically invests to stop the political organization founded in a critical and democratic perspective. The low participation of some advisors and, in general, the category in CRESS / RN, despite its objective conditions, is a reality and it is presented to us as a challenge to future managements and policy consolidation to society. Inasmuch as the category intends to guarantee the high quality of its social workers, the demands of future counselors, their skills and abilities in dealing with regulatory issues, administrative policies that pervade the everyday life of CRESS / RN are necessary

Extensão universitária: concepções e ações na UFRN sob a temática direitos humanos e justiça no período 2008 a 2010

This paper concerns a study on the University Extension, by reference to the research extension activities under the theme human rights and justice, developed in the period 2008 to 2010 in UFRN. To do so, it tried to learn the concepts of extension in Brazil from the 1970s until the 2000s in contemporary times. This study considered the neoliberal social context of the University, dominated by educational policies focusing on the hegemony of liberal ideas about society, reflecting the great advances of capital on the organization of workers in the last decades and intensified in the 1990s. This research was guided by two great motivations: the opportunity to apprehend a way to enforce the commitment of public institutions of higher education to the disadvantaged sections of society and what role the university extension space plays as a socially committed public university. The general aim of this study is to identify inside the university extension education what does it mean for practitioners and extension activities and what results it produces to society and to the academic training of future professional citizens in the current neoliberal context. The research has been developed from an analytical and critical approach based on quantitative and qualitative data, using observation techniques and semi-structured interviews. We sought to investigate and understand the social reality, the main object of this work, with an interest in identifying the need for a new teaching/learning process and for a new university practice, in order to effectively improve an advanced academic formation. For this, some interviews have been conducted with teachers, students and the external community involved in extension actions in the period defined by the work, i.e., from 2008 to 2010. In this stage, it was observed that the academic work of university extension is essential to civic education. It was recognized too as a privileged space where university fulfills its social commitment towards society, as long as it joins scientific and popular knowledge having in view a new science and a new social order

Ressocialização: o desafio da educação no sistema prisional feminino

Este artigo é fruto da pesquisa de doutorado em andamento e tem como objetivo discutir, por meio da perspectiva da representação social e dos direitos humanos, o tema da exclusão e ressocialização de mulheres reeducandas, buscando apreender qual o papel do processo educativo institucional na ressocialização dessas mulheres.

O idoso na contemporaneidade: a necessidade de se educar a sociedade para as exigências desse novo ator social, titular de direitos

Este artigo descreve o quadro de transformações históricas do Brasil, na segunda metade do século XX, para inserir aí a questão do idoso, numa perspectiva do envelhecimento da população. Situa as mudanças sociais, a perda de poder do idoso, fruto da urbanização e da modernização, com sua estrutura de empregos que transformou o antigo chefe da família extensa no aposentado. Propõe então medidas para recuperação da dignidade dessa importante categoria sociológica, a partir da educação da nova sociedade. Sugere ainda que, para os professores de crianças e adolescentes que receiam lidar com o Estatuto da Criança e do Adolescente, talvez um bom caminho para enfrentar a complexa área dos direitos humanos seja trabalhar com seus alunos na valorização da memória do idoso, o que significa ao mesmo tempo fazê-los adquirir conhecimentos e valorizar os mais velhos, reconhecendo-os como titulares de direitos.

Social Panorama of Latin America 2004

Includes bibliography

Reformas para la cohesión social en América Latina: panorama antes de la crisis

Incluye Bibliografía

Equity, development and citizenship: abridged edition

Includes bibliography

The millennium development goals: a Latin American and Caribbean perspective

Includes bibliography

Selección de documentos y publicaciones de la CEPAL relacionados con la incorporación de la perspectiva de género en las principales áreas del desarrollo de América Latina y el Caribe = Selected ECLAC documents and publications relating to mainstreaming the gender perspective in the main spheres of the regional development process in Latin America and the Caribbean

Publicación bilingüe