Social scientists have always recognised a divergence between approaches which emphasise the constraining power of social structure and those which interpret society through the cumulative effects of actions of individuals. In recent years there has been renewed interest in the latter through the micro-sociology of everyday life. Social scientists are now taking stock of the implications of micro-sociological research for the analysis of structure and the macro-level theory of society. In Actions and Structure the value of micro-sociological research for the analysis of social order is assessed. Individual chapters evaluate new research approaches from discourse and conversational analysis, mathematical, interactionist and phenomenological sociologies and network analysis. Throughout the authors assess how these approaches contribute to current debates around theoretical formulations of organization, structure and power.
Since the late 1980s the quality of public services has become a major focus of attention for politicians, managers and citizens, but most of the material available on how to achieve quality is either set in private sector contexts or confined to a single country. This book is a pioneer in addressing the need for a focus on issues common to the public services which underpin Westem European societies. Quality improvement is portrayed in this book as part of a broader managerial and political strategy, not a narrow technical issue. Success in improving quality in the public sphere requires a close relationship between quality improvement strategies and citizen involvement This text, firstly, provides an overview of the concepts and methodologies involved in the management of quality improvements and, secondly, offers a set of case studies to illustrate how quality improvements have been achieved, drawing lessons from a spectrum of services in a range of countries. Part One establishes a theoretical framework which helps the reader make sense of the detail contained in the case studies. It places quality improvement in the special political and organisational context of the public sector. Various concepts of quality are reviewed, showing how the choice of a particular concept has significant political and organisational consequences. Part One also discusses how quality may be measured and the importance of measurement in developing plans for improvement. Part Two provides seven case studies built around a set of common questions derived from the analysis of Part One. These case studies illuminate many of the detailed operational issues in quality improvement by drawing on the experience of a range of different types of public services from a number of different European backgrounds. Part Three reviews the general lessons of the case studies in terms of fitting strategies for improvement to the purposes and circumstances of the organisation in question, and reflects on the nature of service quality and the range of approaches to its improvement This book forms a stimulating introduction to, and exploration of, quality improvement in public services for managers, administrators and professionals in public services, as well as for academics, consultants and students of public management, organisation and administration.
ICT has been formally identified as an essential life skill. This text provides teachers and trainers with the skills to develop successful ICT learning programmes in line with the new ICT Skill for Life Standard. It focuses on improving the quality of provision through extending the range of teaching and learning strategies, meeting individual needs while using participative methods, and motivating the learner. All aspects of a successful ICT programme are covered, from how to assess learners at the start of a course to ways of enhancing teachers' and trainers' professional development.
Is social research political? Should it be political? What are the implications of the politicisation of social research? Recent years have seen a growing range of challenges to the idea that research should be governed by the principle of value neutrality. Critical, feminist, anti-racist and postmodernist analyses have argued that social research is intrinsically political. In this stimulating and often controversial book, Martyn Hammersley weighs the arguments offered in support of these positions. He considers the fundamental issues that the debate raises about the nature of social research, its political dimensions and its contemporary relevance. At the same time he provides a robust defence of value neutrality as a constitutive principle of social research, and makes a reassessment of the role of research in modern societies. "The Politics of Social Research" will be of interest both to scholars engaged in research across the range of social science disciplines, theoretical and applied, and to students on advanced undergraduate and graduate courses.
Stratification and Mobility in Post-Industrial Societies
This study aims to provide the key to understanding the new class structure of post-industrial societies with their changing processes of social stratification and mobility. The treatment is interdisciplinary, connecting issues of welfare, stratification and political economy. The contributors draw together comparative research on the dynamics of social stratification in several advanced societies to develop a framework for the analysis of post-industrial class formation. The central importance of the institutional bases of individual countries - welfare states, labour markets and education systems - for understanding social stratification is demonstrated. The interface between welfare state and household and between gender and class is shown to be critically significant. Individual case studies of Canada, Germany, Norway, Sweden, UK and USA examine the differing application of these ideas in individual welfare states. This text is intended for students and academics in sociology and comparative politics, professionals, academics and students in politics, social policy and social welfare.
Drawing on original empirical research, this book provides a critical understanding of current theory in the study of sexuality. Inter-disciplinary in approach, Jennifer Harding identifies a series of key issues on contemporary discourses: essentialism vs constructionism; gender and sexuality; representation and concepts of identity; Foucalut's notion of `discourse'; and Butler's theory of gender `performance'. These topics are explored in the light of contemporary cultural contexts - for instance, the debate on hormone theory and the social construction of sexuality, `gender bending' and masculinity, the maternal body, queer families, and constructions of motherhood and fatherhood. Critical summaries of the main debates in the field are presented in an accessible way, while the text forms an insightful guide to the dilemmas involved in the private/public divide.
This is a timely work which explores the validity of rational and subjective approaches to conflict resolution, considers the value of international law and organizations for addressing complex social phenomena, and outlines a structural approach to international conflicts. In addition it extends the analysis of conflict transformation to new issues on the international agenda, such as antagonism between urban and rural areas and threat to the environment.
`Tricia David starts the book off with a commitment to the importance of relationships. "The impact of emotional aspects of a school or nursery situation has long been neglected in the UK, as is amply demonstrated by the list of criteria for judging the quality of teaching drawn from OfSTED critieria". Amen to that' - Times Educational Supplement, Friday Magazine `Teaching Young Children is essential reading for early years teacher trainers and anyone working with young children from birth to eight years old. It is an excellent companion volume to one of David's other books, Young Children Learning. David's many contributions to the literature in early years education has focused on the ways in which societies treat and educate young children. Teaching Young Children is an evidence- based book which raises important questions concerning the lives of young children and answers them in terms of the values underlying our society. David and her colleagues at the Centre for International Studies in Early Childhood have written a compelling book. Teaching Young Children is a valuable resource and a "must read" for those who care about the lives of our youngest citizens' - International Journal of Early Years Education Teaching Young Children will help students and experienced practitioners; to reflect on their own practice; observe what is happening in their own and others' settings; consider ways of developing their pedagogy in the light of evidence from research and their own systematic explorations, thus promoting evidence- based practice. Several chapters consider thinking and practice concerning young children' ;learning in a range of curriculum areas : language,; the arts; mathematics; physical education; IT; design and technology; science and geography. Other chapters deal with assessment, the professional development of educators and teachers; inspections, play, special educational needs; and evaluating policy and practice. Written by experienced practitioners from the centre for International Studies in early childhood, Teaching Young Children shows that in the earliest years of childhood, all children should experience the delight which can be part of effective pedagogy - pedagogy which takes account of the child's individuality and development, in the context of changing socio-cultural constructions of childhood.
This vibrant collection of essays offers a profound and timely assessment of issues surrounding the concept of social control, and indicates its significance for the new political orders developing in contemporary Europe. The contributors debate the issues relating to the future of social control from a range of perspectives. They outline its history and politics in both the Anglo-American sociology and the Hispanic world; they discuss the weaknesses of the concept, and assess its relevance for contemporary Europe.
