Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Civics'

English Language Arts has historically been tied to the civic purposes of schools, and this qualitative study of a social design-based project (Gutiérrez & Vossoughi, 2010) examines the intersection of language and literacy learning and youth civic engagement, a problem space I call “Civics English.” In this dissertation, I describe and analyze the experimentation and inquiry process of a Professional Learning Community of English teachers in a diverse middle school as they integrated civic learning and action into their English teaching practices. The dissertation examines this teacher team’s development and shifts through various tensions and challenges that arise, analyzing through the lenses of Cultural Historical Activity Theory the ways their Professional Learning Community operated as an English teaching activity system attempting to integrate the cultural activity of civic engagement, leading to the teachers’ expansive professional learning (Engeström, 2001) about possibilities and challenges of Civics English.

The English teachers implemented various civic action projects, including producing and sharing multimodal civic advocacy essays online, composing and presenting children’s storybooks about civics issues, and organizing and conducting a Town Hall with local leaders about civic dimensions of allyship and youth sports. This study looks at how, contextualized by these civics activities, they adapt and innovate customary English Language Arts practices, such as reading novels, writing in authentic genres with blended text types, and developing literacy and discourse. As the teachers encounter various tensions that arise in their attempts at Civics English, I present evidence of how these tensions emerge from the contradictions of two intersecting cultural activity systems, and what adaptations and innovations the teachers develop to overcome these tensions.

Integrating civics causes shifts in the teachers’ practices of literary study, writing, and classroom discussion, as they orient students’ learning towards public audiences, collective action, and discursive models of political and professional discourse. I identify how reading literature creates an imaginative space for civic deliberation. And I demonstrate how the Town Hall civics project shifts various dimensions of literacy and language activity by recontextualizing them. The potentials and the constraints of these shifts are examined through studying the teachers’ work, students’ language and activity, and the civic event’s efficacy as an English teaching focal point.

Democratic theorists argue that democratic institutions thrive when the citizens of the society robustly participate in governance (Galston, 2004; Barber, 2001). A traditional indicator of democratic participation is voting in elections or referendums. However, democratic apologetics posit that humans need to be trained in democratic processes in order to be democratic citizens (Dewey, 1916; Gutmann, 1990; Sehr, 1997; Goodlad, 2001). Citizens need to know not only the protocol of participation, they also need to be trained in the processes of mind (Dewey, 1916; 1927). Educational systems in this country have been the traditional place where democratic training has been vested (Spring, 2001). It seems, though, that the methods that educators are using to train young people fail to meet this challenge as voting rates among the youngest citizens (under 30) have never been higher than slightly more than half of eligible voters in the age group. To remedy this situation, Congress and several private civic-education organizations have called for changing curricular approaches to engage more youth. One such method that may hold promise is the use of video game technology. The current generation of youth has grown up in a digital world where they have been labeled “Digital Natives” (Prensky, 2001a). They are “tech savvy” and comfortable with their lives being integrated with various forms of digital technology. Significantly, industry research suggests that over 90% of “Digital Natives” have played a video game in the last 30 days, and business is booming to the level that video games pulled in more money than the movie industry did in 2008 (ESA, 2009). As early as the 1970s, educational researchers have looked at the use of video game technology to engage student learning; however, this research has been limited at best. More recently, educational scholars such as James Gee (2003; 2007) and Kurt Squire (2002; 2003; 2006) have sought to make the academic conversation more mature with regard to using video games as a classroom supplement. This study continues that conversation by using quantitative methods to investigate whether or not different groups of middle school students self-report a greater propensity to be civically engaged as a result of civic-themed video gameplay. The investigator collected data from middle school students who were given access to civic-themed video games to see if there were statistically significant differences in self-reported civic-engagement scores as a result of gameplay. This investigation was conducted at a large, urban middle school in the Southeast region of the United States.
ID: 031001528; System requirements: World Wide Web browser and PDF reader.; Mode of access: World Wide Web.; Adviser: William B. Russell III.; Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Central Florida, 2012.; Includes bibliographical references (p. 111-117).
Ph.D.
Doctorate
Education and Human Performance
Education; Social Science Education

This session will encourage school librarians to consider the precepts of the book "Teaching Civics in the Library." Specifically, participants will be encouraged and shown how to utilize high-interest trade books and carefully evaluated websites to immediately integrate school librarianship and civics education. Participants will be introduced to carefully constructed questions eliciting civic discussion, as well as detailed civic action/service project suggestions, for all grade levels, along with civic-oriented reading promotion plans, collection development best practices, grant writing options, and extended units of learning. First, a brief discussion will ensue as to the role of a school librarian in creating civic-minded students pursuant to AASL Learning Standard 3. Next, participants will be introduced to methods and best practices associated with this role, as listed above, actually participating in a Socratic discussion based in award-winning children's literature (for purposes of modeling). Then, a smattering of projects, promotion plans, helpful organizations, and grant opportunities will be highlighted, along with an inquiry as to successful programming across the country. A Q and A session will provide additional information in association with the ideas which most highly piqued audience interest.

Thesis advisor: Laura M. O'Dwyer
Youth civic participation is at alarmingly low levels. In 2014, nearly 80% of eligible 18-29 year-olds did not vote in the midterm election (CIRCLE, 2014). Other forms of civic engagement are also at starkly low levels: less than one in ten 18-29 year-olds report contacting a public official, boycotting a product, or frequently expressing political opinions on the internet (U.S. Census Bureau, 2014). Historically, schools have been tasked with preparing students with the knowledge and skills to be active democratic citizens. However, few studies have examined the role of teachers in fostering students' civic knowledge and skills. This study used data from the 2010 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 8th grade civics assessment to analyze the relationships between teacher participation in professional learning, use of interactive instructional practices, and student achievement in civics. Participation in professional learning significantly predicted both interactive instruction and student achievement: a one standard deviation increase in professional learning was associated with a predicted .32 standard deviation increase in interactive instructional practices, and a predicted .045 standard deviation increase in student achievement. There was no significant difference between more traditional and communities of practice based forms of professional development in their relationships with interactive instructional practices and student civic achievement. Interactive instructional practices were also significantly associated with increases in student achievement on NAEP civics, but the effect size was small: a one standard deviation increase in interactive instruction was related to a predicted .03 standard deviation increase in student achievement. Moreover, the relationship between interactive instruction and student achievement was curvilinear; high levels of interactive instruction were associated with decreases in student achievement. The study did not find any evidence that teacher participation in professional learning increased the effectiveness of interactive instructional practices
Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2015
Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education
Discipline: Educational Research, Measurement and Evaluation

In an age where technology is advancing rapidly, young people are often the technology "natives" who understand and utilize its capabilities better than any other group in our society. Along with changing interaction models, youth are learning to "socialize" differently than any other generation has, absent face-to-face contact via digital interface. These types of connections are affecting America's political and social landscape by changing the way youth are orientated into our culture. Many adults complain about the "distractions" of texting, Facebook, and computer games. Yet, these "distractions" might also be a means to engage young people in civic life. Current research shows the power of these technologies to encourage and foster civic activity outside the traditional venues of schools and civic associations. Technology is also being explored in the classroom for its impact on student interest and performance, both academically and civically. Thus, incorporation of technologies into the classroom may be part of the answer to the declining youth participation in our democracy. This study examines the relationship between in-class use of digital media and measures of civic and political engagement. It utilizes logistic regression to interpret data from an assessment given to the 2008 graduating class at Central City High School (pseudonym). Analysis of this data shows that digital media use in the classroom has a positive effect on overall political knowledge, but leaves questions about its ability to affect students' civic capacity or civic commitment.

Statistics bear out the dire need for civic education and engagement within our nation’s libraries, those free and “equalizing” institutions that traditionally afforded opportunities assisting in the development of civically astute individuals. Per our founding principles, libraries and librarians remain responsible for instituting programming that assists in the development of capable citizens who actively participate in political life, hence ensuring the perpetuation and positive evolvement of our governmental system and its resulting law. Public and school libraries must return to a targeted emphasis on the provision of services that develop critical thinking opportunities steeped in civic intent and purpose. Examples include civic-oriented instruction, debate, communication, service and public policy facilitation, and forum building.

There is much debate over whether a common European identity or genuine citizenship can be created. A number of researchers claim that education can play a vital role in this area. The Swedish school curriculums also state that schools have a responsibility in this area. The purpose of my research was to find out if this was occurring in schools. I carried out an inquiry into the opinions and attitudes of students to civics education and European identity. I used a quantitative method of research which also allowed for expanded comments. The students I chose were not randomly selected and the survey questions allowed for in-depth responses. I chose civics education as my research area as it is best placed to educate students in this area. The perceptions of students to civics education and its relevance to the development of European citizenship and identity was compared to and analyzed with previous research. I also included two questions that were not specifically directed at civics but considered the school as a whole. My conclusion is that the majority of students perceive civics as being helpful in developing a sense of European identity. However, their understanding of European identity and citizenship is limited to a right to work and study elsewhere in Europe. There is a general lack of school projects that allow for students to learn with students from other European Union countries. Students have also not experienced being involved in community organizations and school projects that could further develop active citizenship. Their schooling is developing identification with a political community or sense of citizenship but not of a European social community.

During the 1980s and 1990s, the US prison system was expanding at an unprecedented rate. This research charts how prisoners at the nation’s largest maximum-security prison, the Louisiana State Penitentiary, commonly referred to as Angola, founded the Angola Special Civics Project to collectively organize for prison reform. Using a combination of oral history and archival research, this thesis argues that the Angola Special Civics Project emerged during an era of political opportunity created by the coupling of political openings and contractions. Unlike outside advocates who focused their reform efforts on internal conditions, the Angola Special Civics Project centering of prisoners’ experiential knowledge led them to organize for an end to life sentencing through a combination of research, political education, electoral organizing, and coalition building. This thesis further asserts that their organizing should be conceptualized as a form of prison abolitionist reforms.

In the current environment of standardized testing, school library programs can support the preservation and improvement of the U.S. constitutional democracy. Participants are introduced or re-familiarized with neglected civics education standards, assess collections with regard to implementation of these standards and learn of print and digital resources conducive to civics education instruction and collaboration.

Att ekonomiundervisning är vanligt förekommande under kursen Samhällskunskap A är ett faktum, men hur skriver läroböckerna om ekonomi, och hur uppfattar eleverna undervisningen? Är den tråkig, svår och komplicerad, eller intressant och rolig? Det är undersökningens syfte att undersöka dessa frågor. Hypotesen som presenteras är att eleverna uppfattar undervisningen som tråkig och komplicerad för att denna inte kopplas till deras egen verklighet, utan bara är teoretisk.

Studiens resultat bygger på dels en analys av hur läroböcker presenterar ekonomiämnet, och vad som ses som viktigt av författarna, samt kvalitativa intervjuer med sex elever som just nu läser eller nyligen har läst Samhällskunskap A om deras upplevelse av undervisningen.

De slutsatser som kan dras av undersökningen är att läroböckerna i mångt och mycket liknar varandra i vad de väljer att ta upp, men att det finns viss variation, och att dessa brister i sitt ekonomiavsnitt när det kommer till ekologisk hållbarhet och historisk bakgrund. När det kommer till elevernas upplevelse av ekonomiämnet är de flesta positivt inställda till det, och tycker det är intressant. De intervjuade eleverna hade också haft en undervisning med stor verklighetsanknytning. Om detta beror på att den nuvarande ekonomiska krisen driver upp både intresse och möjligheterna att använda sig av verkliga händelser har dock inte undersökts. Några av respondenterna tar även upp lärarens roll som intresseväckare i undervisningen, och elevernas förmåga att tillämpa sina kunskaper i ekonomi på fenomen de möter i vardagen är god.

That economics is a common subject in the studies of basic civics in the Swedish secondary school is a fact, but how do textbooks present economics, and how do the pupils understand the teachings? Is it dull, difficult and complicated, or interesting and fun? The purpose of this study is to examine these questions. The hypothesis presented is that the pupils find the tuition dull and complicated because it is not relevant to their own lives, but just a collection of theories.

The results of the study comes from a analysis of how textbooks present economics, and what the authors of these books see as important, and from qualitative interviews with six students that is currently studying, or has just finished studying basic civics, and their understanding of the tuition.

Conclusions drawn from the study is that the textbooks in many aspects are very much alike in the choices of presented subjects, but there is some variation, and there are flaws when it comes to ecological sustainability and historic background. The pupils’ experience of the subjects of economics is positive, many find it interesting. The tuition of the interviewed pupils also consisted of a clear connection to real life. If this is an effect of the current economic crisis enhancing both the interest for economics and the possibility to apply economics to real events is however not studied. Some of the respondents also bring forth the teachers’ role to gain interest in the tuition, and the pupils’ ability to apply their tuition on phenomena they experience in everyday life is at satisfying level.

Då benämningen nedskärning kommer på tal inom företag så sprids antagligen en negativ känsla hos de allra flesta. Ordet är ofta tätt sammankopplat med en viss oro och ångestframkallande uttryck såsom lågkonjunktur, varsel och arbetslöshet. I ett samhälle som vårt, där arbete och trygg inkomst värderas högt och nästan är ett krav för bli socialt accepterad, kan arbetslöshet skälva de flesta människors vardagliga liv.

Även för de som inte blir av med sitt jobb i nedskärningen, utan jobbar kvar i ett företag där ens kollegor nyligen fått gå kan en nedskärning vara jobbig. Forskning som gjorts inom området visar att om en nedskärning planerats och genomförts på rätt sätt så behöver denna inte medföra några negativa effekter utan snarare tvärtom. En nedskärning som utförs på rätt sätt kan påverka den kvarvarande personalen positivt och till exempel stärka samarbetet inom arbetslagen och bland personalen i stort på arbetsplatsen. Som utomstående åskådare kan man tycka är det borde vara en självklarhet för samtliga företagsledningar som genomför nedskärningar, att göra detta till en positiv uppsving för företaget istället för tvärtom. Samma forskning visar dessvärre att så är inte fallet.

I Sverige och i övriga världen råder det nu på många håll ett mycket dåligt ekonomiskt klimat. Flera stora företag tvingas till betydande nedskärningar och i vissa fall också till nedläggning. Även på en del av Sveriges skolor blåser en bister ekonomisk vind, dock oftast på grund av andra orsaker än finanskrisen. När en verksamhet tvingas till ekonomisk återhållsamhet och nedskärningar i personalstyrkan på grund av ekonomiska svårigheter, återspeglas ofta detta på olika sätt hos de anställda. Denna uppsats kommer att fokusera på hur nedskärningar har påverkat personalen vid två svenska skolor. Både negativa och positiva effekter kommer att studeras, även om fokus kommer att läggas kring de som kan tolkas som positiva.

Syftet med denna studie är att belysa talet om idrottens betydelse för upplevelsen av integration bland ungdomar i 2000-talets Sverige. Studien bygger på tre fokusgruppsintervjuer med ungdomar som är 15 år och spelar fotboll i Assyriska FF, hemmahörande i Södertälje. Centralt har varit att belysa hur pojkarna beskriver sig själva i ljuset av att de ingår i ett etniskt definierat fotbollslag, och vilken roll de tillskriver tillhörigheten till ett sådant lag när det gäller upplevelsen av delaktighet i det svenska samhället. Vår studie knyter teoretiskt an till identitet, etnicitet och integration.

Studien visar att en treenighet bestående av Familjen, Föreningen och Församlingen är centrala när det gäller skapandet av dessa ungdomars normer och värderingar. Vi har sett att denna treenighet också spelar en stor roll för ungdomarnas identitetsskapande, både vad gäller synen på sig själva som individer och för hur de ser på assyrier som etnisk grupp. Det har utöver detta framkommit att denna treenighet påverkar hur ungdomarna tror att assyrier betraktas av omvärlden och vilket ansvar de själva har, som grupp och individ, för att bilden av deras etniska grupp ska bli så positiv som möjligt. Vi har också förstått att dessa ungdomar menar att denna bild är avgörande för deras möjligheter till integration och delaktighet i samhället. Laget och föreningen tillskrivs en stor roll när det gäller att föra ut en positiv bild av assyrier i det omgivande samhället. Ungdomarna menar att det är här de fostras och formas till ansvarstagande individer som visar respekt för andra människor. Det är också i laget de kan växa och utvecklas genom att ’spegla’ sig i varandra. Dessa ungdomar ser denna möjlighet som avgörande inför framtiden, oavsett om de blir fotbollsproffs eller får nöja sig med ett vanligt jobb. De menar att de genom lagets fostran får en social kompetens som gör det möjligt att bli delaktig och få en berättigad plats i det svenska samhället, vilket är eftersträvansvärt då de känner sig både som assyrier och svenskar, dubbla integrerade identiteter. Laget har därmed en viktig roll i ungdomarnas identitetsskapande och för hur de ser på den etniska gruppen assyrier och dess möjligheter att integreras i det svenska samhället.

This study assessed the civic knowledge, skills, and attitudes of Hispanic eighth grade students in Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS), Florida. Three hundred sixty one Hispanic students of Cuban (253), Colombian (57), and Nicaraguan (51) ancestry from 10 middle schools participated in the study. Two hundred twenty eight students were from low socio-economic status (SES) background, and 133 were of middle SES background. There were 136 boys and 225 girls. The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement Civic Education Student Questionnaire was used to collect data. The instrument assessed the students’ civic knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Multivariate analysis of variance was used to test for differences in the civic knowledge, skills, and attitudes of participants based on ancestry, SES, and gender. The findings indicated that there was no significant difference in the civic knowledge, skills, and attitudes of Hispanic eighth grade students that were of Cuban, Colombian, and Nicaraguan ancestry. There was no significant difference in the civic vi ii skills and in five of the civic attitude scales for students from low SES families compared to those from middle SES families. However, there was a significant difference in the civic knowledge and in the civic attitude concerning classroom discussions and participation based on SES. The civic knowledge of middle SES students was higher than that of low SES students. Furthermore, middle SES Hispanic students displayed a higher mean score for the civic attitude of classroom discussions and participation than low SES students. There was no significant difference in the civic knowledge and in five of the civic attitude scales between boys and girls. However, there was a significant difference in the civic skills and the civic attitude of support for women’s rights between boys and girls. Hispanic girls displayed a higher mean score in civic skills than Hispanic boys. Furthermore, the mean score of civic attitude of support for women’s rights for Hispanic girls was higher than that of Hispanic boys. It was concluded that Cuban, Colombian, or Nicaraguan participants did not demonstrate differences in civic attitudes and levels of civic knowledge and skills that eighth grade students possessed. In addition, when compared to boys, girls demonstrated a higher level of civic skills and a greater support for women’s rights and participation in politics and their roles in politics. Moreover, SES was demonstrated to be a key factor in the acquisition of civic knowledge, regardless of ancestry.

The aim of this study is to explore and analyze experienced teachers understanding, as well as transformation, of the school subject civics. The study has focused on the content, methods, and evaluation of the education taking place in the class room as described by the teachers themselves. Teachers’ autonomy, within the education setting, and their knowledge base is the point of departure when assessing teachers understanding and transformation of the subject. A further aim of the study has also been to make visible, where possible, the role of a personal knowledge base in this transformation process. The findings of this study are based on interviews with teachers teaching civics at upper secondary level in various parts of Sweden. These findings show that it is possible to discern that teachers’ general dictum about content, methods, and evaluation are very much alike. The findings further show that when teachers describe their daily transformation of civics the most visible knowledge is their pedagogical content knowledge, knowledge of learner and their characteristics and knowledge of educational context. One conclusion that can be drawn from this study is that when autonomy and knowledge base is combined, then it is here one find that teachers’ general comprehension about the school subject civics seems to be very similar. However, when it comes to daily transformation within the classroom, then the subject transformation is modified to fit the learners, the school context, and sometimes to the teachers’ well-being. From this one can draw the conclusion that comprehension and transformation need not always go hand-in-hand.

The main objective of this study is to provide an understanding of the way Civic and Citizenship Education, as intended at the macro level is translated, implemented and enacted at the micro level. Moreover, it also seeks to understand the contestation and challenges of secondary school teachers as policy implementers at the micro level in transferring the new curriculum policy into teaching and learning practice. Adopting a qualitative research approach, empirical evidence and in-depth information were gathered through document analysis, interviews, questionnaire, lesson observation and field notes. The document analysis showed that there were similarities between Western and Malaysian concepts of citizenship education in that Malaysia’s Civic and Citizenship Education was concerned with developing good personal and patriotic citizens. This differed from England’s citizenship education that promoted political literacy and active participation in democratic society. Despite in the official document, Civic and Citizenship Education seems to be strongly classified and strongly framed (Bernstein, 1975; 1971), at the school level, this subject is weakly classified and weakly framed. Indeed, a closer examination in each school visited showed that the ‘battle’ (Goodson, 1998 : 45) between this subject and other academic subjects continue. The analysis also illustrated that the enactment of Civic and Citizenship Education was mediated, not only by school students’ ethnic population, but also by school contexts that existed in each school. This also led to the gap between teachers’ perception of citizenship and citizenship education with their teaching practices. Thus, this study demonstrated that the process of translating, implementing and enacting policy at the school level is not a direct process (Ball, 2006) as there are various factors that could mediate the way a policy is implemented and enacted at the micro level (Ball et al., 2012; Braun et al. 2011a).

Confronted by major global problems, our 'foremost challenge', according to the 1995 report of the Commission on Global Governance, is to develop the vision of a better world - one more democratic, secure and sustainable. The report concludes with a call for 'a global civic ethic' - for commitment by all to a set of globally protective responsibilities. The thesis asks, what does this challenge imply? How to achieve an effective response? What provisions, in principle, ought to be instituted to meet the Commission's call? The call is a tall order: for a quantum leap from passive, rights-oriented, civic culture to one based on global responsibility. The thesis is not concerned with the probability of such shift occurring. The premise is that if we believe that the call ought to be met, that it commands an ethical response from all, we ought first to comprehend the ethical and practical complications, and second, seek to comply with them. The thesis is concerned with the first obligation. It requires an inquiry disciplined by moral reasoning and persistent focus on the long range, world future. It has led the thesis into somewhat underdeveloped terrains. The call to enact global civic responsibilities implicitly entreats us to recognise the validity and gentle power of Kant's categorical imperative, to unleash it from its remote, theoretical mountaintop and allow it to reign supreme as the preeminent, constitutional principle for personal and global governance. The thesis argues that this recognition will require, and result in , a new, education-led constitutionalism centred on civic integrity development. Logically derived from the Golden Rule, the categorical imperative and its universality and moral autonomy constraints are adopted by the inquiry, somewhat experimentally, as a methodological discipline. For it is argued that such discipline should be cultivated by the new, education-based constitutionalism. This requires persistent, uncompromising focus on the universal ought. Where ought leads, the inquiry follows, even when it invokes an apparently 'unrealistic' future beyond the margins of current educational and constitutional practice. The new constitutionalism appears vaguely outlined on the horizon, largely beyond political and educational experience. The thesis moves towards this horizon to consider grounding assumptions and transit impediments, with the goal, above all, to determine the more prominent, 'in principle' landmarks toward which the world's educational resources could be steered. The term constitution is min imally defined as a paramount, overarching strategy of mutual protection, not bound to current national constitutions, territories, and identities, nor to familiar constitution-making processes. Invoked by growing recognition of global interdependence and mutual risk, it stands for inclusive protection, ideally of, by and for 'We the People of the World'. The Commission's recommendation that people should deliberate on 'the vision of a better world' has been pursued by futurists since the 1960s. Their pioneering ventures are examined in chapter 2 and found contributive yet insufficient to meet the constitutional requirements implied by the Commission's challenge. Various conceptual and practical obstacles impede effective response to the challenge. These preoccupy much of chapter 2 and indeed the whole thesis. The new constitutionalism presupposes, as does prevailing national constitutionalism, that despite cultural differences, there are certain universal interests that all want protected. Most would want r eliable protection against preventable mayhem, slaughter and environmental destruction. It is argued in chapter 3 that while the universalist assumption can reasonably withstand relativist scepticism, universal interests remain to be identified. Upon examination of notable identification procedures it is asked 'should this be left to social researchers'? Arguments are raised to suggest that, as a civic harm preventative measure, all people should be constitutionally required to identify these interests. Universal interests cannot be protected while people take no responsibility for their protection. Were the Commission's call for globally responsible civic culture taken seriously, what would this imply for world political economy? Chapter 4 undertakes an exercise in future-oriented normative inquiry to explore world constitutional implications in outline. Revealed on the horizon is a new economic game with new words: the priactive constitution. The exercise demonstrates the challenging nature of the substant ive ethical agenda confronting deliberants of the new constitutionalism. What right does one have to participate in world constitutional deliberations and consider such agendas? Chapter 5 argues that one has a right, and a responsibility to do so. The arguments appeal to the democratic ideal, political legitimacy, the Golden Rule, the defence role of citizenship and the fact that each imposes the world constitutional order on all. But the participatory right and responsibility cannot be exercised without universally accessible constitutional fora, procedures and education. The theoretical ideals of deliberative democracy are summoned. The current technical feasibility of creating an Internet-based system of democratic deliberative provisions is illustrated in the Appendix. Even were such provisions made available, a key impediment to effective response to the Commission's call is that most work-committed adults are unlikely to volunteer substantial time for the learning engagement. Given the unacceptability of political coercion, chapter 6 considers the moral proposition that youngsters worldwide be submitted to the learning challenge in their years of compulsory education. The literature on moral justifications for compulsory education reveals considerable disagreement. These justifications seem anyhow unrelated to curriculum priorities that are actually imposed on captive audiences. As highlighted by the World Trade Centre attack, the world's people have little constitutional protection against deceptive doctrines conveyed in distant classrooms. A key problem for global governance is whether the world's teachers should not be constitutionally obligated to promote and exemplify globally protective responsibilities. Chapter 6 argues that universal compulsory education can be ethically justified for the protection of universal interests only when civic integrity development is maintained as the curriculum priority. This would develop global civic responsibilities in teachers and students through exercising their participation in world constitutional deliberation under the counterindoctrination constraints of the categorical imperative. It would entail deliberation on universal interests in view of global threats, alternative normative strategies to protect those interests, and public disclosure of normative commitments. Moreover, by tapping the real interests of students, adult literacy expectations, linguistic, moral, ecological and political, could be more readily met. But such educational strategy might not suffice to assure reliable enactment of civic responsibilities. It is argued that 'school' might need replacing or augmenting with environmentally rich learning settings that could enable chosen norms to be experienced and demonstrated. The thesis concludes that implementation of the new, education-centred constitutionalism implied by the Commission's call will first require an engaged response from educators. It is recommended that a global network be established linking key persons in schools and university faculties who will take responsibility for activating curriculum and community response to the Commission's call and, in the first instance, engage themselves in civic integrity development to acquire facilitator competencies.

Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on Feb 15, 2010). The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file. Dissertation advisor: Dr. Jennifer Hart Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

A literal reading of the United States Constitution finds no mention of education.  Because no fundamental federal mandate exists to provide public education for citizens, the Tenth Amendment gives states the authority for public education policy.  Because states have different constitutional standards for education, civics requirements have little national consistency.  This thesis explores the connections between state constitutional provisions for public education and graduation requirements for civics in each state. The research examined how state constitutions address education policy and whether states with language specifically connecting education to the maintenance of democracy required more stringent civics requirements for students to graduate from secondary school.  Further investigation explored whether and how state constitutions in Minnesota and Wisconsin appeared to influence the development of graduation requirements.  Indeed, Minnesota, whose constitution connects education to the maintenance of democracy, had a curriculum policy process far more rooted in its constitutional traditions than did Wisconsin, which had no such constitutional language or curriculum process.
Master of Arts

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2006.
Title from electronic title page (viewed Oct. 10, 2007). "... in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of History." Discipline: History; Department/School: History.

Ystads hamn har en historisk bakgrund som hamnstad med färjeförbindelser med

Bornholm och Polen. Trelleborg konkurrerar med Ystad om färjetrafik.

Studiens syfte har varit att kartlägga hur olika aktörer ser på utvecklingen av

Ystads hamn, presentera och analysera de alternativ som finns. Undersökningen

har genomförts genom intervjuer och dokumentstudier.

För att öka konkurrenskraften har man i Ystad fört olika diskussioner och förslag

om utbyggnad och omstrukturering av hamnen. Ambitionen från styrande

politiker är att bygga ut hamnen, att anpassa den för större fartyg och för en

utökad färjetrafik, både gods- och passagerartrafik.

Under planeringsprocessen har det i kommunen bildats en motståndsgrupp

"hamnupproret" som motsätter sig kommunens planer och som har en annan

inriktning för hamnen än kommunen. Denna inriktning innebär begränsning av

godstrafiken och att hamnområdet skall upplåtas för byggande av bostäder,

näringsliv och turistanpassad verksamhet enligt "Waterfront-modell".

Hamnen är beroende av goda transportvägar till och från hamnen och av ett bra

järnvägsnät. Hamnstrategiutredningen som under hösten 2007 lämnade sitt förslag

på strategiska hamnnoder i det svenska godstransportsystemet (SOU 2007:59)

hade inte Ystad med bland de hamnar som förordades. Detta innebär att staten

kommer att satsa mindre på infrastrukturförbättringar (vägar och järnväg) mot

Ystad och skulle kunna påverka den sammanfattande frågeställningen i denna

undersökning d v s om Ystad ska vara en turiststad eller en hamnstad.

Svaret på frågan blir kanske som projektgruppen från bl a Lunds universitet

konstaterade i sina slutsatser nämligen att det är möjligt att bygga ut hamnen

samtidigt som stadens platskvalité utvecklas men att detta förutsätter en god

förankring hos andra aktörer i Ystad, inte enbart de som har direkt koppling till

hamnen.

Teoretisk modell som legat till grund för jämförelse av resultatet bygger på

Waterfront-modellen, men eftersom Ystads hamn har en historisk bakgrund som

lönsam färjehamn och det råder politisk enighet att bibehålla denna inriktning så

är modellen i nuläget bara tillämplig för västra delarna av hamnen.

Resultatet visar nämligen att det i Ystad råder politisk enighet kring att bibehålla

inriktningen färjehamn och ambitionerna för hamnverksamheten med en utökad

gods- och passagerartrafik. Det är dock så att man blivit alltmer medveten om att

anpassning till befolkningens krav och önskemål måste ske.

Detta i kombination med hamnstrategiutredningens förslag och Green Cargos

beslut att flytta järnvägstrafiken kommer troligen att medföra att man på sikt

landar i någon form av kompromiss som innebär att annan verksamhet,

bostadsbyggande, näringsliv och turistanpassad verksamhet tillåts i delar av

hamnen alltså i stort enligt projektgruppens förslag.

Det är kanske t o m så att talesmannen för hamnupproret, nya förslag i insändare

2008-08-12 kan komma att infrias. Hans förslag grundar sig på de nya

förutsättningarna och går ut på att bygga ut yttre hamnen och flytta Bornholms-

och Polentrafiken dit så att hela inre hamnen kan öppnas mot staden med

bostäder, butiker, restauranger etcetera.

74

Civics education is "on the books" in all 50 states, yet civic illiteracy is widespread. Only one third of 12th graders are able to explain the significance of the Declaration of Independence, and fewer than half of 8th graders know the purpose of the Bill of Rights. This instructional guide explores the foundations of civics education--and the reasons for its demise--with commentary from civics education leaders and scholars across the nation. Questions for eliciting civics discussion are provided for all grade levels, along with detailed civic action and service projects and reading plans. Best practices and grant writing options are included. The author argues for a return to early 20th century civics education and details the traditional and present-day role of America's libraries in developing a civic-minded populace. School and public librarians are urged to utilize trade books and carefully evaluated websites to integrate civics within educational and youth services offerings.
https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu_books/1015/thumbnail.jpg

The relationships between various civic virtues and participation in community groups were explored. The present thesis was not an exhaustive integration of theories on Civic Virtue. Rather, it highlighted virtues (i.e., authenticity, moral wisdom, trust, reciprocity and tolerance) selected for their value in educating members of social capital groups toward a broader understanding of the self and others in a deliberative, pluralist democracy. This thesis relied primarily on theories from the disciplines of political philosophy and philosophy of education. Three major conclusions emerged from the present investigation. First, schools are not the only venue in which education for civic virtue occurs. Indeed, social capital groups provide a vital context for civic learning. Second, the existence of diversity within social capital groups enhances the educational potential of participating in civic life. And third, social capital groups can potentially have a socially progressive impact in a liberal, deliberative democracy.

Syftet med föreliggande studie är att undersöka samhällskunskapslärares förståelse av solidaritetsbegreppet i årskurs 4-6 och detta i enlighet med styrdokumenten. Syftet är även att undersöka på vilket sätt dessa lärare synliggör solidaritetsbegreppet i undervisningen. Solidaritet är ett av de demokratiska värden som skolan ska förmedla och främst gäller detta för samhällskunskapsläraren. Studiens teoretiska ansats inspireras av hermeneutiken och livsvärldsfenomenologin. Genom intervjuer med sju verksamma lärare visar resultatet generellt att solidaritet är ett viktigt begrepp men som inte ges lika stort utrymme som innebörden av det. Solidariteten får definitivt en plats i undervisningen men den planeras inte in i lektioner, utan snarare framträder solidariteten ofta som en biprodukt av konflikter eller ordningsproblem. Lärares förståelse för begreppet visar att det är ett mångtydigt begrepp men att förståelsen för det stämmer väl överens med styrdokumentens definition.
The aim of this study is to examine the understanding of elementary teachers in relation to the solidarity concept in the subject of civics. This, in relation to the steering documents. The study also focuses on finding out which ways teachers express solidarity in the civics education. Solidarity is one of the democratic values that is required by the Swedish school to convey to all students, particularly by the civics teacher. The study is inspired by the hermeneutic and the life world phenomenological theory. Through interwievs of seven operative teachers, the result indicates, in general, that they find solidarity as a concept of importance but it is not used as per its concept. Teachers reference solidarity in the classroom, but they do not plan a lesson about it. Solidarity is more a question of order and is often given space when incidents of discord occurs. Teachers comprehension of solidarity indicates that it is a versatile concept but it is consistent with the steering documents.

I denna studie analyseras fem unga kurdiska kvinnors upplevelser av sina levnadsförhållanden i Sverige. Utifrån en kvalitativ undersökningsmetod och med hjälp av intervjuer, har faktorer som språk, föräldrarnas religion, traditioner och kultur granskats. Studiens teoretiska ram utgörs till stor del av diaspora, etnicitet och kultur, men även identitet, genus och stigma har använts som centrala teorier. Utöver dessa har flerspråkighet som begreppsdefinition haft en betydande roll för analysen och informanternas upplevelser och tankar.

Vi har i studien dragit slutsatsen att de kurdiska kvinnorna mer eller mindre har assimilerats in i det svenska samhället genom att de delvis har glömt bort sitt modersmål eller refererar till sig själva som svenskar. Detta av den anledning att de inte vill hamna i utanförskap och menar att det finns en klyfta mellan den svenska och kurdiska kulturen. Denna klyfta kulturerna emellan ökade efter att två hedersrelaterade våldshandlingar utfördes mot kurdiska flickor, och informanterna menar att det är en av anledningarna till varför många idag har fördomar gentemot kurder.

Syftet med den här studien är att genom intervjuer ta del av hur individer i åldrarna 20-29, 30-39,40-49 och 50-59 år resonerar om pensionsåldern och pensionssystemet som infördes 1/1-1999. Hos mina informanter är missnöjet stort mot pensionssystemet som de menar inte är rättvist. De menar också att pensionsåldern borde vara mer flexibel utifrån vad för slags arbete individen har haft, men att 65 år är ett bra riktmärke för pensionering. Vidare menar mina informanter att den form av deltidpension som fanns på 1980-talet borde införas igen, då det skulle gynna dem som snart skall gå i pension och de som är arbetslösa. Men det skall inte vara tvång att ta deltidspension utan helt frivilligt och det skall ske i samförstånd med arbetsgivaren. Att som ung också börja pensionsspara är något som informanterna anser är viktigt. Det för att den dagen man blir pensionär så tror inte informanterna att det finns tillräckligt med pengar i pensionssystemet. Därför menar de att det är viktigt att ha ett eget pensionssparande så att man får en värdig livsföring som pensionär.