Journal articles on the topic 'Education Political aspects Spain'

This work provides a succinct historical overview of the history of the Spanish education system from 1812, date of the first Spanish Constitution, until 1970 at the end of the Francoist era in Spain, highlighting the legislative milestones and contextualising them within the larger political landscape in which they took place. The paper will go on to describe the basic legislation which has regulated the Spanish education system since 1970 describing some of their most significant aspects, from the General Education Law (LGE) of 1970 to the Organic Law Modifying the Organic Law for Education (LOMLOE) which came into force in 2020.

This study shows the hierarchy of values presented by first-year teacher training students studying at public universities in Andalusia (Spain), emphasising the analysis of ecological values in relation to the gender variable. For this purpose, we used a survey-type methodology with a quantitative approach. Participants were selected by means of probability sampling by clusters. The sample was finally composed of 651 students, of whom 226 were men (34.7%) and 425 women (65.3%) aged between 18 and 49 (M = 20.20 and T.D. = 3.736). The results show a high valuation of non-material aspects related to affectivity, morality, the individual and ecology, followed by values related to the body and its care, the social, the material and the aesthetic, and finally, values related to the intellectual, the political and the religious. The results show the influence of gender in the identification of ecological values and the variables that make them up, where women have higher averages in most of the items. We can therefore conclude that the gender variable influences the choice of ecological values presented by university students.

The article aims to examine aspects that help to better understand the General Education Act of 1970 by analyzing the factors that made it a Law for the modernization of Spain. The defining feature of the Law was the ambition with which it sought to modernize the educational system; hence, we focus on the concept of «modernization» as well as its precedents and the modernizing axes contained in the Law. We also look at the socio-economic and political context that help to explain its creation. Given the law’s importance, the article pays special attention to the obstacles and resistance that made its genesis and application so difficult, as well as the controversies that have arisen from the reform it promoted. Finally, by way of discussion, an assessment of the law is made taking into account the aspects that make up the concept of “modernization”.

Abstract The Faculty of Education Universidad de Murcia (Spain) offers a four-year degree programme in primary education, where modules and subjects related to the foreign language (English) are taught in the first, third and fourth years (OJE 2010). The current teacher training programmes should take into account the most recent political events in Europe so that they can be adjusted to suit the Council of Europe’s original linguistic and cultural education policy. This article will explore intrinsic aspects of foreign language and culture teaching, and the learning process, in relation to communication and understanding among all European citizens. This analysis will help to identify the implications of 21st-century education policy in terms of the skills of newly-qualified teachers.

Research focused on ECE (Early Childhood Education) stage teachers brings to light multiple models for classroom management associated with different didactic-pedagogical strategies, ranging from models close to management styles (predominant in the Spanish context) to others in which unplanned or free time predominates. Our investigation is based on the opinion of 1.350 ECE teachers in Andalusia (Spain) on positivist method principles, with an exploratory and correlational intention and the support of an ad hoc designed questionnaire, we try to identify and explore the possible correlations between methodological-organisational aspects, as well as their influence or degree of determination on the interactions that take place in the ECE classroom. The results obtained after a structural equations analysis confirmed the positive influence of some methodological-organisational aspects implemented by the teacher on the type of interactions that arise when working with learning corners in the ECE. We conclude that in order to dynamise the classroom environment it is necessary to diversify the methodological-organisational aspects that accompany teaching work, overcoming the reluctance detected in part of the teaching staff and inviting them to reflect upon training in positive attitudes towards change.

Purpose – This study aims to analyze the main factors that might determine the extent to which Spanish organizational management educators use environmental stand-alone subjects to equip students with alternative views of business. To give a more qualitative study, this paper also provides a more detailed curriculum analysis from a double point of view: first, the authors analyze the environmental integration in curricula by means of the presence of environmental embedded subjects. On the other hand, the authors analyze the main environmental topics covered by curriculum of Spanish universities. Design/methodology/approach – A Web content analysis and non-parametric mean comparison statistics of the curricula of undergraduate degrees at all universities in Spain was conducted. Findings – One of the main conclusions of this paper is that public universities in Spain are more likely to require an environmental course than private universities. Other factors, such as size, political orientation or chairs/research institutes are not statistically explanatory of environmental education. Another important finding is that environmental training in management courses offered by Spanish universities is still relatively underdeveloped. Comparatively, the authors found that the most common method of teaching environmental issues in Spain is by means of embedded subjects (horizontal integration) in comparison with stand-alone subjects (vertical integration) as a response of the necessity of providing a systemic and holistic approach toward environmental aspects. From this perspective, the main topics covered in curriculum are environmental management, sustainable tourism, environmental economy or environmental impact. Originality/value – There is a lack of empirical research focuses on analyzing determinant factors to environmental education in management undergraduate curricula of Spanish universities. Indeed, most of previous studies provide a descriptive review of environmental courses in management education.

La satisfacción del docente es un aspecto de la educación que tradicionalmente ha sido motivo de estudio por su gran influencia sobre el ejercicio profesional. TALIS 2018 es un estudio llevado a cabo por la OCDE que incluye un extenso cuestionario para docentes y directores de centros educativos y que cubre numerosos aspectos de la práctica docente. TALIS 2018 recoge las respuestas de 7407 docentes de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria en España y de los 396 directores de los centros donde trabajan. A partir de las respuestas de cada docente, se construye una escala de satisfacción que refleja su satisfacción con la profesión y con su puesto de trabajo. En el presente trabajo, utilizando la base de datos de TALIS 2018, Volúmenes I y II, se analizan las variables que más influyen en la satisfacción de los docentes de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria en España. Se encuentra que las variables más relacionadas con la satisfacción del docente son la participación de profesores, alumnos y familias en las decisiones del centro, la cantidad de estrés presente en el trabajo, la apertura del centro a nuevas iniciativas, el apoyo entre docentes, la relación con los alumnos y la percepción de la propia eficacia que, a su vez, se relaciona con una mejor formación del docente. Se observa que los docentes con más años de experiencia presentan niveles inferiores de satisfacción y se analizan las diferencias observadas con respecto a docentes con menos experiencia. Se encuentra que las fuentes de satisfacción de los docentes en centros educativos presentan diferencias en función del grado de financiación pública del centro, aunque los niveles medios de satisfacción sean similares. A partir de los resultados obtenidos, se elabora una lista de recomendaciones para centros educativos.

This special issue addresses the need for cross-national analyses on immigrant integration. The articles in this issue examine the integration processes of Latino immigrants in the United States and in Spain in several aspects—socioeconomic, legal, educational, and political—and through varied methods—quantitative as well as qualitative—contributing to the literature in several ways. By focusing on the same ethnic group across different contexts, it provides a thorough comparison of the mechanisms at play in their integration processes. It emphasizes the context-specific and culture-specific elements that most affect immigrants’ integration. This special issue gathers nine articles that offer complementary perspectives on the integration of Latino immigrants in Spain and the United States.

Abstract The Society of Jesus has been characterized as a global order, as it could adapt to different social and political contexts. The initial purpose of the Jesuit province in New Spain was to convert the Indians to Catholicism. However, when the Jesuits arrived they found that the social diversity of the viceroyalty, particularly the large contingent of Creole inhabitants, made it impossible for them to focus solely on the Indians. Consequently, the Order in New Spain had to forge a path between the orders issued by the King of Spain and the General of the Order based in Rome and the needs of the local inhabitants, which resulted in the Province of Mexico acquiring a missionary and educational character. The main aim of this article is to analyze the foundation and development of the Province of Mexico during the generalates of Everard Mercurian and Claudio Acquaviva by examining the institutions they opened, and the different strategies of education and evangelization that they pursued throughout the viceroyalty. It will pay special attention to the designs of the central powers in Europe, the views points and discussions on education and evangelization by actors in New Spain, and how transatlantic decisions on the Order’s role in the viceroyalty affected the evolution of the province. To do this, the article will discuss three main aspects of the Jesuits’ mission in New Spain, (1) the type of missions and colleges that the Jesuits opened, (2) how Jesuit institutions were shaped according to the group of people that they aimed to evangelize or educate, and in turn (3) how that influenced the languages that the Jesuits taught to the local inhabitants.

El estudio describe el tratamiento de la Educación Física bajo las leyes franquistas aprobadas tras 1939, para concluir el importante efecto de la orientación política de esta disciplina escolar hasta su progresiva modernización en los 70s. El trabajo parte de los estudios realizados sobre historia de la Educación Física en España durante el franquismo (1936-1975) que han versado sobre dos ejes: el ideal moralizador de la Educación Física acorde con el contexto político-social del momento y los estudios que han analizado los hábitos de práctica física y gimnástica de organizaciones políticas dependientes al régimen, como “Frente de Juventudes” o la “Sección Femenina”. Como conclusión se aportan aspectos relevantes sobre la interpretación de la Educación Física desde las diferentes referencias legislativas y otros documentos durante la dictadura que podrían ayudar a entender diversas perspectivas de esta área. Abstract. The present study describes the treatment and interpretation of Physical Education under Franco's laws passed after 1939, so to discuss the important effect of the political orientation of this school subject until its progressive modernization in the 70's. History of Physical Education in Spain during the dictatorship of Franco (1936-1975) has dealt with two basic axes: the moralizing ideal of Physical Education according to the political-social context of the moment, and the studies that have analysed the habits of Physical and gymnastic practice of political organizations subject to the regime, such as "Frente de Juventudes" or "Sección Femenina". In conclusion, relevant aspects are presented on the interpretation of Physical Education from different legislative references and other documents during the dictatorship that could help understand diverse perspectives of this area, according to the examined Education Law.

Education as a fundamental human right and the foundation of a more just and egalitarian society has traditionally been the object of attention of public policies of various kinds. The promotion of equal opportunities between men and women in different social spheres has been a principle, intended by all nations, materialized in inclusive education and social justice as guarantors for a society built upon the foundations of equity and equality. Accordingly, an approach to public policies in Costa Rica and Spain has been made to analyze their treatment of equal educational and gender opportunities. Both countries have developed educational and social policies to guarantee education for all, prevent segregation and social exclusion, and strengthen the role of women in all areas. Despite this historical trajectory in pursuit of a just, democratic, and egalitarian society, the new world scenario brought about by COVID-19 forces us to rethink crucial educational and social aspects to overcome the current crisis we are facing. The educational and social challenges are today of significant importance for society. The world needs political, economic, labor, and social approaches to address this present situation, and education is the fundamental weapon capable of offering productive answers in the current scenario.

ABSTRACTThe effects of language policies on the symbolic value of the linguistic repertoire merit consideration in needed studies of the consequences of language status planning. Since achieving political autonomy within Spain in 1979, Catalonia has instituted a number of policies, particularly in education, to enhance the status and use of Catalan. A matched guise test was conducted among students in Barcelona in 1980 and again in 1987 to gauge changes in attitudes toward Catalan and Castilian. Conflict between positive status and negative solidarity values of Catalan for nonnative speakers found in 1980 appears to be resolved in 1987. Three aspects of public language policy have attenuated ethnic constraints against nonnative use of Catalan, but further changes in social relations may be necessary to alter patterns of language choice. (Language attitudes, language policy, Catalonia)

The resources containing information about the Islamic scholars including their identity, personal traits, educational background, and educational institutions where they were raised, their own masters and scholars and their disciples are labelled as tabakât or a’lâm books. The records of scholars in Andalusian tabakât books furnish us with detailed information as to the concept of learning and education prevalent in Spain under the influence of Andalusian or Islamic culture in addition to providing invaluable information about the political, social, economic, and especially cultural life at that period.The rich Islamic lifestyle prevalent in the Islamic Spain with all its components is known to have acquired remarkable characteristics thanks to the effect and contribution of cultural components of Iberian Peninsula. The scholars played a great role in the formation of such a diversified and rich social environment in all respects as they did in all other aspects of Andalusian culture. ResumenEn la historia del Islam, las fuentes de las que obtenemos datos sobre la identidad, la personalidad, la vida escolar, los lugares de formación, los tutores y discípulos de los ulemas se denominan libros de tabakát (anales onomásticos biográficos oficiales) o a’lám. Las anotaciones hechas por los ulemas en dichos libros nos ofrecen informaciones concretas sobre la vida intelectual y la educación en Al Ándalus, la España musulmana, además de darnos detalles importantes de la vida política, social, financiera y, especialmente, de la vida cultural de aquella sociedad.Hemos de tener en cuenta el papel que ejercieron los ulemas en todos los ámbitos de la vida andalusí, en todos aquellos asuntos que conciernen íntimamente a los valores, en la vida de las gentes de todas las clases sociales y en la creación de todas las formas y etapas de adquisición de dichos valores.

As we enter the 21st century, the social dimension of Higher Education is one of the key elements in university policies. Among measures aimed at retaining students, scholarship and study grant policies help to ensure equality. In Spain, the establishment of the Study Aid Programme (PAE) for degree studies is an outstanding innovative initiative. This study is aimed at assessing the importance of the PAE as an economic factor in equity, access and academic performance in the first year at university. The data used is that available on all students who began degree studies at Abat Oliba CEU University from the 2009-10 academic years to the 2015-16 academic years. The results confirm that obtaining a scholarship becomes an incentive that influences key aspects for persistence, such as the degree of effort and educational commitment with positive results on students’ performance.

In 2019, Spanish economy maintained the post-crisis growth rates of the 2010s’ second half, although they were slightly lower than the average for the last period due to both, political and economic factors. The political uncertainty fueled by the necessity in holding four general elections in 2018–2019 has slowed down the search for consensus on reforming the country’s financial system. The decline in domestic demand reflected the evolution of personal consumption and investment, while the contribution of external demand was attributable to a slowdown in imports and slightly stronger exports. Low inflation and almost zero interest rates in banks also provided a favorable situation. By the end of the first quarter of 2020, the generally positive economic outlook was largely undermined by the global economic crisis caused by the COVID 19 pandemic which affected humanity in all socio-economic aspects. In the short term, the decline in Spain’s GDP and overall business activity is unprecedented since the country’s democratic transition that started on 20 November 1975. Even the vibrant Spanish foreign economic sector was tied: both external and internal demand for almost any economy in the world was in an equal crisis state with the start of the pandemic. Many factors analyzed point to a more precarious position in Spain compared to other countries. The Bank of Spain expects the Spanish GDP to fall by double digits in 2020 and it looks like the most realistic scenario. The article analyzes the economic situation in Spain by the beginning of the COVID 19 pandemic, examines the reaction of the national economy to the coronavirus, the individual measures of the Spanish government and the supranational institutions of the EU to combat the pandemic are analyzed, as well as a forecast regarding the post-crisis future of the country’s economy is given. Acknowledgements. The article was prepared within the project “Post-crisis world order: challenges and technologies, competition and cooperation” supported by the grant from Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation program for research projects in priority areas of scientific and technological development (Agreement № 075-15-2020-783).

Nowadays Georgia is faced with the economic, political and social problems, by which the integration process with the European Union is accompanied. The Association Agreement has given rise to the new challenges that finally aims at providing the collaboration among the member states of EU, including Spain on the issues such as economy, education, tourism, emigration policy, legal cooperation and safety. The language along this line is the essential tool for the development of international relations. In this respect, the accurate translation of toponyms, anthroponyms and legal terms into the foreign language is of utmost importance. The paper deals with the research conducted on these topics, in particular, by the example of Spanish and Georgian - the two languages belonging to extremely distant language families, which differ from each other from the syntactic, morphological and structural aspects and have distinct alphabets and phonetic systems. The paper mainly focuses on informing the findings of the still ongoing research, which will be beneficial to the linguists as well as the translators in the fields of diplomacy, law and politics. It is the first time the research has been conducted from the above - mentioned aspects, which, in its turn, develops certain complications. In addition, based on the historical background, the involvement of the third- Russian language in the ongoing processes makes some difficulties, as well.

The papers in this Edition of the Journal comprise six ‘general papers’ and six in the COVID-19 section. Together, the papers clearly illustrate our theme Perspectives, stakeholders, and competences. While the papers comprising the general part of this Edition represent a diverse range of countries (Brazil, Iran, Spain, Turkey), there are some common themes. One cluster of papers is concerned with student outcomes or the professional competence of teacher trainees. The other cluster is interested in aspects of university strategy, whether financial or related to the university mission. The papers challenge us to consider the benefits of stakeholder engagement and multiple perspectives on policies, strategies, student or professional outcomes with their respective definitions, and specific educational interventions. Consequently, the methodologies and methods are appropriately diverse, involving bibliometric analysis, qualitative analysis (grounded theory, content, and textual analysis) the use of digital tools and statistics. From a theoretical lens, we encounter concepts such as parallax, historical and contemporary worldviews on education and the various philosophies on the nature of the university. Within a socio-political framework, we are introduced to the nuances of national government policies and their country-based impact that is shaped by local cultural traditions in education and attitude. Despite the range of topic, context and methods, each paper demonstrates a commitment to improving educational practice, research and student or staff experience.

Editorials represent a newspaper’s principal means of ideological positioning and serve to identify the attitude of each newspaper and its readership to some of the main actors in any given conflict, especially those that are political in nature. Catalonia’s independence movement has experienced a surge in recent years. The turning point came in July 2010, after Spain’s constitutional court ruled against some aspects of Catalonia’s Statute of Autonomy (the legislation regulating the relationship between the Catalan autonomous community and the Spanish state). The ruling annulled some of the articles of the statute. The demonstration in support of Catalan independence that took place on September 11, 2012, was considered the most important among several mass rallies held for this purpose over successive years on Catalonia’s National Day. This article presents the results of a qualitative and quantitative analysis of editorial articles published around these two key dates, with the goal of studying each newspaper’s treatment of political actors and their degree of identification with these actors. Their use of arguments aimed at persuading readers and legitimizing a given position during the specified time periods in 2010 and 2012 will also be studied. The study focuses on the editorial articles published by several newspapers in four distinct regional contexts: Catalonia, Valencia, the Basque Country, as well as the whole of Spain. The analyzed articles were published a few days before and after July 10, 2010, and September 11, 2012.

Adolescence is a key period in life when most of the healthy habits that will affect health during adulthood are established. Numerous interventions based on the acquisition of regular physical activity (PA) in the adolescent population have so far yielded no success, mainly in the long term. Qualitative phenomenological research was used to identify adolescents’ perceived barriers and motivations to regular PA practice, and how they form the concept of PA through thought and action. This study constitutes an explicative design using photo elicitation (PE) and discussion group (DG) techniques to explore different aspects and meanings associated with PA, as well as their perceptions toward PA practice. The study was conducted on adolescents from a randomly selected district in Barcelona (Catalonia), Spain. Through the use of PE, a total of 67 photographs were analyzed. A DG was conducted with a group of 10 teenagers. Input from the DG was examined using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The findings show that social, familial, and environmental factors become motivational elements for the regular practice of PA. The findings observed relevant aspects linked to general barriers and to particular ones associated with young women. This study also considered implications for future interventions.

The identity of the universities is one more piece to consider inside the puzzle of the grassroots public diplomacy. University social responsibility is not well exploited on university websites. This is the main conclusion we have reached following a comparative study of the websites of the universities of the Autonomous Region of Madrid (Spain) and those of the universities of the State of Puebla, including public, private, and Catholic Church institutions. All the universities of the Madrid region and 92.5% of those consulted in the State of Puebla have a website, but none of them gives an explicit reference on its homepage that operations are performed within all occupational aspects in accordance with the realm of university social responsibility. It would therefore be fair to say that there is no evidence of optimal exploitation of university social responsibility on the websites. When this must be considered as one element that it is necessary to include in the communicative frame of reference to obtain mutual understanding, stable, and beneficial relations for all the parts.

This article reflects on the experiences of language teachers from Brazil, Spain, France, Cyprus, Costa Rica and Taiwan during the pivot to emergency remote/online instruction during the 2020 pandemic. The research question motivating the study was what language teachers’ perceptions regarding online teaching during the pandemic were. Data were analyzed qualitatively, contrasting data from a questionnaire shared in an asynchronous online form with data from focus group interviews carried out via videoconferencing. The analysis of the questionnaire data showed that the vast majority of respondents used different digital technologies to teach online, both synchronously and asynchronously, but felt unprepared to work in this modality, mostly because of lack of institutional support and training. The analysis of the focus group interviews suggested that most teachers expressed concerns as to the limitations of online teaching for interaction and exams. In addition, some teachers displayed negative attitudes towards online teaching due to the lack of preparation and institutional support. This was aggravated by political implications of migrating to online education that could result in precariousness of the teacher profession. The positive aspects highlighted were the possibility of developing more self-directed and autonomous learning, as well as experimenting with different technologies and approaches. Overall, the analysis of the data suggests that, after the pandemic and with due preparation and support, some of the digital technologies and approaches experimented with will be incorporated into pedagogical practices in blended approaches, which represent a real trend and possibility for language teaching in the post-pandemic context.

Alternative collective initiatives often emerge during hard times, supporting citizens and helping them meet their increasing needs through nonmainstream economic activities. To this end, citizens organize formal and informal alternative action organizations (AAOs). Recent studies have shown that the economic crisis was a trigger for the founding of a wide variety of new AAOs, especially in the countries most affected, such as Greece and Spain. One aspect of AAOs untouched so far, however, is their life span. This article investigates factors that impact on AAOs’ ability to stay active online, using fresh data on their organizational profiles from their organizational websites. It offers a comparative, systematic analysis of the age structure and the activity rate of AAOs in nine European countries (Greece, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, the United Kingdom, Poland, Switzerland, and Sweden), for the 2007-2016 period. Following the classic resource mobilization theory, we conclude that the lifeline of these organizations, as that of social movement organizations, even when their forms are innovative and alternative, depends on adequate resources.

The article examines the evolution of Western patristics from Augustine to Gregory the Great and Isidore of Seville in a dual aspect: the power of discourse and the discourse of power. The former draws on truth, the “place” of which, according to Aristotle, is in judgment, while the latter represents the policy of truth, pursued by the government. The power of discourse in this case is implemented as the spread of Christian education. The discourse of power is realized in the form of decisions and legislative acts of the authorities, guided by the Roman tradition and adopted in the dominating atmosphere of transition from раx deorum to pax dei. The power of Christian discourse specifically manifests itself in relation to Jews and Judaism. The church, meanwhile, is increasingly playing the role of a stable and omnipresent institution of education and transfer of agonistic rhetoric. The clergy are becoming new “rhetors” (Paula Fredriksen), whose activities bring about a new product of their rhetoric, namely, “rhetorical” Jews. However, the discourse of power in the late Antiquity and the early Middle Ages determined the legal status of quite real “historical” Jews. The focal point of the article is the ongoing debate on the Christian literature “adversus Iudaeos” of the first millennium and the “topoi” thereof: the anti-Judaism of its authors takes on a special character depending on whether it is dictated by the power of discourse (the Christian Word) or actually is the discourse of power. When acting as preachers and mentors in Christian faith, Augustine, Gregory the Great and Isidore of Seville would theologize, extensively resorting to anti-Judaism rhetoric (anti-Judaism without Jews), whereas in their administrative practices they have to deal with real-life Jews, which compels them to conform their wording with the concrete situation and the priorities of the Church policy.

The article considers the causes and the nature of the economic crisis which was a heavy blow for Spanish economy being in need of structural reforms. The domestic political consequences of the crisis included the change of government, the emergence of new protest movements and strengthening of separatism. Under the Brussels' pressure, Spain was forced to make significant adjustments to its national anti-crisis strategy which had a high social price. Particular attention is given to relations with the EU and the impact of the crisis on the country's foreign policy.

The following article aims to determine under which circumstances the establishment of denominational schools must be allowed in democratic societies. The possible opening of a Muslim Brotherhood School in Spain requires a new approach on the presence of religious schools through the study of the collision between two protected goods raise: freedom of religion and democratic citizenship. Thus, it is first considered which space democratic States must grant to religious institu-tions, turning to Cécile Laborde’s considerations on French laicism from a liberal Span-ish perspective. Subsequently, the article proceeds to reconcile freedom of religion and democratic citizenship education, choosing the political liberal approach over the com-prehensive liberal approach, since it provides solutions that are easier to assume by the standard reasonable citizen. Once the theoretical framework has been established, the tension between these two goods is analyzed through the triangle of actors of Arneson and Saphiro, in order to determine under what circumstances the existence of denomina-tional schools must be tolerated. Said triangle shows the tension between the State, who seeks to educate good citizens (democratic citizenship education), the parents, who seek that their children share their same conception of the good life (freedom of religion) and, in between, the children, whose best interest must come first. On the one hand, the results do not only show that religious institutions are compatible with democratic States, but also that said States must guarantee, in pluralistic societies, the different conceptions of the good life. On the other hand, regarding the conciliation between freedom of religion and democratic citizenship, the article showcases that, in order for the best interest of the child to be guaranteed, neither the State nor the parents can prevail, rather both interests must balance in the following way: the State must allow the existence of confessional schools as long as they teach the core contents of demo-cratic citizenship education. Finally, the article argues that democratic citizenship education in confessional schools is not inferior to that of public schools, and criticizes the positions according to which citi-zens must put aside the religious aspect in democratic societies. The article pretends to discuss the traditional liberal theoretical framework, from which it has reflected the reli-gious education, compelling a re-reading of the triangle of actors.

The Spanish Constitution of 1978 introduced a dramatic change into the political organization by decentralizing the existing State into seventeen regional governments with a broad range of authority. This transformation involved a ‘services transfer process’ from the central government and a simultaneous evaluation of the financial resources needed by the regional governments. The paper contains an analysis of the main features of this process, focusing on the various problems that have arisen in the estimation of the cost of the services transferred. Finally, some recommendations are offered for the future multilevel public financial system, which are in accordance with the present Spanish regulations on this subject.

The author considers the factors, which determine interest to the German language in different regions of the world. The object of research is the role of the German language in international sociocultural contacts and the humanitarian sphere development, in the world educational space formation. The subject matter is practical experience of mastering the German language, linguistic achievements and problems of specific nations in this area. The author considers practical application of the German language in the language policy of several countries, studies intercultural interaction difficulties, analyses international research projects in ethno-social dynamics. The goal of the research determined the tasks: to present a socio-anthropological approach to the consideration of the language situation in the countries, to comment on the institutional aspects of the German language dissemination, to substantiate the multilingualism significance as a tool of intercultural education. The chronological framework of the study covers the first decades of the XXI century. At the same time, if we consider the problem in a historical aspect, we will inevitably turn to the earlier periods. A systematic approach allows us to establish a logical relationship and interdependence of these periods, traces changes in the status of the official language in Germany. This issue is not only linguistic, but also historical and cultural. The author analyzes the problems of the ethnolinguistic situation associated with the study of the German language in a number of countries: among them, the United Kingdom, in which other languages (but English) have a lesser degree of social prestige and are being squeezed out of the language space. The French Republic, along with the Federal Republic of Germany, as the leader of Europe, has always been on the axis of European construction. The country continues the policy of promoting internationalization of the French language. At the same time, Francophonie is a movement for cultural diversity. The Kingdom of Belgium and the Swiss Confederation are related to Germany in institutional architecture. It is necessary to study the situation in these ethnically heterogeneous and multilingual federal states, where German is one of the official languages. The author appeals to the history of Spain and the Republic of Korea because the citizens of these countries participated in the reconstruction of Germany after the Second World War. Issues related to the individual linguistic rights implementation determine national and political processes, educational and cultural policies. Learning several languages forms the idea that a multilingual society is the standard model of communication.

Abstract The Age-Friendly University global initiative has the opportunity to unite nations around the world towards making higher education spaces inclusive of older adults. Once a university joins the AFU Global Network and endorses the 10 guiding principles, the real work of living up to the principles begins. Each institution has unique geographical, political, social, and financial characteristics that require tailored approaches to this work. At our regional comprehensive university, we completed three separate analyses (external, internal, future directions) as part of our Environmental Scan. The goal of the Environmental Scan was to understand the initial strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities to age-friendliness and inclusiveness for older learners within our campus community. We utilized a multi-pronged data collection approach, including individual stakeholder interviews, online surveys of older leaners, policy analysis, and internal and external audits. Many aspects of data collection for the environmental scan occurred concurrently with data analysis. Data from each of the eight data collection methods were used to generate key findings and recommendations and will be presented. Furthermore, we found that aligning our recommendations with the University’s marketing and enrollment efforts as well as the University’s goals relating to diversity, equity and inclusion allowed for greater administrative support for strategies to increase age-friendliness on campus. with implications for similar work at other institutions. The Age-Friendly University global initiative has the opportunity to better support the inclusion of older adults in higher education. Our Environmental Scan of age-friendliness, from inception to completion will apply to institutions across the globe.

Introduction: The Corona virus (COVID-19) pandemic caused, among others, the need for colleges and universities managers around the world to reinvent new ways of providing education preserving its good quality at the same time. With the new ordinances of the Ministry of Education and Health, all courses can use remote methodologies for the continuity on the current school year. With new challenges and paradigms emerging from this methodological proposal: provide for the user the feeling of immersion, of being in the class room, from the navigation and interaction in this virtual environment, at the same time that the educator, respecting the educational principles and the pedagogical approach that he believes, does not transform this moment into a simple distance education. Objective: to describe the state of the art on nursing education and the challenges of using remote technologies in the time of Corona virus pandemic. Methods: this is a reflective study based on secondary sources of literature relevant to the theme, considering articles from national and international journals and recent productions on education, health training, remote technologies, COVId-19 and public health. Results: it is evident that experiencing the effects of the corona virus pandemic (COVID-19) in the health educational sector, especially in the field of nursing, goes beyond a structural reorganization of courses. It implies change attitude of managers, teachers and students to reformulate educational practices (sometimes with traditional tools), with innovative practices preserving a methodology that provides to the student criticality reflection, dialogue, bonding and interaction; elements that are part of a training aimed at transformation, empowerment and not just the transmission of knowledge. In this context, the COVID-19 pandemic caused paradigm shifts perhaps not yet overcome by health science institutions , because when they perceived themselves within a reality that generated changes in the political, economic, cultural and social aspects at a global level, they had to reinvent and insert new ways of teaching in their work process; they had to discuss different educational approaches and, given the needs to readjust health teaching methods, they inserted remote technologies as essential tools to meet the real need for continuity of classes in non-face-to-face model. For many, it is a challenge, as it currently permeates a reflection on the attention of distance learning in the field of nursing and other courses in the health area. However, as it opened up to discussions about new ways of teaching mediated by innovation, it can be said that this will be one of the greatest impact of the pandemic in benefit the education: the contribution of new information and communication technologies in the teaching-learning process for training in health, as well as the reflection on distance education and its concepts, differentiating it from the concepts of remote methodology and the use of technologies. Conclusion: In nursing education, the discussion related to the use of remote technologies in the classroom has always been a point of debate. However, with the need to include these tools for the continuity of classes in the non-face-to-face model resulting from the social isolation strategy motivated by the pandemic of COVID-19, it can provide an opportunity to have a new look on the subject and perhaps there is an opportunity to expand the debate on the use of remote methodologies in health education, seeking a reflection on their interaction with the other teaching methods already implemented.

This paper aims to portray the overall picture of poverty in the world and mentions the key solution to overcome poverty from a critical perspective. The data and figures were quoted from a number of researchers and organizations in the field of poverty around the world. Simultaneously, the information strengthens the correlations among poverty and lack of education. Only appropriate philosophies of education can improve the country’s socio-economic conditions and contribute to effective solutions to worldwide poverty. In the 21st century, despite the rapid development of science and technology with a series of inventions brought into the world to make life more comfortable, human poverty remains a global problem, especially in developing countries. Poverty, according to Lister (2004), is reflected by the state of “low living standards and/or inability to participate fully in society because of lack of material resources” (p.7). The impact and serious consequences of poverty on multiple aspects of human life have been realized by different organizations and researchers from different contexts (Fraser, 2000; Lister, 2004; Lipman, 2004; Lister, 2008). This paper will indicate some of the concepts and research results on poverty. Figures and causes of poverty, and some solutions from education as a key breaker to poverty will also be discussed. Creating a universal definition of poverty is not simple (Nyasulu, 2010). There are conflicts among different groups of people defining poverty, based on different views and fields. Some writers, according to Nyasulu, tend to connect poverty with social problems, while others focus on political or other causes. However, the reality of poverty needs to be considered from different sides and ways; for that reason, the diversity of definitions assigned to poverty can help form the basis on which interventions are drawn (Ife and Tesoriero, 2006). For instance, in dealing with poverty issues, it is essential to intervene politically; economic intervention is very necessary to any definition of this matter. A political definition necessitates political interventions in dealing with poverty, and economic definitions inevitably lead to economic interventions. Similarly, Księżopolski (1999) uses several models to show the perspectives on poverty as marginal, motivation and socialist. These models look at poverty and solutions from different angles. Socialists, for example, emphasize the responsibilities of social organization. The state manages the micro levels and distributes the shares of national gross resources, at the same time fighting to maintain the narrow gap among classes. In his book, Księżopolski (1999) also emphasizes the changes and new values of charity funds or financial aid from churches or organizations recognized by the Poor Law. Speaking specifically, in the new stages poverty has been recognized differently, and support is also delivered in limited categories related to more specific and visible objectives, with the aim of helping the poor change their own status for sustainable improvement. Three ways of categorizing the poor and locating them in the appropriate places are (1) the powerless, (2) who is willing to work and (3) who is dodging work. Basically, poverty is determined not to belong to any specific cultures or politics; otherwise, it refers to the situation in which people’s earnings cannot support their minimum living standard (Rowntree, 1910). Human living standard is defined in Alfredsson & Eide’s work (1999) as follows: “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.” (p. 524). In addition, poverty is measured by Global Hunger Index (GHI), which is calculated by the International Food Policy Institute (IFPRI) every year. The GHI measures hunger not only globally, but also by country and region. To have the figures multi-dimensionally, the GHI is based on three indicators: 1. Undernourishment: the proportion of the undernourished as a percentage of the population (reflecting the share of the population with insufficient calorie intake). 2. Child underweight: the proportion of children under age 5 who are underweight (low weight for their age, reflecting wasting, stunted growth or both), which is one indicator of child under-nutrition. 3. Child mortality: the mortality rate of children under 5 (partially reflecting the fatal synergy of inadequate dietary intake and unhealthy environments). Apart from the individual aspects and the above measurement based on nutrition, which help partly imagine poverty, poverty is more complicated, not just being closely related to human physical life but badly affecting spiritual life. According to Jones and Novak (1999 cited in Lister, 2008), poverty not only characterizes the precarious financial situation but also makes people self-deprecating. Poverty turns itself into the roots of shame, guilt, humiliation and resistance. It leads the poor to the end of the road, and they will never call for help except in the worst situations. Education can help people escape poverty or make it worse. In fact, inequality in education has stolen opportunity for fighting poverty from people in many places around the world, in both developed and developing countries (Lipman, 2004). Lipman confirms: “Students need an education that instills a sense of hope and possibility that they can make a difference in their own family, school, and community and in the broader national and global community while it prepare them for multiple life choices.” (p.181) Bradshaw (2005) synthesizes five main causes of poverty: (1) individual deficiencies, (2) cultural belief systems that support subcultures of poverty, (3) economic, political and social distortions or discrimination, (4) geographical disparities and (5) cumulative and cyclical interdependencies. The researcher suggests the most appropriate solution corresponding with each cause. This reflects the diverse causes of poverty; otherwise, poverty easily happens because of social and political issues. From the literature review, it can be said that poverty comes from complex causes and reasons, and is not a problem of any single individual or country. Poverty has brought about serious consequences and needs to be dealt with by many methods and collective effort of many countries and organizations. This paper will focus on representing some alarming figures on poverty, problems of poverty and then the education as a key breaker to poverty. According to a statistics in 2012 on poverty from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), nearly half the world's population lives below the poverty line, of which is less than $1.25 a day . In a statistics in 2015, of every 1,000 children, 93 do not live to age 5 , and about 448 million babies are stillborn each year . Poverty in the world is happening alarmingly. According to a World Bank study, the risk of poverty continues to increase on a global scale and, of the 2009 slowdown in economic growth, which led to higher prices for fuel and food, further pushed 53 million people into poverty in addition to almost 155 million in 2008. From 1990 to 2009, the average GHI in the world decreased by nearly one-fifth. Many countries had success in solving the problem of child nutrition; however, the mortality rate of children under 5 and the proportion of undernourished people are still high. From 2011 to 2013, the number of hungry people in the world was estimated at 842 million, down 17 percent compared with the period 1990 to 1992, according to a report released by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) titled “The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2013” . Although poverty in some African countries had been improved in this stage, sub-Saharan Africa still maintained an area with high the highest percentage of hungry people in the world. The consequences and big problems resulting from poverty are terrible in the extreme. The following will illustrate the overall picture under the issues of health, unemployment, education and society and politics ➢ Health issues: According a report by Manos Unidas, a non- government organization (NGO) in Spain , poverty kills more than 30,000 children under age 5 worldwide every day, and 11 million children die each year because of poverty. Currently, 42 million people are living with HIV, 39 million of them in developing countries. The Manos Unidas report also shows that 15 million children globally have been orphaned because of AIDS. Scientists predict that by 2020 a number of African countries will have lost a quarter of their population to this disease. Simultaneously, chronic drought and lack of clean water have not only hindered economic development but also caused disastrous consequences of serious diseases across Africa. In fact, only 58 percent of Africans have access to clean water; as a result, the average life expectancy in Africa is the lowest in the world, just 45 years old (Bui, 2010). ➢ Unemployment issues: According to the United Nations, the youth unemployment rate in Africa is the highest in the world: 25.6 percent in the Middle East and North Africa. Unemployment with growth rates of 10 percent a year is one of the key issues causing poverty in African and negatively affecting programs and development plans. Total African debt amounts to $425 billion (Bui, 2010). In addition, joblessness caused by the global economic downturn pushed more than 140 million people in Asia into extreme poverty in 2009, the International Labor Organization (ILO) warned in a report titled The Fallout in Asia, prepared for the High-Level Regional Forum on Responding to the Economic Crisis in Asia and the Pacific, in Manila from Feb. 18 to 20, 2009 . Surprisingly, this situation also happens in developed countries. About 12.5 million people in the United Kingdom (accounting for 20 percent of the population) are living below the poverty line, and in 2005, 35 million people in the United States could not live without charity. At present, 620 million people in Asia are living on less than $1 per day; half of them are in India and China, two countries whose economies are considered to be growing. ➢ Education issues: Going to school is one of the basic needs of human beings, but poor people cannot achieve it. Globally, 130 million children do not attend school, 55 percent of them girls, and 82 million children have lost their childhoods by marrying too soon (Bui, 2010). Similarly, two-thirds of the 759 million illiterate people in total are women. Specifically, the illiteracy rate in Africa keeps increasing, accounting for about 40 percent of the African population at age 15 and over 50 percent of women at age 25. The number of illiterate people in the six countries with the highest number of illiterate people in the world - China, India, Indonesia, Brazil, Bangladesh and Egypt - reached 510 million, accounting for 70 percent of total global illiteracy. ➢ Social and political issues: Poverty leads to a number of social problems and instability in political systems of countries around the world. Actually, 246 million children are underage labors, including 72 million under age 10. Simultaneously, according to an estimate by the United Nations (UN), about 100 million children worldwide are living on the streets. For years, Africa has suffered a chronic refugee problem, with more than 7 million refugees currently and over 200 million people without homes because of a series of internal conflicts and civil wars. Poverty threatens stability and development; it also directly influences human development. Solving the problems caused by poverty takes a lot of time and resources, but afterward they can focus on developing their societies. Poverty has become a global issue with political significance of particular importance. It is a potential cause of political and social instability, even leading to violence and war not only within a country, but also in the whole world. Poverty and injustice together have raised fierce conflicts in international relations; if these conflicts are not satisfactorily resolved by peaceful means, war will inevitably break out. Obviously, poverty plus lack of understanding lead to disastrous consequences such as population growth, depletion of water resources, energy scarcity, pollution, food shortages and serious diseases (especially HIV/AIDS), which are not easy to control; simultaneously, poverty plus injustice will cause international crimes such as terrorism, drug and human trafficking, and money laundering. Among recognizable four issues above which reflected the serious consequences of poverty, the third ones, education, if being prioritized in intervention over other issues in the fighting against poverty is believed to bring more effectiveness in resolving the problems from the roots. In fact, human being with the possibility of being educated resulted from their distinctive linguistic ability makes them differential from other beings species on the earth (Barrow and Woods 2006, p.22). With education, human can be aware and more critical with their situations, they are aimed with abilities to deal with social problems as well as adversity for a better life; however, inequality in education has stolen opportunity for fighting poverty from unprivileged people (Lipman, 2004). An appropriate education can help increase chances for human to deal with all of the issues related to poverty; simultaneously it can narrow the unexpected side-effect of making poverty worse. A number of philosophies from ancient Greek to contemporary era focus on the aspect of education with their own epistemology, for example, idealism of Plato encouraged students to be truth seekers and pragmatism of Dewey enhanced the individual needs of students (Gutex, 1997). Education, more later on, especially critical pedagogy focuses on developing people independently and critically which is essential for poor people to have ability of being aware of what they are facing and then to have equivalent solutions for their problems. In other words, critical pedagogy helps people emancipate themselves and from that they can contribute to transform the situations or society they live in. In this sense, in his most influential work titled “Pedagogy of the Oppressed” (1972), Paulo Freire carried out his critical pedagogy by building up a community network of peasants- the marginalized and unprivileged party in his context, aiming at awakening their awareness about who they are and their roles in society at that time. To do so, he involved the peasants into a problem-posing education which was different from the traditional model of banking education with the technique of dialogue. Dialogue wasn’t just simply for people to learn about each other; but it was for figuring out the same voice; more importantly, for cooperation to build a social network for changing society. The peasants in such an educational community would be relieved from stressfulness and the feeling of being outsiders when all of them could discuss and exchange ideas with each other about the issues from their “praxis”. Praxis which was derived from what people act and linked to some values in their social lives, was defined by Freire as “reflection and action upon the world in order to transform it” (p.50). Critical pedagogy dialogical approach in Pedagogy of the Oppressed of Freire seems to be one of the helpful ways for solving poverty for its close connection to the nature of equality. It doesn’t require any highly intellectual teachers who lead the process; instead, everything happens naturally and the answers are identified by the emancipation of the learners themselves. It can be said that the effectiveness of this pedagogy for people to escape poverty comes from its direct impact on human critical consciousness; from that, learners would be fully aware of their current situations and self- figure out the appropriate solutions for their own. In addition, equality which was one of the essences making learners in critical pedagogy intellectually emancipate was reflected via the work titled “The Ignorant Schoolmaster” by Jacques Rancière (1991). In this work, the teacher and students seemed to be equal in terms of the knowledge. The explicator- teacher Joseph Jacotot employed the interrogative approach which was discovered to be universal because “he taught what he didn’t know”. Obviously, this teacher taught French to Flemish students while he couldn’t speak his students’ language. The ignorance which was not used in the literal sense but a metaphor showed that learners can absolutely realize their capacity for self-emancipation without the traditional teaching of transmission of knowledge from teachers. Regarding this, Rancière (1991, p.17) stated “that every common person might conceive his human dignity, take the measure of his intellectual capacity, and decide how to use it”. This education is so meaningful for poor people by being able to evoking their courageousness to develop themselves when they always try to stay away from the community due the fact that poverty is the roots of shame, guilt, humiliation and resistance (Novak, 1999). The contribution of critical pedagogy to solving poverty by changing the consciousness of people from their immanence is summarized by Freire’s argument in his “Pedagogy of Indignation” as follows: “It is certain that men and women can change the world for the better, can make it less unjust, but they can do so from starting point of concrete reality they “come upon” in their generation. They cannot do it on the basis of reveries, false dreams, or pure illusion”. (p.31) To sum up, education could be an extremely helpful way of solving poverty regarding the possibilities from the applications of studies in critical pedagogy for educational and social issues. Therefore, among the world issues, poverty could be possibly resolved in accordance with the indigenous people’s understanding of their praxis, their actions, cognitive transformation, and the solutions with emancipation in terms of the following keynotes: First, because the poor are powerless, they usually fall into the states of self-deprecation, shame, guilt and humiliation, as previously mentioned. In other words, they usually build a barrier between themselves and society, or they resist changing their status. Therefore, approaching them is not a simple matter; it requires much time and the contributions of psychologists and sociologists in learning about their aspirations, as well as evoking and nurturing the will and capacities of individuals, then providing people with chances to carry out their own potential for overcoming obstacles in life. Second, poverty happens easily in remote areas not endowed with favorable conditions for development. People there haven’t had a lot of access to modern civilization; nor do they earn a lot of money for a better life. Low literacy, together with the lack of healthy forms of entertainment and despair about life without exit, easily lead people into drug addiction, gambling and alcoholism. In other words, the vicious circle of poverty and powerlessness usually leads the poor to a dead end. Above all, they are lonely and need to be listened to, shared with and led to escape from their states. Community meetings for exchanging ideas, communicating and immediate intervening, along with appropriate forms of entertainment, should be held frequently to meet the expectations of the poor, direct them to appropriate jobs and, step by step, change their favorite habits of entertainment. Last but not least, poor people should be encouraged to participate in social forums where they can both raise their voices about their situations and make valuable suggestions for dealing with their poverty. Children from poor families should be completely exempted from school fees to encourage them to go to school, and curriculum should also focus on raising community awareness of poverty issues through extracurricular and volunteer activities, such as meeting and talking with the community, helping poor people with odd jobs, or simply spending time listening to them. Not a matter of any individual country, poverty has become a major problem, a threat to the survival, stability and development of the world and humanity. Globalization has become a bridge linking countries; for that reason, instability in any country can directly and deeply affect the stability of others. The international community has been joining hands to solve poverty; many anti-poverty organizations, including FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization), BecA (the Biosciences eastern and central Africa), UN-REDD (the United Nations Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation), BRAC (Building Resources Across Communities), UNDP (United Nations Development Programme), WHO (World Health Organization) and Manos Unidas, operate both regionally and internationally, making some achievements by reducing the number of hungry people, estimated 842 million in the period 1990 to 1992, by 17 percent in 2011- to 2013 . The diverse methods used to deal with poverty have invested billions of dollars in education, health and healing. The Millennium Development Goals set by UNDP put forward eight solutions for addressing issues related to poverty holistically: 1) Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. 2) Achieve universal primary education. 3) Promote gender equality and empower women. 4) Reduce child mortality. 5) Improve maternal health. 6) Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. 7) Ensure environmental sustainability. 8) Develop a global partnership for development. Although all of the mentioned solutions carried out directly by countries and organizations not only focus on the roots of poverty but break its circle, it is recognized that the solutions do not emphasize the role of the poor themselves which a critical pedagogy does. More than anyone, the poor should have a sense of their poverty so that they can become responsible for their own fate and actively fight poverty instead of waiting for help. It is not different from the cores of critical theory in solving educational and political issues that the poor should be aware and conscious about their situation and reflected context. It is required a critical transformation from their own praxis which would allow them to go through a process of learning, sharing, solving problems, and leading to social movements. This is similar to the method of giving poor people fish hooks rather than giving them fish. The government and people of any country understand better than anyone else clearly the strengths and characteristics of their homelands. It follows that they can efficiently contribute to causing poverty, preventing the return of poverty, and solving consequences of the poverty in their countries by many ways, especially a critical pedagogy; and indirectly narrow the scale of poverty in the world. In a word, the wars against poverty take time, money, energy and human resources, and they are absolutely not simple to end. Again, the poor and the challenged should be educated to be fully aware of their situation to that they can overcome poverty themselves. They need to be respected and receive sharing from the community. All forms of discrimination should be condemned and excluded from human society. When whole communities join hands in solving this universal problem, the endless circle of poverty can be addressed definitely someday. More importantly, every country should be responsible for finding appropriate ways to overcome poverty before receiving supports from other countries as well as the poor self-conscious responsibilities about themselves before receiving supports from the others, but the methods leading them to emancipation for their own transformation and later the social change.

This paper reviews the scientific literature, both quantitative and qualitative, referred to several aspects of intercultural education in Spain from 1990 until 2008. The core themes found in the literature are the following: 1) schooling of immigrants and ethnic minorities, 2) models of intervention and educative proposals, 3) bilingual and linguistic diversity, 4) attitudes towards other cultures, and 5) intercultural citizenship and intercultural identity. Finally, it shows new open fields or gaps that are identified in the literature reviewed, and suggests ideas and strategies to strengthen intercultural research in the near future.

In this article, we argue that Teen Vogue has evolved to encompass aspects of intersectional, feminist activism that is particularly evident in the 2017 “Voices” section of the magazine. This evolution challenges previous research that has found that, historically, teen magazines focus heavily on heteronormativity, ideals of beauty, and consumerism. Our analysis of the content of this section of Teen Vogue in 2017 demonstrates that teen magazines can be reimagined as legitimate sources of intersectional activist feminist information for readers. Despite these positive changes, however, Teen Vogue continues to advertise clothing brands that many adolescent girl readers are likely unable to afford, thereby reinforcing superficial postfeminist notions of empowerment.

In this article, I look at how comics aimed at young readers can serve to disrupt normative notions, gendered binaries, and fixed designations through featuring, or focusing on, queer girlhoods. In doing so I consider two contemporary series, Ms. Marvel and Lumberjanes. I contextualize these titles against aspects of the publishing of comics, before analyzing some of the narratives and characters in the texts in relation to queer girlhoods. I conclude that the comics offer different approaches and, therefore, differentiated reading experiences for the young readers who engage with them, but that they also form part of a wider grouping of titles that offer diverse images of young people embracing affiliations going beyond family and nation.

There are increasing demands that scholars of girlhood studies pay attention to the ways in which girls of color challenge the powerful discourses that work to constrain them. I take up this call to action through an analysis of the spoken word poetry of black, brown, and mixed-race high school girls in New Orleans, Louisiana. I discuss varying levels of consciousness about these discourses as represented in the poems of three girls aged 14, 15, and 16 that offer nuanced entry into the ambiguous process of their developing identities. I link instances of disruption highlighted through their poetry to aspects of their day-to-day experience to present a theoretical intervention that I call cultivated disruption that points to the ways in which girls of color are already practicing poetry as pleasurable and creative survival.

The article analyzes the changes that characterize Spanish approach to political aspects of European integration, and more specifically, the approach of different political parties to the process. Spanish political circles and even think tanks pay relatively little attention to theoretical aspects of European integration, whereas practical relations with the EU are of paramount importance. This is due to the fact that the question of belonging to the EU was settled in Spain long ago and definitively. Majoritarian character of Spanish democracy facilitates the transfer of powers from Brussels to Madrid, i.e. objectively favors the choice of federalization. Nevertheless, Spain continues to upload its national preferences onto the EU decision-making process. In recent years, Spain’s influence and authority in the EU have declined because of the economic crisis. This loss of authority will be overcome as soon as the economic growth is resumed. Constantly emphasizing its belonging to the core of the EU, the “Old Europe”, and to the core of the euro zone, maintaining close relationship with the Latin group within the EU, Spain has consistently advocated a united and strong Europe with a Common Foreign and Security Policy.

The relevance of the study: attempts to secede of Catalonia from Spain in 2012–2017 are a characteristic manifestation of the crisis of the national states in the context of globalization. The objective of the study is to determine the politicalinstitutional and ethno-political parameters of the Catalan crisis of 2012–2017 in the context of the interactions of the Spanish state of autonomies and their autonomous communities. The research materials are normative juridical acts of the Kingdom of Spain and the Autonomous Community of Catalonia, resolutions of political parties, statements of political leaders, results of opinion polls, statistical data of population censuses. Research methods: neoinstitutionalism, constructivist paradigm in ethnopolitology. The results of the investigation. The Catalan crisis of 2012–2017 confirmed the decrease in confidence in the state of autonomy and the party system of the country, caused by a deficit of democracy. The main factors in the fragmentation of the state are: the unfinished nation-building; weak national identity compared to regional and ethnic identity; import of secession institutes and technologies. The conflict is not resolved and requires a radical reform of Spain’s political system based on dialogue and constitutional reform.

In this paper I will present an overview of the current legal, social and political situation of transsexual and transgendered people in Spain. The study is based on qualitative data gathered from in-depth interviews with transsexual people, transgendered activists and legal experts in Spain, including some aspects of a cross-cultural comparison between Spain and the UK. The empirical study accounts for the development of social policies related to sex-reassignment and their evolution in the last decade in Spain, as well as for transsexual associations and activism, issues of social exclusion and prostitution. The study on transsexuals consists of qualitative interviews with selected individuals of the transsexual community in Scotland and Catalonia about their life experiences. The analysis of the qualitative data explores the cultural assumptions underlying the legal aspects of sex-reassignment. Amongst other issues, the paper will deal with Spanish juridical procedures for documental reorientation and its potential role as incentive for undergoing sex-reassignment operation, and the performative character of transsexualism as a scientific category and folk gender myths in the shaping of gender. The cross-cultural comparison concerns scientific terminology and funding, as well as cultural and legal aspects of sex-reassignment. The study reveals the performative character of scientific categories, the mobilisation of conflicting discourses in the negotiation of meaning, the circularity and self-referentiality of the terms used both in expert and folk discourse. Moreover, the cross-cultural comparison demonstrates the conventionality of transsexualism as a scientific category and some of the ways in which social institutions act to perpetuate the erasure of gender fluidity.

This article analyses the main legislation in Spain regarding Bilingual Education in the stage of Primary Education. Firstly, it divides Spanish regions into monolingual and bilingual. Later, it deals with the main legislation enforced in Primary Education, and carefully analyses three main aspects: teachers’ L2 level, teachers’ methodological requirements, and the non-linguistic discipline or disciplines included in bilingual programs together with the subjects’ language or languages of delivery and assessment. The first aspect, L2, is labelled following the different levels of the European Framework of Languages. As for teaching methodology, information has been classified as “not mentioned”, “recommended” or “required”. With regards to subjects, there are four different labels: “compulsory”, “optional”, “not mentioned”, and “not specified”. A high degree of heterogeneity is observed in two of the three areas analyzed. These differences among regions do not seem to be connected with their monolingual or bilingual nature. Finally yet importantly, it should be assumed that India and Spain are not close realities in some aspects. However, the study described above might help researchers, teachers or educational authorities to reflect upon some issues which are derived from CLIL(Content and Language Integrated Learning) methodology implementation in schools.