Locating the 17th Book of Giddens@@@The Constitution of Society: Outline of the Theory of Structuration.
TL;DR: Giddens as mentioned in this paper has been in the forefront of developments in social theory for the past decade and outlines the distinctive position he has evolved during that period and offers a full statement of a major new perspective in social thought, a synthesis and elaboration of ideas touched on in previous works but described here for the first time in an integrated and comprehensive form.
Abstract: Anthony Giddens has been in the forefront of developments in social theory for the past decade. In "The Constitution of Society" he outlines the distinctive position he has evolved during that period and offers a full statement of a major new perspective in social thought, a synthesis and elaboration of ideas touched on in previous works but described here for the first time in an integrated and comprehensive form. A particular feature is Giddens' concern to connect abstract problems of theory to an interpretation of the nature of empirical method in the social sciences. In presenting his own ideas, Giddens mounts a critical attack on some of the more orthodox sociological views. "The Constitution of Society" is an invaluable reference book for all those concerned with the basic issues in contemporary social theory.
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TL;DR: In this article, a community-based round table process to address conflict over tourism-related development in the rapidly growing mountain town of Canmore, adjacent to Banff National Park, was discussed.
Abstract: The article discusses research on a community-based round table process to address conflict over tourism-related development in the rapidly growing mountain town of Canmore, adjacent to Banff National Park, Canada. Business, political, environmental and resident/community stakeholders convened as the Canmore Growth Management Committee (GMC) to develop a growth management strategy, though the planners and local government stayed at arm's-length from decision-making. This interpretive study demonstrates that the collaboration space can be a contested terrain where power and legitimation interrelate with process structures and activities, influencing meaning constructions and outcomes. Process structures are paradoxical in terms of shaping, constraining or enabling meaningful stakeholder participation. 'Consensus' is a problematic construct that can be shaped through the enactment of certain process rules, structures and activities, commencing in the convening stage. Local government initiators, destination...
241 citations
TL;DR: The authors argue that resistance to the "triumphalism" of English is also a responsibility of EAP teachers and that resistance can be encouraged by further research into the academic registers of languages other than English, by support for local-language scholarly publications, and by using the current controversies as consciousness-raising exercises in EAP classes for international graduate students.
Abstract: The increasing domination of English as the world's leading medium of international professional communication has begun to impact English for Academic Purposes programs. Specifically, questions arise as to whether English is becoming too successful. This paper reviews several of the resulting ideological challenges to EAP. Although not all of these challenges are accepted as well-founded, the paper argues that resistance to the 'triumphalism' of English is also a responsibility of EAP teachers. This resistance can be encouraged by further research into the academic registers of languages other than English, by support for local-language scholarly publications, and by using the current controversies as consciousness-raising exercises in EAP classes for international graduate students.
241 citations
TL;DR: The distinction between urban theory and planning theory is not intellectually viable as mentioned in this paper, due to the historical roots and justification for planning, which depends on a vision of the city and its people.
Abstract: The distinction between urban theory and planning theory is not intellectually viable. Reasons include (1) the historical roots and justification for planning, which depends on a vision of the city...
241 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a multivariate model is proposed which views geographical variability in weathering as a function of synergistic biological, chemical, and physical processes that are controlled by factors that vary at the microscopic weathering boundary layer.
Abstract: The prevailing theory used to explain geographical variability in weathering is based on visual correlations with climatic regions. For instance, mechanical weathering is assumed to predominate in warm and cold deserts. Yet this visual perspective fails to account for a diversity and quantity of data at the mineral-atmosphere-hydrosphere-biosphere interface where weathering processes actually occur. To address these discrepancies, a new model is proposed which views geographical variability in weathering as a function of synergistic biological, chemical, and physical processes that are controlled by factors that vary at the microscopic weathering boundary-layer. The new multivariate model better explains weathering observations at hygroscopic, capillary, pedogenic, landform, and landscape scales.
241 citations
03 Jan 2005
TL;DR: A genre analysis of two web-based collaborative authoring environments, Wikipedia and Everything2, shows that the greater the degree of post-production editorial control afforded by the system, the more formal and standardized the language of the collaboratively-authored documents becomes, analogous to that found in traditional print encyclopedias.
Abstract: This paper presents the results of a genre analysis of two web-based collaborative authoring environments, Wikipedia and Everything2, both of which are intended as repositories of encyclopedic knowledge and are open to contributions from the public. Using corpus linguistic methods and factor analysis of word counts for features of formality and informality, we show that the greater the degree of post-production editorial control afforded by the system, the more formal and standardized the language of the collaboratively-authored documents becomes, analogous to that found in traditional print encyclopedias. Paradoxically, users who faithfully appropriate such systems create homogeneous entries, at odds with the goal of open-access authoring environments to create diverse content. The findings shed light on how users, acting through mechanisms provided by the system, can shape (or not) features of content in particular ways. We conclude by identifying sub-genres of web-based collaborative authoring environments based on their technical affordances.
241 citations
Cites background from "Locating the 17th Book of Giddens@@..."
...More than a decade ago, Yates and Orlikowski (1992), drawing on the structuration approach of sociologist Anthony Giddens (1984), observed that human communicators, through their patterns of use grounded in recurring situations, shape the characteristics of communicative genres over time....
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