Showing papers on "Contemporary society published in 1995"

The End of Public Space?People's Park, Definitions of the Public, and Democracy

Abstract: The nature of public space in contemporary society is changing. This paper uses the turmoil over People's Park in Berkeley, California, as a means for exploring changing ideas about and practices in public space. I argue that as public space is increasingly privatized or otherwise brought under greater control, possibilities for democratic action are minimized. To make this claim, I provide a brief outline of the roots of the August 1991 riots at People's Park. I then examine the role that public space plays in modern democracies, and how ideas about public space have developed dialectically with definitions of who counts as “the public.” In American democracy, “the public” is constituted by private individuals. In this paper, I suggest that the presence of homeless people in public spaces raises important contradictions at the heart of this definition of “the public.” Many commentators suggest that these contradictions have led to “the end of public space” in contemporary cities, or at the very ...

Strange Multiplicity: Constitutionalism in an Age of Diversity

Abstract: Part I. Demands for Constitutional Recognition: 1. The constitutional question raised by the politics of cultural recognition: six examples and three similarities 2. The mutual recognition of cultural diversity: three features of the common ground and three historical movements 3. The spirit of Haida Gwaii as a symbol of the age of cultural diversity 4. A constitutional dialogue in The spirit of Haida Gwaii Part II. Diversity and Contemporary Constitutionalism: 5. Anwering the constitutional question: an outline 6. Two languages of contemporary constitutionalism and the three schools of modern constitutionalism 7. The challenge of post-modernism and cultural feminism 8. The challenge of interculturalism Part III. The Historical Formation of Modern Constitutionalism: The Empire of Uniformity: 9. Constitutions ancient and modern 10. Seven features of modern constitutionalism 11. Example of forging the seven features: Locke and Aboriginal peoples 12. Vattel, Kant and their followers 13.The reform of diversity in Europe and the colonies 14. The American revolution and the guardians of empire today Part IV. The Historical Formation of Common Constitutionalism: The Rediscovery of Cultural Diversity, Part I: 15. The hidden constitutions of contemporary societies 16. Understanding constitutionalism: Wittgenstein and Hale 17. Examples of the three conventions: the Aboriginal and common-law system and the conventions of mutual recognition and consent 18. The Aboriginal and common law system and the convention of continuity 19.The Aboriginal and common law system and constitutional dialogue Part V. The Historical Formation of Common Constitutionalism: The Rediscovery of Cultural Diversity. Part II: 20. Diverse federalism and the conventions of mutual recognition, continuity and consent 21. Diverse federalism and continuity: the Quebec act and the ancient constitution 22. Diverse federalism, the three conventions and the American revolution 23. The modern attack on diverse federalism: the Durham report and its followers 24. Linguistic minorities and the three conventions: the form of reasoning appropriate to mutual recognition and accommodation 25. Intercultural citizens, gender differences and the three conventions Part VI. Constitutionalism in an Age of Cultural Diversity: 25. A summary of contemporary constitutionalism 26. Replies to four objections to contemporary constitutionalism 27. Two public goods of contemporary constitutionalism: belonging and critical freedom Conclusion: the philosophy and practice of contemporary constitutionalism Notes Bibliography Index.

Disability and democracy : reconstructing (special) education for postmodernity

Abstract: The text examines current practice in special education from a variety of metatheoretical perspectives: functionalism, interpretivism, radical structuralism, and radical humanism. Part 1 deconstructs the professions by showing how they are undermined by postmodern theories of knowledge, and proposes pragmatism as a method for reconstructing the profession of education. Part 2 describes special education, disability, and social justice from a variety of modern perspectives. Part 3 presents alternative modern and postmodern ways of reframing the problem of school failure, and proposes a new organizational form for schools that, informed by pragmatism, would enable a critical reconstruction of special education, public education, and contemporary society.

Life's dominion : an argument about abortion and euthanasia

Abstract: Addresses one of the most bitterly debated and pressing issues in contemporary society: when is it right to end the life of a human foetus, or of a very old and sick human being? What are the rights and wrongs of abortion and euthanasia?

Managers Divided: Organisation Politics and Information Technology Management

Abstract: From the Publisher: Identifies and analyzes the social, political and problematic nature of systems and the use of IT in contemporary society. Considers the growing complexity of IT management issues, the changing profiles and organization of the IS profession and the dominant rise of a user relations problem within modern systems development. Features a detailed, case study of a major systems project--from the early decisions involving desirability and design to launch and initial assessment. Analyzes the shift from a technological-led to a strategic and marketing-led use of IT.

The sociology of money : economics, reason & contemporary society

Abstract: Preface. Introduction: On the Nature of Money. Part I:. 1. The Political Economy of Money. 2. Money and the State. 3. Cultural Aspects of the Mature Money Economy. 4. Money and the Social System. Part II:. 5. The Politics of International Monetary Integration. 6. Money in Postmodern Economics. 7. High Modernity, Rationality and Trust. 8. Monetary Analysis in Social Theory. Bibliography. Index.

Damaged Life: The Crisis of the Modern Psyche

Abstract: This text presents an analysis of modernity's impact on the psyche Modernization has brought many material benefits, yet we are constantly told how unhappy we are: crime, divorce, suicide, depression and anxiety are rampant How can this contradiction be reconciled? Tod Sloan develops an integrated theory of the self in society by combining perspectives on personality development and sociohistorical processes to explore our complex response to modernization He discusses the implications of postmodern theory for psychology and proposes concrete responses to address the issue of mass emotional suffering His book is aimed at those working within psychology and related disciplines such as sociology and social policy, as well as anyone seeking enlightenment about the predicament of the self in contemporary society

Reaching out without dumbing down : a theology of worship for the turn-of-the-century culture

Abstract: Why do churches fight Worship Wars? Why do discussions about how to conduct worship often split into two vitriolic polarities over traditional versus contemporary styles or into two opposing camps, such as organists/ guitarists, baby boomers/elders, returnees/loyalists or clergy/musicians? These worship wars prevent us from being the Church. In Reaching Out Without Dumbing Down, Marva Dawn writes to help local parishes and denominations think more thoroughly about worship and culture so that they can function effectively in contemporary society. She roots her discussion of worship issues in a careful assessment of significant aspects of the present technological, boomer, post-modern society and names criteria by which to judge the various cultural influences. She then sketches essential attributes of worship. Dawn recognizes that the vitality and faithfulness of our personal and corporate Christian lives and the effectiveness of our outreach to the world depend on the character that is formed in individuals and communities. How can churches best reach out to society without dumbing down this essential character formation? Dawn discusses music, preaching, and all the accouterments of worship and offers practical suggestions for choosing the best tools and forms to deepen worship life, nurture faith development, and increase believers outreach throughout the universal church and to the world."

Socialist humanism and the problem of crime

Abstract: Crime is understood as a problem of human existence. Assumed is the intersubjectivity of social reality, and the need for an interdisciplinary and integrative approach to criminology. Along the way, a consideration of (1) the relativity of things human, (2) the modes of having and being in contemporary society, (3) the interdependence of all things, and (4) the way of peace. The ideas of Erich Fromm are germane to our thinking in the development of a peacemaking criminology.

Housing & Family Wealth

Abstract: This collection provides a multi-disciplinary and cross-national perspective on the links between housing, personal sector wealth and the family in contemporary society Reasserting the role of the family and informal networks in housing provision it counteracts a tendency to view housing issues in narrow terms of market and state provision Highly international in perspective, the book addresses important policy questions and offers new theoretical insights into the way housing is embedded in the wider social structure

The historical context of professional ideology and tension and strain in the accounting profession

Abstract: A growing literature points to a crisis of confidence in the accounting profession and a lack of commitment by its members to the professional ideology. In this paper the approach developed by MacIntyre is used to place professional ideology in an historical context. The paper argues that the tension and strain in the profession can be related to the changing character of both the contemporary society and professional ideology itself. It concludes by highlighting the need for the profession to develop an ideology to which its members as well as society can relate.

The value of children's nursing in the third millennium

Abstract: This article describes the origins of children's nursing and examines its role in a contemporary society approaching a new millennium. The controversial aspects of the generic nurse debate are explored and repudiated.

Adolescence and old age: I. Terminal, problem cultures in American society.

Abstract: Although separated temporally by more than 50 years and socially by their own unique cultural features, adolescents and elderly people have many things in common in contemporary American society. This first of two articles describes adolescence and old age as stigmatized, biopsychosocial transition periods, before and after adulthood, and as oppositional identity systems in relation to other potentially salient cultural identifications, such as ethnicity, gender, religion, and vocation.

Social Shakespeare: Aspects of Renaissance Dramaturgy and Contemporary Society

Abstract: 'Social Shakespeare is a thoughtful and frequently incisive book wabout an important and complex topic.' - Terence Hawkes, Cahiers Elisabethains Shakespeare studies have become increasingly politicised and clashes of opinion amongst scholars are not uncommon. Social Shakespeare, in its enthusiasm for the plays themselves, attempts to bridge the gap between rival approaches, aiming as a distinct refocusing of political criticism upon the Shakespearean text as realised in performance. Modern Shakespeare productions have the potential to make far more political impact than academic studies and yet, until now, critics have been reluctant to recognise this potential. With reference to particular productions, backed up by illustrations, Peter J. Smith integrates critical understanding of the plays with evidence of their political impact on stage.

Social and legal alienation: The case of aboriginal peoples in Canada

Abstract: The concept ‘alienation’ has become a relatively common expression in contemporary society, the usage of which often belies the varied meanings it has had historically and in contemporary literature. Using the sociology of knowledge, an historical analysis of the use of ‘alienation’ in law, the social sciences, and religion reveals a rich and varied tradition. ‘Alienation’ arose with a positive religious meaning and subsequently became a cornerstone for the new property rights of an emerging capitalist economic order. In this new industrial order, social critics gave a negative meaning to ‘alienation’ that became the basis for the social scientific concept. The legal freedom to alienate property has arguably led to the marginalization of certain segments of society. A specific example of this process can be found in the struggles of Aboriginal peoples against their colonizers. Through the process of legal alienation, Aboriginal peoples lost not only their land, but their culture and self-worth. In recent years, Aboriginal peoples have attempted to reduce their social alienation through a variety of de-alienation strategies, including social, political, and legal struggles. One tactic has been land claim litigation. Therefore, through efforts to obtain legal alienation of land, Aboriginal peoples strive to reduce their social alienation and oppression.

Origins of the new farm women’s movement in Canada, New Zealand and Australia

Abstract: This describes the farm women’s movement in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It examines the way in which Ontario’s farm women defined themselves as a discrete group in the province and in the rural community, and summarises their achievements. In New Zealand, no organisation exists specifically for farm women, and a seventy year old rural women’s organisation is taking certain initiatives on their behalf. In 1993, women involved in the hitherto sporadic and scattered ‘women in agriculture’ activities in Victoria, Australia, inspired in part by the Canadian movement, formed a new national lobby group for farm women. In view of the conservative nature of rural society and rural media outlets, Australian women involved in the agricultural industry will need to be cautious in selecting tactics and strategies aimed at gaining recognition of their contemporary roles. In keeping with the dynamic nature of contemporary society, new farm women’s organisations are likely to avoid rigid organisational structures ...

Football and cultural identity in Glasgow and Liverpool

Abstract: This project examines the relationship between football, the media and the constitution and reconstitution of cultural identities within Glasgow and Liverpool. It explores the extent to which a range of contemporary religious, political and national identities can be understood by focusing on the role that football and the support for particular clubs, play in their formation. Throughout, there is a concern with the relationship between supporters, the clubs, the media and identity-formation. There is also a realisation of the importance of placing this material within an histo rical framework, which emphasises how political, economic and social changes have all shaped the specific relationships in each city. This is achieved through the use of a number of case studies. The geographical areas used for the studies are the west of Scotland and the north-west of England, with specific attention focused on the cities of Glasgow and Liverpool and the football supporters within these cities. There has long been a strong connection between football and a range of social identities in these two cities. This study examines the theoretical debates regarding issues of the formation of identity in contemporary society, and argues for the need to have contextually grounded studies informing these broader theoretical discussions. This project, focusing on religious, political and cultural expressions of collective identity, emphasises the continual need to be wary of unproblematically allocating a central role to the media in any process of identity-formation. It suggests that in the cities of Glasgow and Liverpool today a range of more socially and historically grounded factors are crucial in understanding the configurations of collective expression which football support provides for many in these cities.

The impact of violence : the Ethiopian 'Red terror' as a social phenomenon

Abstract: This article examines how violent interaction between ethnic and social groups in Ethiopia has shaped the contours of contemporary society. It focuses on the so-called Red Terror period of the late 1970s, which marks a decisive stage in the transformation of violence and politics in Ethiopia. The intense physical and psychological violence of the Red Terror period had a lasting effect on the collective mind and on social relations among Ethiopians. Because of its violation of central sociocultural ideals and codes in Ethiopian society, it decisively undermined any idea of 'social contract' or 'trust' between the State and the population. This breakdown of trust led to a dissociation of civilians from national policy and power structures, and to a serious weakening of overall social cohesion.

Work and change in industrial society: a sociological perspective

Abstract: Despite predictions of the ‘collapse of work’ or the arrival of the ‘leisure society’, it is clear that work continues to be a central institution in modern contemporary societies such as Britain.

Does feminism belong in business ethics

Abstract: Contemporary society is experiencing dramatic shifts in its expectations for business and its practices. Within the academic realm two voices of change are the “feminist” and “business ethics” perspectives; unfortunately, these two perspectives often advocate conflicting expectations for business organizations. The purpose of this article is to provide an analysis of the expectations each perspective advocates, and to draw relevant implications for future business practices. Our general conclusion is that the feminist perspective maintains a system of gender dichotomies and fails to recognize shifts in the balance of powers. In contrast, a business ethics perspective moves beyond gender issues and dichotomous systems to the recognition that contemporary society is comprised of minorities, and that the rights of all minorities must be recognized and balanced. We suggest that the feminist perspective must reposition with the rapid shifts currently occurring within our society before it can be a “voice” that should be listened to by business organizations.

Traditional beliefs and narratives of a contemporary irish tradition bearer

Abstract: Honko, L. Memorat och folktroforskning. In: Rooth A. B. (ed.) Folkdikt och folktro. Lund, 1978, pp. 93-105. Singe r, M. When a Great Tradition Modernizes. An Anthropological Approach to Indian Civilization. Chicago, 1972, p. 320. Brunvand, J. H. The Vanishing Hitchhiker: Urban Legends and Their Meanings. London, 1981/1983, pp. 27-45. Klintberg, B. af. Svenska folksagner. Stockholm, 1972, p. 331. Goss, M. The Evidence for Phantom Hitch-Hikers. Wellingborough, 1984. Klintberg, B. af. Do the Legends of Today and Yesterday Belong to the Same Genre? In: Rorich, L., Wienzer-Piepo, S. (eds.) Storytelling in Contemporary Societies. Tubingen, 1990.

The Amish Life-Style in an Era of Rapid Social Change

Abstract: The Old Order Amish have been part of American society for three centuries. Although there are variations in the social values and behavioral practices within different Amish church districts, the Old Order Amish have basically resisted the acculturation process that would reinforce and promote a life-style embraced by most of the non-Amish in our contemporary society (Savells, 1988; Kephart & Zellner, 1994; Kraybill, 1989).

America at war with itself : cultural conflict in contemporary society

Abstract: Preface, James L. Nolan, Jr. Part 1 Fields of conflict: the battle of books at Berkeley - in search of the culture wars in debates over multi-culturalism, David Yamane teachers and preachers - the battle over public school reform in Gaston County, North Carolina, Kimon Howland Sargeant and Edwin L. West, Jr. public television and the culture wars, William Hoynes cultural conflict and art - funding of the national endowment for the arts, Beth A. Eck the American abortion debate - culture war or normal discourse?, Michele Dillon the legal controversy over homosexuality, James D. Woodard. Part 2 The culture wars and beyond: contrasting styles of political discourse in America's past and present culture wars, James L. Nolan, Jr. crossing cultural divides - moral conflict and the Cairo population conference, Joseph Davis the search for common ground, James R. Kelly concluding remarks, James Davison Hunter.

Towards a redefinition of freedom and subjectivity in contemporary society

Abstract: This work consists of a study of the historical, philosophical and political elements determining the essence of freedom and subjectivity in contemporary society. It identifies the origin of subjectivity in Renaissance Humanism, and demonstrates that Humanism's definition of individual freedom and subjectivity became a base upon which the Anglo-Germanic Romantics grounded their intellectual and political framework. The philosophical parallel between Humanism and Romanticism, the projects of which express subjectivity and freedom in terms of 'creation' and 'individualism', establishes a basis from which a study of postmodernism (French post-structuralism) shows that postmodernists, in spite of their critique of modernity, continue to define freedom and subjectivity along the same lines. It contends that the postmodernist critique of society espouses a severely limited notion of subjectivity, i.e. one which is basically negative and anti-social, and whose effect on the way individuals view themselves as socio-political agents is detrimental. This study is not one which aims to discount the importance of the postmodernist critique altogether. Rather, it shows that there are many elements which enter into the definition of freedom and subjectivity as a 'lived' experience in the world, such as those present in Hegelian philosophy, which are often concealed, or negated by postmodernism's rejection of dialectics in history. The study takes as central the Hegelian definition of the elements constituting the process of actualisation of subjectivity and freedom in society, and argues that all three identified intellectual movements, Humanism, Romanticism and Postmodernism, fail to recognise that the other, the means, is not a thingness, a whatness, nor is it other individuals, but is itself an activity the base of which is social, and whose telos is present in the objective order. The work argues that although postmodernism defends individual rights against a visibly declining social, political and ethical order, it does not present individuals with alternatives that are feasible and desirable in today's social and political context.

Nature in the Ontopoiesis of Life: From the Cosmic Dissemination to the Human Cultivation of the Logos

Abstract: After a period of considerable neglect the question of nature has reappeared forcefully as a focus of scientific as well as everyday reflection on life. This is because the culture of contemporary society has been very much informed by technological advance and for that very reason society now finds itself at a breaking point. Under the guise of discussing the environment, natural resources, ecological questions, even interplanetary investigations, we are at bottom asking this question: What is nature?

De la difícil relación entre Estado y sociedad.Problemas de coordinación, control y racionalidad social

Abstract: The complex relationship of State and society is discussed in reference to five areas: conceptual effects of the crisis; deficits in the modernizing processes; complexity of the social structure; loss of the State’s centrality; and contemporary societies’s risk syndromes. The author believes there is a new way of socially and subjectively experiencing time, expressed not only in the impossibility of creatin a rational, full, and coherent link between present and future, but also in the arrhythmia of economic, political, and specifically social processes. This is combined with a marked differentiation, which in the societal level appears as diversified and fragmented associations. Time, differentiation, arrhythmia, difficult calculation, consensus deficit: all these elements put the State in a situation in which its role as general coordinator becomes enormously complex and difficult, specially according to actual rational logic systems.

El profesor ante los modelos culturales de la sociedad contemporánea the teacher with regard to cultural models of the contemporary society

Abstract: SUMMARY The scholar institution establishes an educational system that is culturally deter­ minated, and that establishes other socialization agencias as important as massmedia. In this work it's analyzed some of the effects configuratives of an television each time it's more influenced by publicity-fas hion styles, and each time it's more away from educational purposes that orientates the teacher's work.