bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Special Education Personnel Preparation in the 21st Century
Authors: Simpson Richard L. , Whelan Richard J. , Zabel Robert H.
Published: December 2008

This paper focuses on preparation of teachers and related services personnel for children and youth with disabilities in the 21st century. Included are discussions of issues and factors related to the need for changes in special education personnel preparation; strategies for responding to current needs, including methods of using best practices and innovative training methods; and an Outcomes-Based Teacher Education model, including proposed knowledge and skill training outcomes. Thus, this article touches the highlights of what needs to be done to enable special education personnel preparation to meet the challenges of the future.
The Dissemination of Research in Special Education
Authors: Davis Judy Smith
Published: December 2008

Through the dissemination of research findings, scholarship and practice may be informed, and policy and society may be influenced. This article reviews various purposes of and audiences for research information, and discusses dissemination strategies in terms of the seven factors that account for most of the spread and utilization of knowledge, as identified by Havelock (1372) in his review of research and literature on dis- semination, which remains among the classic papers in this discipline.
Working with Families
Authors: Salend Spencer J. , Taylor Lorraine
Published: December 2008

Research indicates that when educators involve them in the educational process, parents can be instrumental in promoting their children's academic and social progress. Most strategies and programs to solicit parental involvement have been designed to serve families who are English speaking, have sufficient economic resources, and possess cultural perspectives that allow them to feel comfortable with and participate in the special education decision-making process. However, demographic data indicate that schools are serving, and will continue to serve, a growing number of students and families from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds who may not respond to traditional methods for establishing family/school partnerships. The purpose of this article is to identify some of the cultural, linguistic, and economic factors educators should consider in designing services that are relevant to the unique needs of families of culturally and linguistically diverse exceptional children. Additionally, strategies for involving these families in educational programs are suggested.
Elementary School Science for Students with Disabilities
Authors: Holahan Gail Grigg , McFarland Jacqueline , Piccillo Beverly A.
Published: December 2008

This paper reviews science curriculum issues surrounding the education of children with disabilities. Our nation's leadership has expressed serious concern regarding the role of science and mathematics in the education of our children, and children with disabilities cannot be excluded from this interest. we explore the background of science education for children with disabilities and examine three curricula designed especially for children with disabilities: Biological Science Curriculum study, full option science system, and science for all children.
Is Special Education Free?
Authors: Rogers Joy J.
Published: December 2008

When funding for special education services is limited, public school districts may be attracted by the possibility that either children's private health insurance or medicaid could be used to subsidize their special education services. Although school districts' attempts to use third-party sources to fund public school special education services have been generally unsuccessful, time-consuming, and costly, the history of such failures has mainly been published in legal documents that have been relatively inaccessible to educators. An explanation of the reasons for such failures is provided.
Adapted Use of Social Studies Textbooks in Elementary Classrooms
Authors: Bean Rita M. , Zigmond Naomi , Hartman Douglas K.
Published: December 2008

Twenty-two classroom teachers (grades 1 through 7) were interviewed to obtain information about how they use their social studies textbooks, the problems they experience, and their perceptions of the strengths and weaknesses of the texts. Teachers were also asked to describe the modifications or adaptations they made to help students who might have difficulty understanding the textbook. Results indicated that although teachers liked having the textbook as a resource, they were concerned about content and comprehensibility. Teachers tended to solve the problem of textbook difficulty in three ways: Helping students to cope with the textbook, deemphasizing the textbook, or reinforcing and extending textbook information.
Cognitive Apprenticeship for Learners with Special Needs
Authors: Rojewski Jay W. , Schell John W.
Published: December 2008

Cognitive apprenticeship emphasizes a combination of authentic problem-solving experiences with expert guidance in lieu of decontextualized instruction. As an instructional approach, cognitive apprenticeship can support the acquisition, use, and transfer of basic and advanced cognitive skills required in school and adult life by learners with special needs. This article first examines assumptions of teaching and learning that may have a negative impact on the education and postschool success of special populations. From this overview, several emerging aspects of cognitive science considered germane to advanced thinking are identified and reviewed. A model of cognitive apprenticeship is then described as a practical means of providing academic instruction to students with special learning needs. Lastly, implications of adopting this instructional approach with special populations are discussed.
Serving Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: KATSIYANNIS ANTONIS , CONDERMAN GREG
Published: December 2008

THIS PAPER REPORTS FINDINGS FROM A SURVEY OF 48 STATE DIRECTORS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION. THE SURVEY COLLECTED INFORMATION ON CURRENT STATE PRACTICES IN PROVIDING SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, TRAINING, AND ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA. VARIATIONS AMONG STATES IN THE AVAILABILITY AND NATURE OF ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA, DEFINITIONS, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND TRAINING WERE FOUND.
Homework-Communication Problems Among Parents, Classroom Teachers, and Special Education Teachers
Authors: JAYANTHI MADHAVI , NELSON JANET S. , SAWYER VALERIE , BURSUCK WILLIAM D. , EPSTEIN MICHAEL H.
Published: December 2008

The purpose of this study was to identify the communication problems that exist between home and school, particularly as these problems relate to homework given to students with mild disabilities in general education classes. Subjects for this study were 15 parents of students with mild disabilities, 14 special education teachers of students with mild disabilities, and 14 classroom teachers who taught students with mild disabilities in their classes. Nine focus groups were conducted: three with parents, three with classroom teachers, and three with special education teachers. Participants identified six major homework-communication problems. These involved initiation, frequency, timing, consistency, follow-through, and clarity and usefulness of communication. Other results, limitations of the study, and future research needs are also discussed.
Empiricism and Beyond
Authors: Reid D. Kim , Robinson Susan J. , Bunsen Teresa D.
Published: December 2008

A good deal of difficulty in the field of special education stems from our lack of awareness that what often appear to be attacks on our existence---the inclusion movement is a good example---are really the results of honest efforts to improve the field. in our nearly exclusive focus on empirical data, we have failed to understand the viewpoints of fellow special educators whose values and beliefs represent a nonempirical point of view. as habermas suggests, different forms of knowledge are needed to address different kinds of interests. in our focus on rationality, we have created crises of legitimacy and motivation. in this issue, our purpose is to acquaint special educators with some alternative perspectives in order to stimulate openness to communicative ethics, and, through mutual understanding and collaboration, to ensure the survival of our field.
Critical Constructivist Research and Special Education
Authors: Anderson Gary L. , Barrera Isaura
Published: December 2008

The field of special education is entering a multiparadigmatic stage, which the authors argue is a positive development in that multiple paradigms of inquiry provide unique perspectives capable of illuminating aspects of persistent and heretofore intractable problems. the authors describe four major paradigms adapted from burrell and morgan's (1979) sociological paradigms, focusing specifically on work currently under way in the field within a critical interpretivist paradigm. methodological and substantive implications for special education are discussed.
Structural Equation Modeling in Special Education Research
Authors: Moore Alan D.
Published: December 2008

Structural equation modeling is a method for analysis of multivariate data from both nonexperimental and experimental research. the method combines a structural model linking latent variables and a measurement model linking observed variables with latent variables. its use in special education research has been limited to date, but the approach offers promise as a method useful in theory-based research. a nontechnical introduction to the method and cautions concerning the limits of its use are presented.
Recommendations for Homework-Communication Problems
Authors: JAYANTHI MADHAVI , SAWYER VALERIE , NELSON JANET S. , BURSUCK WILLIAM D. , EPSTEIN MICHAEL H.
Published: December 2008

The purpose of this study was to generate recommendations for improving communication between home and school regarding the homework assigned in mainstream classes. specifically, the objectives of the study were to identify recommendations for ameliorating homework-communication problems between (a) parents and classroom teachers, (8) parents and special education teachers, and (c) classroom teachers and special education teachers. subjects for this study were 8 parents of students with mild disabilities, 13 special education teachefs of students with mild disabilities, and 11 classroom teachers who taught students with mild disabilities in their classes. six focus groups were used to generate recommendations. many recommendations for solving homework-communication problems were identified by parents, classroom teachers, and special education teachers. five themes emerged from these recommendations: time and opportunity; knowledge; attitudes and abilities; bypass; and other. these results, as well as limitations of the study and future research needs. are discussed
An Examination of the Relationship Between Teacher Efficacy and Curriculum-Based Measurement and Student Achievement
Authors: ALLINDER ROSE M.
Published: December 2008

This study examined the relationship between special education teachers' sense of personal and teaching efficacy and (a) their use of a formative evaluation method (curriculum-based measurement) and (b) the amount of growth they effected among their students. nineteen special education teachers monitored two students with mild disabilities over 16 weeks in math computation using curriculum-based measurement. results indicated that teachers with high personal efficacy and high teaching efficacy increased end-of-year goals more often for their students; teachers with high teaching efficacy set end-of-year goals that were more ambitious for their students. teachers with high personal efficacy effected significantly greater growth. suggestions for additional research and implications for practice are discussed.
Creating Collaborative Cultures for Educational Change
Authors: SUE ENGLERT CAROL , TARRANT KATHI L.
Published: December 2008

Teacher-researcher communities constitute an imporant forum for change in the educational reform movement. yet little is known about the construction of these communities in special education contexts. in the early literacy project, we found that the discourse inthe teacher-researcher community provided a public space in which participants constructed new literacy meanings. a more careful examination of the discourse revealed that talk related to six issues: theoretical principles, teaching practice, problem solving about difficulties related to curricular enactments, the effects of the literacy curriculum on students, case studies of particular children, and references to prior events in the community. further, talk about principles and teaching practice formed a tightly woven braid ofmeaning that came to represent common assumptions about ways-of-doing and ways-of-thinking about literacy.
Social Skill Self-Assessments by Adolescents with Hearing Impairment in Residential and Public Schools
Authors: CARTLEDGE GWENDOLYN , COCHRAN LESSIE , PAUL PETER
Published: December 2008

SEVENTY-FOUR ADOLESCENTS WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENT, ENROLLED IN PUBLIC AND RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS, COMPLETED SELF-EVALUATIONS OF THEIR SOCIAL SKILLS. THE SELF-RATINGS WERE COMPARED ACCORDING TO EDUCATIONAL SETTING AND MODE OF COMMUNICATION. PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS RATED THEIR SOCIAL SKILLS HIGHER THAN DID RESIDENTIAL STUDENTS. THE FINDINGS ARE DISCUSSED RELATIVE TO PREVIOUS STUDIES, INFLUENTIAL VARIABLES, AND IMPLICATIONS FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND INTERVENTION AMONG YOUTH WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENT.
Intent to Stay in Teaching
Authors: SINGH KUSUM , BILLINGSLEY BONNIE S.
Published: December 2008

LISREL ANALYSES WERE USED TO EXAMINE THE EFFECTS OF WORK-RELATED VARIABLES ON TWO GROUPS OF SPECIAL EDUCATORS' INTENT TO STAY IN TEACHING. THE FINAL SAMPLE INCLUDED 658 SPECIAL EDUCATORS (159 TEACHERS OF STUDENTS WITH EMOTIONAL DISORDERS AND 499 SPECIAL EDUCATORS FROM OTHER SPECIAL EDUCATION AREAS). RESULTS INDICATED THAT FOR BOTH GROUPS OF TEACHERS, THE MOST IMPORTANT DETERMINANT OF INTENT TO STAY IN TEACHING WAS WORKPLACE CONDITIONS. FOR BOTH GROUPS, JOB SATISFACTION HAD THE STRONGEST DIRECT POSITIVE EFFECT ON INTENT TO STAY AND ROLE-RELATED PROBLEMS HAD NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON INTENT TO STAY. PRINCIPAL SUPPORT INFLUENCED INTENT INDIRECTLY THROUGH ROLE-RELATED PROBLEMS AND JOB SATISFACTION. FURTHER, STRESS HAD AN ADVERSE INDIRECT EFFECT ON INTENT TO STAY THROUGH JOB SATISFACTION AND PROFESSIONAL COMMITMENT.
The Quest to Translate Research Into Classroom Practice
Authors: GERSTEN RUSSELL , BRENGELMAN SUSAN UNOK
Published: December 2008

THIS ARTICLE REVIEWS THE EMERGING KNOWLEDGE BASE ON PROCEDURES AND STRATEGIES THAT APPEAR TO CONSISTENTLY LEAD TO TEACHERS' SUSTAINED USE OF INNOVATIVE RESEARCH-BASED PRACTICES IN CLASSROOMS. IN PARTICULAR, WE FOCUS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF PROVIDING BOTH BEHAVIORAL/TECHNICAL SUPPORT AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEACHERS TO EXPLORE AND UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPTUAL ASPECTS UNDERLYING THE RESEARCH. A CASE STUDY ILLUSTRATING THESE COMPONENTS MAY PROVIDE SOME INSIGHT INTO WHY TEACHERS SOMETIMES REJECT INNOVATIVE PRACTICES EVEN THOUGH GROWTH IN STUDENT LEARNING IS DOCUMENTED.
Instilling Collaboration for Inclusive Schooling as a Way of Doing Business in Public Schools
Authors: VILLA RICHARD A. , THOUSAND JACQUELINE S. , NEVIN ANN I. , MALGERI CATHY
Published: December 2008

This article provides a broad overview of the concepts of collaboration and inclusive schooling within the context of rapid change in public education. the authors examine the current definitions of collaboration and inclusive schooling. they review various rationale for collaboration, current legislation related to collaboration in schools, and the recent research (1989 to 1995) on the effectiveness of collaboration in achieving the outcomes mandated by the individuals with disabilities education act (idea). in addition, they discuss major barriers to and facilitators of effective collaboration and make several recommendations for the supports needed to establish a collaborative ethic and collaborative behavior in public schools. the authors argue that collaboration can no longer be considered a voluntary act.
Behavior Management in Inclusive Classrooms
Authors: CARPENTER STEPHANIE L. , McKEE-HIGGINS ELIZABETH
Published: December 2008

PERHAPS THE PRIMARY REQUISITE FOR STUDENTS WHO ENTER INCLUSIVE SETTINGS IS THE ABILITY OF THE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS TO EFFECTIVELY DEAL WITH BEHAVIOR ISSUES. THE PURPOSE OF THIS ARTICLE IS TO DESCRIBE (A) COMPONENTS OF EFFECTIVE BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS AND (B) HOW ONE TEACHER, FACED WITH A VARIETY OF STUDENT BEHAVIORS, WAS ABLE TO VIEW THE CONTEXT OF HER SITUATION, EVALUATE BOTH TEACHER AND STUDENT BEHAVIORS, AND BRING ABOUT DRAMATIC CHANGES IN HER CLASSROOM. DISCUSSION INCLUDES PROACTIVE METHODS TEACHERS CAN USE TO ENRICH CLASSROOM CLIMATES AND PROMOTE A COMMUNITY OF LEARNERS THAT INCLUDES STUDENTS WITH CHALLENGING BEHAVIORS.
Inclusive Practices Through Teacher Research
Authors: STODDARD KIM , Hewitt Margaret , O'Connor DAVA , Beckner Jen , Elder Martyne , Laporta Cathy , Poth Julie
Published: December 2008

THE EDUCATIONAL REFORM MOVEMENT HAS PROVIDED THE CONTINUED IMPETUS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITY FACULTY TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP TO EXPLORE STRATEGIES THAT ENHANCE INCLUSIVE PRACTICES. THIS ARTICLE DESCRIBES A SCHOOL-UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP WHERE A CULTURE OF RESEARCH EMERGED. THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING AN ENVIRONMENT FOR TEACHER RESEARCH WITHIN CLASSROOMS IS DESCRIBED, AS ARE THE EFFECTS OF TEACHER RESEARCH ON THE CHANGING ROLE OF TEACHERS AS THEY IMPLEMENT INCLUSIVE PRACTICES. THE PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF FOUR TEACHER RESEARCH PROJECTS ARE HIGHLIGHTED.
Freedom Elementary School and Its Community
Authors: AMATO CHRISTINE
Published: December 2008

Special education is often a fragmented service delivery system not usually well integrated into the total school community. this isolation has contributed to overreferral to special education. a major state effort is now under way to link an ongoing state school restructuring initiative (every student succeeds) with a localized, child-family services integration initiative (healthy start). the result of this effort is a series of reform processes that essentially restructure the entire culture of the community of the school. this article reviews the processes involved in a 3-year demonstration of one example of this linkage of two major reform processes in california. these processes include redefinition of professional and parental roles and perceptions, adjustments in the nature of professional and administrative relationships with children and their families, and alternative approaches by the school and community agencies in the day-to-day operations of providing support and service functions. these processes are described in the context of a case study of a student who was referred for special education. after 3 years of coordinated interventions at the school site, the child no longer warranted a special education label and is currently performing above grade level in all academic subjects.
Intervention Assistance Programs and Prereferral Teams
Authors: Safran Stephen P. , Safran Joan S.
Published: December 2008

There has been an unprecedented growth of school prereferral programs and intervention assistance teams since the late 1970s. In this article we discuss their history, rationale, and philosophical perspectives, report on their legal and public policy basis, and evaluate the research base. Several university-initiated model programs and professional development activities have reduced the number of referrals for special education and increased the use of consultation services. However, only research in Mainstream Assistance Teams has directly demonstrated student improvement in learning and behavior. Implications for future research and strategies for serving students who are difficult to teach are discussed.
Ethical and Legal Issues in Consultation
Authors: Heron Timothy E. , Martz Stacy A. , Margolis Howard
Published: December 2008

This article discusses the nature of ethics and addresses many of the complex ethical and legal issues that challenge consultants daily. It offers a framework for making sound ethical and legal decisions that serve students effectively. Critical legal concepts, such as least restrictive environment and free appropriate public education, are discussed. Finally, practical suggestions are offered for avoiding common ethical and legal pitfalls.
Cooperative Story Mapping
Authors: Mathes Patricia G. , Fuchs Douglas , Fuchs Lynn S.
Published: December 2008

There is broad consensus that the ultimate goal of all reading instruction is to produce competent readers who comprehend what they read. This article describes one technique designed to promote greater reading comprehension development in students at various points along the reading achievement continuum. We call this technique cooperative story mapping. Cooperative story mapping combines the use of a story grammar strategy with cooperative learning procedures to create an activity in which all students are actively engaged in analyzing and discussing stories. Cooperative story mapping encourages students to interact with each other to share and extend their understanding of narrative text. This interaction is then expanded through whole class discussion. The result, we believe, is greater overall comprehension development.
The Enrichment Perspective
Authors: Befring Edvard
Published: December 2008

The Enrichment Perspective, formulated in Norway as an alternative or supplementary approach to the diagnostic-therapeutic special education model, is described. the enrichment Perspective is a strengths- and ability-based model that involves an assessment of what the child can do as well as what the school can do, and uses this information as the point of departure in creating or adapting learning environments. in addition, the author provides a brief history of special education in europe, describes some illustrative examples of the enrichment perspective, and addresses several potential barriers to the implementation of the Enrichment perspective.
Changes in Technology Use in California's Special Education Programs
Authors: Lewis Rena B.
Published: December 2008

Abstract

This study investigated changes in technology use in california's special education programs between the late 1980s and mid-1990s. two groups representing districts that participated in an earlier study were surveyed: special education administrators ( n = 149) and special educators who routinely use technology in instruction ( n = 189). Results suggest that computers and other technologies are more available today and used more often by administrators, teachers, and students with disabilities. Students are more likely to have technology goals on their individualized education programs, interact with technology in general education settings, and use computers as tools rather than for drill-and-practice. Administrators and teachers remain enthusiastic about technology's benefits. However, although technologies used in school programs have become more sophisticated and more plentiful, barriers to full implementation still exist.
Self-Determination During Adolescence A Developmental Perspective
Authors: Field Sharon , Hoffman Alan , Posch Margaret
Published: December 2008

Adolescence, the tumultuous period from dependent childhood to independent or interdependent adulthood, is a critical time for the development and expression of self-determination. An instructional emphasis and support system for self-determination is particularly important for youth with disabilities. Adolescent development, embracing identity exploration and learned independence in youth, leads to self-awareness, one of the building blocks for self-determination. Successful transition to adulthood, fostered by one's ability to set and reach goals through decision making, is a necessary outcome of self-determination. Students' participation in their educational plans provides an important vehicle for the development and expression of self-determination in students with and without disabilities. A model for self-determination is presented that incorporates components of the skills and knowledge necessary for adolescents to realize their identities. Interventions aimed at promoting self-determination in youth, including curricular interventions, instructional strategies, and delivery settings, are discussed.
Instructional Grouping for Reading: Teachers' Views
Authors: Moody Sally Watson , Vaughn Sharon , Schumm Jeanne Shay
Published: December 2008

The purpose of this study was to gain understanding of general and special education teachers' perceptions of grouping for reading and the types of grouping patterns that are implemented in classrooms in a diverse urban school district. Forty-nine third-grade teachers (29 general education teachers who had students with learning disabilities in their class for part of the day and 20 special education teachers) participated in the study. Individual and focus group interviews were used. The results of the interviews revealed that teachers value control over their decisions on how to group for reading. General education teachers indicated that they feel constrained by the demands of the district and school administration, whereas special education teachers believe they have more autonomy in their grouping decisions. The majority of the general educators reported predominant use of a whole class grouping format, whereas special education teachers used a more varied format. For the most part, general educators endorsed mixed-ability grouping arrangements for both social and academic reasons. Special educators, on the other hand, supported same-ability groups. The discussion provides insights into why teachers do not differentiate instruction when teaching in classrooms that have culturally, linguistically, and academically diverse student populations. The need for professional development in flexible grouping strategies is also addressed.
Principals' Knowledge of and Attitudes Toward Inclusion
Authors: Barnett Carol , Monda-Amaya Lisa E.
Published: December 2008

In this study, principals' attitudes toward and knowledge of inclusion were examined. Surveys sent to 115 randomly selected principals across the state of Illinois were designed to elicit information regarding definitions, leadership styles, and effectiveness and implementation of educational practices associated with successful inclusive education. No clear definition emerged, but principals generally viewed inclusion as most appropriate for students with mild disabilities. Additionally, results indicated that teachers were not adequately prepared to implement inclusive practices. Significant differences between extent of use and perceived effectiveness of 13 educational practices were found. Findings raise issues related to administrators' awareness of practices that facilitate inclusion and how prepared they are to implement and support inclusive education.
South Korea: The "Miracle" Rejected
Authors: Hart-Landsberg Martin
Published: December 2008

This paper argues that the Korean people did not support the U.S.-sponsored division of their country or the establishment of a capitalist political economy in the South. Moreover, because of the nature of the South Korean model of development, the widely celebrated economic growth has not secured either economic stability or political legitimacy for the regime. The paper concludes that progressive forces, with roots in Korean history, are now providing leadership to new movements which seek to create a radically new and progressive political economy in the South and to reunify the country.
The Idea of Resistance: Dependency as Historical Process
Authors: Gismondi Michael
Published: December 2008

This essay engages two issues: (1) the possibility of a theory of dependence that accounts for resistance and accords resistance by social agents causal significance in historical processes; and (2) the importance of culture in the resistance to social change offered by social actors. I understand dependent development as an historical process that subaltern classes resist and shape in their resisting. The practical consequence of resistance is that it renders the historical process patently open-ended. Throughout, my effort is to understand how superstructural representations fit with production relations as they are organized, lived, and contested. I conclude that cultural representations must be interrogated as active arenas of class conflict and instruments of either exploitation and concession or resistance and liberation.
The Revolt of the Corporate Owners and the Demobilization of Business Political Action
Authors: Useem Michael
Published: December 2008

After half a century of consolidation, managerial control of many large corporations came under increasing attack during the 1980s. Spearheaded by management buyouts and hostile takeovers, ownership groups and interests came to exercise greater influence on company policies and practices. Drawing on a range of sources, this article argues that the reemergence of ownership power and the demand for enhanced shareholder value is redirecting company political action toward more narrowly defined issues of specific company interest. The turnover in ownership is also serving to undercut general business consensus and to demobilize aggregate political action. Continued turbulence in the market for corporate control is reducing action in the market for political control.
The Corporate Elite, the New Conservative Policy Network, and Reaganomics
Authors: Jenkins J. Craig , Eckert Craig M.
Published: December 2008

Recent analysts have traced the rise of Reaganomics to the rise of cowboy capitalists and to a "right turn" of the corporate elite. We provide a policy history of the formulation of the Reaganomics program and its insertion into the national political agenda, showing that it stemmed from policy-planning efforts of a new conservative network of policy organizations. During the 1970s, this conservative network synthesized fiscal conservatism, monetarism, and supply-side economics into a new economic program of austerity and supply-side tax incentives. We then provide an elite analysis of the structure of this policy network, showing that the inner circle and upper tier of the capitalist class supported the austerity camp as well as the traditional Keynesian moderates, while sunbelt cowboys tended to support the more conservative supply-siders. The corporate elite remains the hegemonic group within the capitalist class, working in coalition with a newly mobilized cowboy stratum.
Democratization and Stabilization in the Philippines
Authors: Bello Walden , Gershman John
Published: December 2008

The coming to power of Corazon Aquino in the Philippines in 1986 represented the restoration of elite democracy after 14 years of dictatorship. Elite democracy derives its strength from the fact that no matter how cynically the Filipino citizenry might view the electoral process, most Filipinos see no alternative to the ballot as a legitimate means of political succession. Key sectors of the U.S. national security establishment understood this and shifted Washington's support from Marcos to Aquino. The Philippine left, however, misread the population, leading to its marginalization from the mainstream of national political life. Nevertheless, elite democracy in the Philippines is fragile. Filipinos have alternated between allegiance to and disaffection with elite parliamentarism. In the absence of fundamental social and economic reforms, a new round of disaffection may already have begun.
Citizens and Classes: Political Isolation and Class Formation
Authors: Sitton John F.
Published: December 2008

Contrary to frequently expressed hopes and expectations, there is a recurring argument by some theorists in the Marxian tradition that the typical structures and processes of capitalist democracy actively obstruct the political organization of workers as a class. This essay brings together various aspects of this argument, especially as developed in the works of Lukács, Pashukanis, Poulantzas, Przeworski, and Katznelson. The thesis ultimately calls into question the sense in which "classes" exist under conditions of capitalist democracy, the usefulness of focusing on "class formation" as a vehicle for socialist theory, and the electoral road to socialism in general.
Revolution in the German Democratic Republic
Authors: Meuschel Sigrid
Published: December 2008

This paper discusses the revolution in the GDR against the background of East German political culture and its social and political structures. The revolution caught up with the Hungarian and Polish transformation processes which had started many years earlier. In the GDR, the activists of the first hour intended neither to do away with socialism nor to put an end to the East German state. There was, however, a dual aspect to the revolutionary events. On one hand, they generated democratic innovations, and on the other, they prepared the way for adopting the overall structures of the Federal Republic.
Botanical imperialism: The Stewardship of Plant Genetic Resources in the Third World
Authors: Broswimmer Franz
Published: December 2008

This paper explores the social history of plant use from early European expansion to the present. The concept of "Botanical Imperialism" is used to link issues of ecology and development. Specifically, it addresses the appropriation, control, and economic use of plant cultigens in the context of the capitalist world system. Notions of colonial stewardship and Western property rights are analyzed as the ideological underpinnings of Botanical Imperialism. The paper then examines the relationship between the political economy, modern agronomy, and the development of hybrids by petrochemical monopolies, and the implications of these for issues of overproduction, underdevelopment, species extinction, and global environmental destruction.
Thatcherism, Class Politics, and Urban Development in London
Authors: Toulouse Chris
Published: December 2008

This paper uses class analysis to explore the politics of urban development in London in the 1980s. It shows how the Thatcher government's economic and urban policies had the strategic effect of shaping economic restructuring in the city and transforming the sociological bases of class politics. The broad impact of Thatcherism in London is discussed, with particular attention being paid to the financial district ("the City") and the Docklands. The paper concludes with a discussion of the struggle between the Thatcher government and the London Labour Party which culminated in the "poll tax."
Shifting the Blame: Racial Ideology and Politics in the Post-Civil Rights Era
Authors: Omi Michael
Published: December 2008

In the post-civil rights era, critics on the right have indicted liberal social policies for exacerbating the very problems of racism and poverty they purport to alleviate. In vastly distinct ways, the far right and neoconservatism have attempted to reshape popular conceptions and scholarly wisdom about race and racial equality. They have targeted the liberal state of the 1960s and 1970s as the cause of a new racially unjust order and fueled the resentment of many white Americans to liberal social policy. Despite the ascendancy of the far right and neoconservatism in the 1980s, the Reagan-Bush years have not witnessed the consolidation of a new "common sense" with respect to race and racial policy. In the wake of the riots in Los Angeles and other cities, an opening for a renewed debate is apparent.
Shall We Overcome? The Sense of Movement Power among Gulf War Protesters
Authors: Swank Eric
Published: December 2008

Thousands of Americans went to demonstrations against the Persian Gulf War. This research examines the aspirations, judgments, and concerns of different anti-war protesters. After interviewing 48 activists in San Diego, it became clear that more than three-fourths of sample activists thought the movement could not directly alter Bush's war policy. Those activists with a low sense of movement power said they protested because they wanted: (1) to change American values and lifestyles; (2) to adhere to their personal ethical codes; and (3) to interact with a community that affirmed their dissident mentalities.
The AIDS Memorial Quilt as Cultural Resistance for Gay Communities
Authors: Krouse Mary Beth
Published: December 2008

The AIDS Memorial Quilt, an historic fabric monument to many who have died of AIDS, originated within the gay community of San Francisco in 1987. This paper explores the quilt's inception as a response to discourses that developed with the appearance of the AIDS epidemic, discourses that promoted the further stigmatization and marginalization of gay men. I demonstrate that the images evoked within the quilt can be seen to counter and resist the condemning images of gay men constructed specifically within biomedical discourse about AIDS. The quilt's implications for certain gay communities are also discussed, including it's tendency to draw gay men out of physical and social isolation into a collective experience where the positive reconstruction of gay identity becomes possible.
The Theoretical Foundation of Marx's Historical Sociology
Authors: Kim Dongno
Published: December 2008

In this paper I construct the theoretical foundation for Marx's historical concerns in his various social studies. Marx developed his theory of the historical transformation of society by critically confronting the three dominant intellectual currents of his time: German philosophy, French socialism, and British political economy. In these confrontations, Marx criticized the ahistorical tendencies of these traditions and instead emphasized the historical specificity of capitalism and its possible transcendence by human praxis. Marx's critique of the ahistorical errors and alternative emphasis on the historical character of social system constitute the theoretical unifying theme of his social studies. Marx grounded this thematic unity in his dialectical insights about how society is structured and transformed, which help shed new light on the controversial interpretation of Marx in current Marxism, as represented by the debate between structuralist Marxists and anti-structuralists.
New Class Divisions in the United States
Authors: Conforti Joseph M.
Published: December 2008

Although the North American Free Trade Agreement has proven contentious and looms ominously threatening as a new source of economic dislocation, its greatest significance, together with that of similar trade agreements (e.g., GATT), may ultimately lay in the emphasis and legitimation it contributes to social and economic changes already under way. These social and economic changes lend themselves to the further articulation of new class divisions in the United States. These emerging new class divisions are explored in relation to both the implications that they have for society in the U.S. and in relation to some of the questions they pose.
Comparative Migration Issues
Authors: Driscoll Barbara A.
Published: December 2008

This article reviews migration issues in Canada, the United States, and Mexico in the context of a general interpretation that NAFTA's migration provisions are insufficient to deal with the larger continental migration problems.
Operation Bootstra and NAFTA: Comparing the Social Consequences
Authors: Russell James W.
Published: December 2008

This study examines the extent to which Puerto Rico's experience with Operation Boostrap, inaugurated in 1948, can be used to predict the social consequences of NAFTA for Mexico. It finds that Operation Bootstrap accelerated a decline in agricultural employment, growth of the surplus population, and massive emigration to the U.S., effects that are likely to be repeated with NAFTA. The study concludes with a comparative examination of Puerto Rican and Mexican-origin persons in the U.S., finding that while the decision to migrate results in significant improvements in their average economic conditions of life, it also results in significant deteriorations of other social conditions of life.
The Challenges of Economic Globalization for U.S. Labor
Authors: Borgers Frank
Published: December 2008

This paper critically examines how U.S. labor is responding to the following challenges of economic globalization: (1) the continued shift of capital and labor away from traditionally organized industries and the decline in the centrality of organized labor's traditional interests to national economic policy; (2) the intensifying search for more flexible work-practices in developed nations; (3) labor's inability to match capital's multinational power and dexterity. While the past suggests a pessimistic prognosis regarding U.S. labor's ability to rise to these challenges, more recent developments provide some real glimmers of hope. However, if U.S. unions are to regain ground in the areas discussed, they must capitalize on the present shift in power to rapidly implement proposed changes.
Employee Participation at the Workplace: Capitalist Control or Worker Freedom?
Authors: Markowitz Linda
Published: December 2008

Participatory work strategies are praised by some labor advocates while condemned by others. Proponents claim that employee involvement strategies create cooperation between workers and management and that this cooperation benefits both groups. Critics argue that capitalist's goal of profit makes cooperation between managers and workers impossible. Is worker participation, then, a goal for labor advocates to strive towards or an end to avoid? I agree that the nature of capitalism prohibits long-term cooperation between management and labor. However, I argue that both the tools and discourse of participation give workers more legitimacy to question managerial control than traditional Taylorist strategies.
State Theory and Fire Control: Selection Mechanisms in Local Government
Authors: Goetz Barry
Published: December 2008

This paper examines the role of the American fire department as an institutional a selection mechanism that is infused with class bias. I begin by examining the structures and procedural elements of the organization and then look at how these reflect class biases in response to specific crises and service challenges in the urban environment, especially arson control and fire prevention policies. By assuming a second or third dimension of power analysis, this paper focuses on the day-today procedures and practices of government agencies and how these perpetuate social inequality.
Some Analytical Implications of the Statutory Construction of Genocide
Authors: Wenger Morton G.
Published: December 2008

The explicit legal definition of "genocide" as a "crime" derived specifically from the conditions of the Holocaust. Despite the conjuncturally bound nature of the concept, the ideological basis for the definition rested in a model of "genocide" as an historically ubiquitous and perpetually imminent possibility in human affairs. The tension between the immediate political ends of the concept's legal architects and the desire to use the criminalization of genocidal practice as a deterrent to future incidences, as well as to make ideological capital at a time of the Cold War, produced a United Nations Genocide Treaty with an inherently contradictory and limited character. This paper examines these contradictions and asks whether there is any utility in looking to the statutorily embedded model of genocide to decide whether genocidal practices are being directed toward African-Americans today.
Protest Waves in Western Europe: a Critique of "New Social Movement" Theory
Authors: Barker Colin , Dale Gareth
Published: December 2008

A paradigmatic account of the recent development of social movements has become prominent in European sociology. Labor movements are said to be in decline, and new social movements to be taking their place at the center of contemporary protest and social transformation efforts. These changes are attributed to shifts in the underlying structures of modern society. This article challenges this view, questioning the underlying theoretical assumptions about the relation of class and movement, and offering an alternative framework for understanding recent developments within social movements. The article ends with some reflections on new emerging possibilities.
Beyond the Capitalist Labor Process Workplace Change, the State and Globalisation'
Authors: Thompson Paul , Smith Chris
Published: December 2008

Analysis within or influenced by a labor process tradition has largely failed to capture the complexities of relations between capital, labor and the state, and has tended to leave policy issues to the optimistic scenarios of post-Fordist and related perspectives. Focusing on the political requires a comparative perspective. In this paper we want to examine the interplay between international competitiveness, national institutions and workplace politics.

The central paradox facing us is that just as the nation has been written into debate, the power of the global marketplace and what some see as the 'hollowing out' of the national economy has increased significantly. We explore that paradox analytically by exploring the multi-faced transactions between the nation, state, and international political economy that condition changes in labour-capital relations at workplace level Empirically we focus on a comparison between British and Australian experiences: a sharp contrast between a form of economic restructuring not only without, but explicitly aimed at the expense of labor, and one of the few cases of a modernizing project that was labor-led or at least mediated.

We argue that proponents of the globalisation theses and universalist paradigms of production systems underestimate the resilience of institutional diversity within nation states. Secondly, that the operations and choices of TNCs themselves help to shape the diversity in that they do not simply accommodate to local 'rules of the game' (Sorge, 1995: 122) nor their own home-country practices, but create 'hybrid' forms of adaptation which local capital may seek to emulate. Thirdly, we argue that state industry policies are not simply barriers or filters to the homogenising effects of corporate interests, but through their own competitiveness strategies, can remake their own 'niche' within the international division of labor.
Family Friendly Workplace Benefits: Policy Mirage, Organizational Contexts, and Worker Power
Authors: Wright David W. , Wysong Earl
Published: December 2008

The general purpose of the paper is to expand our understanding of how and why employer-provided benefits and resources that support the obligations and commitments of workers to their families are more or less available in the workplace. The specific objectives of this paper are threefold. First, it considers the limitations of a public policy approach to family benefits in the workplace through a brief review of the background and impact of the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Second, it identifies a cluster of "family friendly" workplace benefits and uses several divergent theoretical approaches (e.g., neoclassical economics, dual economy, segmented labor market) as the basis for predicting and exploring the impact of organizational factors on the availability of benefits to workers. Third, using a labor-process, production control, and class interest perspective, it explores the relationship between variations in worker power and the availability of family friendly benefits. The paper concludes with a consideration of the implications of our research findings in terms of offering a more complete understanding of the policy, organizational, and power factors involved in shaping workers' access to family-friendly benefits. We also conclude that future research investigating the intersection of work and family issues would be well served by the development of structurally-informed theoretical approaches that offer insights into the links between work and family spheres of activity and that stimulate the formation of hypotheses concerning this topic.