Enrico Colombatto and Valerio Tavormina
The purpose of this paper is to discuss whether altruism justifies ad hoc legislation with reference to three different contexts. One is defined by the libertarian notion of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to discuss whether altruism justifies ad hoc legislation with reference to three different contexts. One is defined by the libertarian notion of liberty; a second framework corresponds to the egalitarian vision; and a third one originates from social-contract theory.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors review two stylized visions of liberty, and consider to what extent the current legal systems comply with one of these visions. Moreover, the authors analyse the implications of the contractarian approach.
Findings
It is shown that current legislation is rather ambiguous and sometimes even contradictory. By and large, the common-law view tends to favour the libertarian approach, while the civil-law visions are closer to what one might expect from social-contract theory. In these cases, however, it seems that the letter of the law is often questioned by the academic community as well as by the judiciary, and decisions eventually follow the judges’ discretionary power.
Originality/value
This analysis of altruism combines the economic and legal perspectives. Although altruism is always considered an important part of social capital and worthy of privileged treatment, it is shown that policymaking is frequently inconsistent and sometimes contradictory.
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Jonathan Miller-Lane, Elissa Denton and Andrew May
Nearly twenty years ago, Kelly (1986) forcefully argued that teachers had a responsibility to disclose their positions on controversial issues during discussion. Yet, while…
Abstract
Nearly twenty years ago, Kelly (1986) forcefully argued that teachers had a responsibility to disclose their positions on controversial issues during discussion. Yet, while thoroughly grounded in theory, Kelly did not include classroom teachers’ responses in his call for teacher disclosure. This paper reports the responses to Kelly’s call for teacher disclosure from twelve secondary (grades 7-12) social studies teachers in a rural county located in a northeastern state. Analysis of interview transcripts revealed that teachers generally rejected disclosure of their position in favor of the role of an impartial facilitator for two primary reasons. First, teachers felt there was no guarantee that the tolerant environment they were trying to create in their classrooms would be present in the larger community. As a result, nine of the twelve teachers, in fear of a community backlash, rejected disclosure. Second, teachers preferred to disclose their commitment to a set of transcendent values such as tolerance, justice, and equality rather than disclose a point of view on a controversial issue. Fostering such values was seen by the teachers in this study to be more important than disclosure and could better be done by assuming the stance of neutral impartiality despite the acknowledgment that the stance was problematic. Implications and suggestions for future research are considered.
Francesco Mazzarella, Andrew May and Val Mitchell
This paper discusses how service design can be used to activate a transition of textile artisan communities towards a sustainable future.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper discusses how service design can be used to activate a transition of textile artisan communities towards a sustainable future.
Design/methodology/approach
Two participatory case studies were undertaken with textile artisans in the UK and South Africa. These led to the development of an original methodological framework for “crafting situated services” – services designed to be meaningful to the local communities within which they are embedded. An evaluation study assessed the originality of the framework, its relevance for tackling real-world problems, its extensibility and the rigour of the research process.
Findings
The framework brings together a variety of roles, methods and tools that designers can adopt in order to enter communities, make sense of sustainable futures, facilitate the co-design of situated services and activate legacies within communities. Building on emerging anthropological approaches, the framework makes a bridge between service management and service design for social innovation, advancing the field towards design for social entrepreneurship.
Originality/value
Arguing against the idea of the designer “parachuting” into communities to create services regardless of the local context, the concept of “situated services” is proposed in this paper, alongside a process for “crafting” meaningful social innovations. This requires the service designer to adopt a more situated and embedded approach to designing with communities in order to align with their needs and aspirations, interweave places, time, people and practices within the process, and co-design contextually better services.
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State and national standards compel teachers to introduce historical topics through multiple diverse texts, emphasizing the use of informational texts. Trade books allow teachers…
Abstract
State and national standards compel teachers to introduce historical topics through multiple diverse texts, emphasizing the use of informational texts. Trade books allow teachers to meet these standards while also meeting the needs of diverse students. Primary sources serve as an additional curricular resource filling the gaps in information not covered by textbooks and trade books and allowing students to gain a more complete and accurate understanding of historical figures and events. Standards leave the selection and implementation of appropriate trade books, primary sources, and other curricular resources to the classroom teacher. In this research, I qualify and quantify how President Andrew Jackson, a very controversial historical figure, is portrayed in trade books. Misrepresentations within trade books concerning Jackson are reported and analyzed. Suggestions and a rationale for trade book and primary source selection and implementation in elementary, middle, and secondary school are addressed.
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Patrick Hopkinson, Andrew Voyce and Jerome Carson
The purpose of this paper is to compare the stories of Syd Barrett musician, with Andrew Voyce, and their respective recovery journeys.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to compare the stories of Syd Barrett musician, with Andrew Voyce, and their respective recovery journeys.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use collaborative autoethnography to share their own perspectives on Syd Barrett and to contrast his story with that of Andrew, a co-author.
Findings
Both Syd and Andrew experienced serious mental distress. While Syd had only limited contact with mental health services, Andrew’s contact was extensive, with a 20-year history of admissions and discharges. In the end, when the psychiatric services listened to Andrew’s concerns and acted on them, he was able to enter into the journey of recovery.
Research limitations/implications
The authors are restricted in the amount of available information on Syd Barrett, especially that related to mental health problems. The story of Andrew shows how recovery is possible even after years of serious mental illness.
Practical implications
Andrew’s story shows why professionals should never give up on people, with even the most seemingly severe and intractable problems. Could services have done more for Syd?
Social implications
Mental illness still attracts huge stigma. Today there is a much more open culture. Would Syd have come out about his own struggles with mental health had society been more open?
Originality/value
Bringing together two stories of mental distress enables the authors to explore the concept of recovery.
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Mitchell Franklin and Michaele Morrow
This project requires students to analyze and make a client recommendation for the most tax-effective saving option, comparing a traditional individual retirement account (IRA…
Abstract
This project requires students to analyze and make a client recommendation for the most tax-effective saving option, comparing a traditional individual retirement account (IRA) versus Roth IRA. Students analyze the two alternatives and track growth as well as projected tax liability over the life of the client to determine the strategy that generates the best outcome for the client. The project emphasizes principles of tax planning to illustrate that the solution with the smallest tax liability in the short term is not necessarily the most beneficial option over the long term, as well as how this often is in conflict with a client’s expectations and tax preparer tactics utilized to attract new clients. Students will demonstrate critical thinking skills through the analysis of two options for a client, and the communication of the findings with a recommendation through a client letter.
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– The purpose of this paper is to provide a commentary on “Spirituality and learning disability: a review of UK Government guidance” by Sango and Forrester-Jones.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a commentary on “Spirituality and learning disability: a review of UK Government guidance” by Sango and Forrester-Jones.
Design/methodology/approach
The commentary examines the interplay between spirituality and health care in caring for people with a learning disability from a personal perspective and considers the reasons why healthcare professionals and caregivers may not facilitate expression of spirituality in this group.
Findings
Carers with a religious affiliation of their own are more likely to engage people with learning disability in exploration of religion and spirituality than those with no religious affiliation. Although government policy in this area is limited, spirituality is an integral part of holistic care and should be addressed by all healthcare professionals and paid carers.
Originality/value
This paper explores reasons why carers may find it hard to talk about spirituality and provides guidance and resources for talking about spirituality to people with learning disability.
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ANDREW CARNEGIE would have liked my mother, who for many years presided over one of his public libraries, but I am not sure he would have cottoned to me. Mother, after all, had…
Abstract
ANDREW CARNEGIE would have liked my mother, who for many years presided over one of his public libraries, but I am not sure he would have cottoned to me. Mother, after all, had many of the traits of his mother, whom he adored, and she also shared some of his own qualities. The only things Mr Carnegie and I would have had in common were strong‐minded mothers—Margaret Carnegie was said to be the one person whose will was never bent in surrender to her son—and the fact that we both at one time took elocution lessons. Also, each of us had our earlier literary work published in Sunday School papers.