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This chapter discusses the significance of Sally Tomlinson’s article, The Irresistible Rise of Special Education and of her sociological thinking more generally. The paradox highlighted in the Tomlinson’s article, that is, the constantly evolving expansion, globally, of special education, alongside a simultaneous growth in support for the idea of inclusive education, is discussed in this chapter. Tomlinson’s influence on the sociological direction of Julie Allan’s work is traced and exemplified, and the continuing tensions in inclusive education are explored.

This chapter examines the relative absence of critique in inclusive education research, policy and practice, and in education more generally – and consider the consequences of doing without critique. It responds to Bruno Latour's (2004, p. 243) urgent call for progress towards “a fair position” and for the development of “new critical tools” to work positively and constructively towards social change. The potential for criticality is explored in relation to disability studies, disability arts and children's perspectives. Each of these sources is evaluated in terms of their affordance of criticality and for their potential to mobilise political action. They are also considered in relation to the epistemological shifts and altered power relations that are necessary to create an inclusive educational environment.

Notes that sizable workforce reductions have been commonplace in the US economy in the 1980s and 1990s. However, some employers have resisted the temptation to reduce costs through massive layoffs, believing that it is more advantageous to retain their employees than to terminate them. These employers have managed to minimize or even prevent layoffs by using a variety of strategies. Describes some widely used strategies and provides examples of companies that have implemented them successfully.

Small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) have increasingly become integrated into global value chains, where they face social and environmental requirements from multinational buyers. The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of SMEs with respect to sustainable supply chain management in global value chains.

Drawing from a survey of sustainable supply chain management practices among 300 Danish SMEs, the paper discusses the concept of governance in global value chains. The paper addresses two questions: first, to what extent are SMEs affected by social and environmental requirements from buyers? Second, to what extent do SMEs apply such requirements to their own suppliers?

The paper concludes that SMEs face requirements from their buyers much more frequently than they apply such requirements to their own suppliers. Also many buyer requirements in the value chain seem to be latent in that they are neither contractual nor subject to verification. The paper argues that this points to a gap between rule making and rule keeping in sustainable supply chain management.

Research should focus on the impact of sustainability standards on the competitiveness of small firms in other developed countries, as well as in emerging markets such as China and India.

Multinational buyers and SME‐support providers should focus on improving the capacity of SMEs to reconcile sustainability standards with competitiveness.

The paper provides new data on the role of SMEs in sustainable supply chain management.

It is now fashionable to suggest that the Celtic regions of the United Kingdom are the internal colonies of the central English state and that they have been, particularly since the rapid industrialization of the nineteenth century, subject to a penetrating anglicization of their culture and institutions. In terms of the internal colonialism thesis, it can be argued that the cultural nationalism of Scotland which was developed in the nineteenth century was an attempt to maintain the distinctiveness of civil society in Scotland in the context of massive regional economic imbalance. The Scottish intelligentsia, dominated by Edinburgh lawyers and Presbyterian ministers, can thus be compared with the intelligentsia of Third World societies undergoing a process of de‐colonization where separate cultural identities have to be preserved or, if necessary, constructed.

Attempts to establish the extent to which the use of computers in Australia’s Department of Social Security (DSS) has facilitated changes in social security policy and its administration. Bases findings on case studies relating to two new DSS policies, supplemented with documentary evidence. Identifies that computers are used in the DSS for six main purposes ‐ administering, automating, protecting, monitoring and evaluating policy, as well as for modelling future policy options. Identifies that, instead of increasing efficiency in administration, computers have simply increased productivity by enabling administrative practices to be extended into new areas; observes an emerging computer‐dependent culture dominated by quantitative (rather than qualitative) practices. Establishes that the flexibility offered by computer technology has also contributed to the introduction of more complex social security policies. Concludes that computer technology has contributed to the formulation and administration of social security policies.

The purpose of this paper is to describe grids, an important development of internet‐like communication, with references to internet sources of additional information. The aim is to review developments on the internet, especially those of general cybernetic interest.

The tenth anniversary of the World Wide Web Consortium is noted, as well as music festivals in the Lent district of Maribor, which was the venue for the recent WOSC Congress.

The internet provides valuable information on each of the three topics.

Grids are an important current development, especially but not exclusively in connection with particle physics research.

It is hoped this is a valuable periodic review.

Preventing and tackling bullying effectively are important agenda for schools to safeguard all children’s well-being, engagement and sense of belongingness. Children perceived to be different from their peers tend to have a higher risk of being bullied at school, in particular, children with disabilities. It can be challenging for teachers to stop bullying that targets children with disabilities. This chapter considers bullying as a barrier to ensuring inclusive and quality education for everyone. It draws on findings from an ethnographic study concerning the status of inclusion of children identified as having learning difficulties in mainstream schools in China, by listening to what children and teachers have to say (Wang, 2016). The study found that the child participants were subject to forms of bullying. They found it useful to gain support from others when bullying happened, and they showed empathy towards peers’ well-being. The teacher participants reflected on the dilemmas and challenges of dealing with bullying and were keen to share experiences about what they found helpful in addressing the issue. The chapter discusses how insights about bullying learned from children and teachers can be used to inform the enactment of inclusive pedagogy. It is concluded that an inclusive pedagogical response that recognizes every child’s voice is necessary for tackling bullying and co-creating an inclusive environment.

Argues that although downsizing and mass lay‐offs are a plague, they do not only affect US companies but also other areas in the industrialized world. Stresses they ruin morale, corrode loyalty and, for the displaced workers, cause a lot of heartbreak. Investigates the reasons for downsizing and looks at some of the major companies who have succumbed to it, including: General Motors, Sears, AT&T and IBM. Looks at the impact on survivors; companies’ responses’ downsizing impact on wages, staffing; and outsourcing.