Martin Dowson - Böcker

Students arrive in our classrooms with complex sociocultural histories that include family, cultural, physical, social, emotional, and prior learning experiences. In order to be effective, schools must directly address these complex histories in meaningful, relevant and creative ways. The aim of this volume is to examine research on effective schooling from a sociocultural perspective - with a focus on developing the capacities of diverse students in diverse educational contexts. The chapters in this volume cover a wide range of important topics as listed below:

Students arrive in our classrooms with complex sociocultural histories that include family, cultural, physical, social, emotional, and prior learning experiences. In order to be effective, schools must directly address these complex histories in meaningful, relevant and creative ways. The aim of this volume is to examine research on effective schooling from a sociocultural perspective - with a focus on developing the capacities of diverse students in diverse educational contexts. The chapters in this volume cover a wide range of important topics as listed below:

Education institutions and organizations throughout the world are currently being held accountable for achieving and maintaining historically unmatched standards of academic quality and performance. Accreditation bodies; policy makers; boards of trustees; and teacher, parent, and student groups all place educational institutions and organizations under unprecedented accountability pressures. The aim of this volume is to explore and better understand how these pressures are impacting a broad range of social and cultural issues and, subsequently, how these issues impact student motivation and learning.

Education institutions and organizations throughout the world are currently being held accountable for achieving and maintaining historically unmatched standards of academic quality and performance. Accreditation bodies; policy makers; boards of trustees; and teacher, parent, and student groups all place educational institutions and organizations under unprecedented accountability pressures. The aim of this volume is to explore and better understand how these pressures are impacting a broad range of social and cultural issues and, subsequently, how these issues impact student motivation and learning.

Religion and spirituality make critical contributions to an inclusive vision for the welfare of minorities, the marginalized and other disadvantaged groups in societies and cultures around the globe. Religious movements and spiritual traditions work to improve social outcomes for disenfranchised groups by enriching educational, political, and social agendas, and by providing a wide variety of justice-driven programs and services. Values underpinning these services include the dignity of the human person, the sanctity of human life, the foundational role of families and communities, the transformative power of learning, and the advancement of shared personal and social rights and responsibilities. These values act as a counter-balance to other attitudes and values that may impede pro-social cohesion and development.Drawing on diverse religious and spiritual perspectives and traditions, this new volume provides exciting and enriching examples of theory, research and practice that directly contribute to our understanding of how religion and spirituality promote and facilitate social justice and equity in diverse social and cultural contexts – with a particular focus on educational settings, contexts, processes and outcomes.Religious communities invest heavily in schools, colleges and universities in the belief that these educational institutions enable them to inculcate into their membership the kinds of moral values and qualities that lie at the heart of their spiritual teachings. Looking beyond the sacred-secular impasse, religious organisations attempt to provide a "education for life" which draws from both the scientia of science and the sapientia of religion and spirituality. These depth-dimensions provide the pool of values which enable citizens to enact equity, mercy and justice in society in the name of God and for the sake of humanity. The chapters which comprise this volume demonstrate the possibility of a healthy integration between religion and education from a truly global, transdisciplinary and ecumenical perspective. From contexts within Asia, Africa, the USA and Australia, and from disciplines ranging from ethics to social work, from health to educational curriculum, from personal identity to community-consciousness; this volume makes a unique contribution to the theory and practice of the educational and religious inter-face. It is a contribution which holds a great deal of promise for being pro-humanitas.

Religion and spirituality make critical contributions to an inclusive vision for the welfare of minorities, the marginalized and other disadvantaged groups in societies and cultures around the globe. Religious movements and spiritual traditions work to improve social outcomes for disenfranchised groups by enriching educational, political, and social agendas, and by providing a wide variety of justice-driven programs and services. Values underpinning these services include the dignity of the human person, the sanctity of human life, the foundational role of families and communities, the transformative power of learning, and the advancement of shared personal and social rights and responsibilities. These values act as a counter-balance to other attitudes and values that may impede pro-social cohesion and development.Drawing on diverse religious and spiritual perspectives and traditions, this new volume provides exciting and enriching examples of theory, research and practice that directly contribute to our understanding of how religion and spirituality promote and facilitate social justice and equity in diverse social and cultural contexts – with a particular focus on educational settings, contexts, processes and outcomes.Religious communities invest heavily in schools, colleges and universities in the belief that these educational institutions enable them to inculcate into their membership the kinds of moral values and qualities that lie at the heart of their spiritual teachings. Looking beyond the sacred-secular impasse, religious organisations attempt to provide a "education for life" which draws from both the scientia of science and the sapientia of religion and spirituality. These depth-dimensions provide the pool of values which enable citizens to enact equity, mercy and justice in society in the name of God and for the sake of humanity. The chapters which comprise this volume demonstrate the possibility of a healthy integration between religion and education from a truly global, transdisciplinary and ecumenical perspective. From contexts within Asia, Africa, the USA and Australia, and from disciplines ranging from ethics to social work, from health to educational curriculum, from personal identity to community-consciousness; this volume makes a unique contribution to the theory and practice of the educational and religious inter-face. It is a contribution which holds a great deal of promise for being pro-humanitas.

This volume arose out of a deep concern to assist people in their struggle to lead a flourishing life. Fractured, stressed, relationally broken and spiritually empty people may instinctively reach for the supposed panacea of happiness. But happiness is often a transitory state. More stable and worthwhile than the pursuit of happiness is leading a flourishing life. But what is flourishing? Is spirituality necessary for human flourishing and, if so, in what ways might spirituality provide a unique and important contribution to flourishing?The volume provides complementary yet diverse accounts of human flourishing. Each account argues that spirituality in general, and Christian spirituality in particular, are vital contributors to flourishing.The volume will be valuable for those who are dissatisfied with popular hedonistic approaches to flourishing. Such people are ready for a change in approach, but often do not have a clear alternative in view. The Volume will provide a clear alternative to popular culture‘s representation of the flourishing person, which is largely vested in conspicuous consumption. The book will also be valuable for those who have considered alternatives to popular culture, but who lack an informed basis on which to evaluate these alternatives. Finally, the book will be valuable for those who are committed to Christian spirituality but may not appreciate the rich resources which Christian faith offers for human flourishing. Amongst the latter group are included Christian leaders such as priests and pastors, voluntary church workers and lay people who may or may not be involved in formal religion but who long to flourish in their own lives and to enable others to do the same.

This volume arose out of a deep concern to assist people in their struggle to lead a flourishing life. Fractured, stressed, relationally broken and spiritually empty people may instinctively reach for the supposed panacea of happiness. But happiness is often a transitory state. More stable and worthwhile than the pursuit of happiness is leading a flourishing life. But what is flourishing? Is spirituality necessary for human flourishing and, if so, in what ways might spirituality provide a unique and important contribution to flourishing?The volume provides complementary yet diverse accounts of human flourishing. Each account argues that spirituality in general, and Christian spirituality in particular, are vital contributors to flourishing.The volume will be valuable for those who are dissatisfied with popular hedonistic approaches to flourishing. Such people are ready for a change in approach, but often do not have a clear alternative in view. The Volume will provide a clear alternative to popular culture‘s representation of the flourishing person, which is largely vested in conspicuous consumption. The book will also be valuable for those who have considered alternatives to popular culture, but who lack an informed basis on which to evaluate these alternatives. Finally, the book will be valuable for those who are committed to Christian spirituality but may not appreciate the rich resources which Christian faith offers for human flourishing. Amongst the latter group are included Christian leaders such as priests and pastors, voluntary church workers and lay people who may or may not be involved in formal religion but who long to flourish in their own lives and to enable others to do the same.

The volume was developed to address conceptual, relational and formational questions around the phenomena of creativity and spirituality from a multidisciplinary perspective. We acknowledge the complexity of each phenomenon, and the need for multiple perspectives, in a number of ways. First, different chapters are written from psychological, theological or philosophical perspectives. Second, multiple research perspectives are considered across empirical and phenomenological methods of inquiry. Finally, multiple associations between creativity and spirituality are evaluated.From such multiple perspectives the theme of this volume emerges. Both creativity and spirituality are important for individual and societal flourishing but we know little about fostering both in the 21st century. Some ways of fostering them are psychologically harmful and need to be avoided. New ways of protecting people as they engage in creative and spiritual endeavours are needed. In particular, formal training in both creativity and spirituality within the sphere of higher education should be developed in the light of current research. However, new research that integrates multiple perspectives and examines creativity and spirituality together is needed for training that avoids harm and promotes individual and social flourishing.The book will be valuable for educators in all disciplines of higher education because it justifies and explicates training in creativity and spirituality within all areas of higher education. Further, it discusses how such training might best be included within andragogical practice. The book will be useful for researchers of creativity and spirituality because it gives an overview of contemporary research issues and findings, and proposes a new philosophical- theological perspective for integrative research in these areas. Students in fields of creativity, theology and spirituality will use the book as a synthesis of contemporary theories and research relating to both creativity and spirituality and for direction in post-graduate research. More broadly, Christians and others who appreciate the creative and performing arts will find much to challenge their thinking and deepen their awareness of spirituality within human creativity.