Sandra Lynch – författare

This volume contains a selection of papers from the 21st annual 'Australian Association for Professional and Applied Ethics' Conference. It addresses the key theme of Political Leadership, Professional Ethics, and the Problem of Dirty Hands. 'Dirty hands' is a somewhat nebulous concept. It may refer to professions whose objectives are so consequential that some ethical violations are considered justifiable. In another sense it might suggest situations where professional obligations might require the performance of deeds that contradict one's own moral beliefs. The term is perhaps most synonymous with political leadership and raises the question: Should leaders ever get their hands dirty? For applied ethicists, recognizing that sometimes there are compelling arguments in favor of certain moral violations is a professional necessity. This volume contains papers on a broad range of issues including discussions of medical ethics, military ethics, domestic political matters, and the very nature of 'professions' themselves. It will be of interest to those interested in politics, as well as those involved in research or training in ethics and professional practice.

While firmly acknowledging the importance of play in early childhood, this book interrogates the assumption that play is a birthright. It pushes beyond traditional understandings of play to ask questions such as: what is the relationship between play and the arts – theatre, music and philosophy – and between play and wellbeing? How is play relevant to educational practice in the rapidly changing circumstances of today’s world? What do Australian Aboriginal conceptions of play have to offer understandings of play?The book examines how ideas of play evolve as children increasingly interact with popular culture and technology, and how developing notions of play have changed our work spaces, teaching practices, curricula, and learning environments, as well as our understanding of relationships between children and adults. This multidisciplinary volume on the subject of play combines the work of some of the world’s leading researchers in the field of early childhood education with contributions from distinguished and emerging scholars in areas as diverse as education, theatre studies, architecture, literature, philosophy, cultural studies, theology and the creative arts. Reconsidering the common focus on play in early education, to investigate its broader impact, this collection offers a refreshing and valuable addition to studies on play, reconceptualizing it for the 21st century.