Advances in Education in Diverse Communities: Research, Policy and Praxis – serie

The initial volume in this new series focuses on the work of Edmund W. Gordon, the John M. Musser Professor of Psychology Emeritus at Yale University. Gordon had a tremendous influence on contemporary thinking in psychology, education and social policy and the implications of his work for the schooling of lower status youth and children of color, in America. For some, this volume will reacquaint them with Gordon and many of the young persons, now senior scholars themselves, who have learned from him. For others, this volume will simply inform them of the magnitude of the man and the legacy of researchers and research he has spawned. This important work challenges some of the basic assumptions under-pinning American social science research. Scholars from diverse fields of economics, anthropology, law, education, political science, sociology, psychology, and public health question traditional assumptions with respect to low status populations and persons of color, and analyze some of the intended and unintended consequences of those assumptions. The essays in this volume are well reasoned, provocative in the subject matter that they cover, and thoughtful in their conclusions. There is little doubt that the central focus of the book - the influence of Edmund W. Gordon and his liberatory scholarship - is a topic the examination of which is long overdue. The volume is divided into four sections: relevance of social divisions in research and development; population sensitive intervention; explanatory investigations; and, context responsibility. The final word in the volume, in the Epilogue, rightfully belongs to Edmund W. Gordon himself.

The American public has increasingly heard that teacher unions and quality education are contradictory terms and that unions are responsible for the failure of public schools. Many critics of the unions would cheerfully channel public funds to largely nonunion private and parochial schools as free market alternatives. The present volume, edited by friends of the teacher unions and featuring contributions by prominent education scholars as well as union activists, has a far more positive perspective on the achievements and value of teacher unions and our public education system. The collection does not avoid critical examination of the teacher unions, however. Moreover, taken as a whole, it speaks to the need for continuing reform and renovation within the unions themselves, and it affirms a need for innovation and competition within public education as a way of enhancing its quality. Toward those ends, the volume first reviews the substantial contributions that teachers and their unions have made to the well being of their members and the education of students over more than a hundred years. It then explores collective bargaining as it affects reform and educational quality. It continues by examining the real-world outcomes of education in unionized environments; taking an inside look at a turn toward bipartisanship in the NEAs political and lobbying activities; and analyzing the unions recent record in shaping education legislation and policy. The book also examines teacher union activities in higher education; the innovative work of local reform unions; union support for education research and development; and the shape of a teacher unionism specifically organized to promote educational quality. The volume concludes by tracing the development and current activities of international education associations as defendersin both the developed and developing countriesof the teaching profession and of the rights of all children to a quality education. This book is no mere reverie on a heroic union past. It is instead an exploration of past and present as prologues to the manifold possibilities for enhancing the unions contributions to quality public education.

This volume considers African-American education in the 21st century through the lens of the Chicago School Tradition, at the University of Chicago. The Chicago School Tradition, among other emphases, stressed the optimistic view that all children who do not have serious physical or emotional impairments can do well in school, if provided access to effective teachers, sufficient resources and adequate opportunities to learn. On the occasion of Professor Edgar G. Epps' retirement from the University of Chicago, as Marshall Field IV Professor of Urban Education, this volume includes contributions from several generations of scholars influenced by his work to celebrate his career and contributions to educational research, policy and practice. More broadly, the volume adopts a holistic approach to examine the persistent challenges of deteriorating urban schools and poor educational outcomes for African American students. The volume seeks to demonstrate how solutions may flow from educational research, theory, policy and practices conducted in the Chicago School Tradition.

This volume examines the burden of poverty that children and young adults disproportionately share throughout the world. Contributions from international researchers examine some of the profound precursor issues that serve to inhibit the chances of children and young adults to education and social mobility in an international context. Issues such as housing and homelessness, family income, maternal and child health, child care, hunger, adolescent pregnancy, violence by and against children, the impact of war and famine, various forms of social deviance and early childhood education are investigated. The volume also examines the social, political and economic contexts in which poverty occurs, utilizing various theoretical perspectives by which to view issues such as human rights, social development and social cohesion in developing, emerging and transitional societies. Implicit throughout the volume are the decisions and non-decisions of governments as they confront issues of growing poverty and the repercussions of that poverty for future generations.

The "problem of the 21st century" is rapidly expanding diversity alongside stubbornly persistent status and power inequities by race, ethnicity, gender, class, language, citizenship and region. Extensive technological, economic, political and social changes, along with immigration, combine to produce a global community of great diversity and interpenetration. Unfortunately, this global community continues to be fractured by extreme disparities in wealth and power, divided into "haves" and "have-nots." Universities around the globe can play critical roles in economic development and sociocultural exchange. Where different communities interact, overlap, exchange and compete for scarce resources, complex challenges are presented. Current discourse often views difference and diversity as problems; however, a growing scholarship reframes difference and diversity as potential resources. This volume presents research into the consequences of difference and diversity for higher education. An international group of scholars reflects on the challenges and prospects of diversity, difference and inclusion for universities in their respective societies. Various theoretical and empirical perspectives are used to better understand how diverse populations and expectations intersect to influence higher education and societies globally. Diversity and difference are defined broadly to encompass specific national contexts and their particular emphases on race, ethnicity, gender, culture, language, religion, sexual orientation and/or region. We find that around the world, higher and tertiary institutions confront the "diversity imperative" with varying approaches, success and "best practices." This volume identifies challenges and opportunities that diversity poses for higher education. It provides international comparisons of how diversity affects higher education and of the salience and impact of diversity in higher education. It outlines practical, effective strategies for managing diversity in higher education across different societies.

Living on the Boundaries: Urban Marginality in National and International Contexts examines the complex, often controversial issues impacting those who live on the margins of society in our densely populated cities. It describes and analyzes the living conditions of marginalized persons in cities and neighborhoods throughout the world and the consequential impact on their future social mobility. Chapters focus on key issues that include immigration, educational under-achievement, urban renewal, public health, immigration, homelessness, environmental issues, race, segregation, and the marginality of urban youth and economically disadvantaged groups. This volume is packed with research compiled by an international array of scholars and intellectuals from a wide range of disciplines, including but not limited to sociology, economics, political science, psychology, education, public health, law, criminology, history, urban studies, geography and demography, and urban planning. From the first chapter to the last, this immensely insightful anthology richly details and informs us about the human condition, from multidisciplinary perspectives, about urban life in global contexts.

"As the World Turns" examines two of the major problems confronting higher education in this modern world: access to higher education remains a persistent problem for disadvantaged students around the world; universities that are highly segregated by race, culture, language, nationality, or immigration status have lower achievement for disadvantaged students - who are also more often targets of discrimination. This volume compares discriminated, underrepresented and excluded groups in universities around the globe; identifying personal, group, institutional and societal factors related to persistent inequality. Through a consortium of international scholars, the chapters present studies on minority student experiences and achievement, asking whether and how universities: exhibit difference, diversity and inequality; integrate multiple social groups; encourage respect between diverse communities; and use diversity to enhance student learning. This volume demonstrates how diversity and equity help advance academic excellence in global higher education.

"Health Disparities Among Under-served Populations: Implications for Research, Policy and Praxis", focuses on a topic of national concern. Both disparities in health status and in health care reflect the continuing power of race, social class, and gender as forces that define the social determinants of health and the social, biological, and physical environments where groups live. Chapters focus on key issues that include substance abuse, psychological coping, trauma, infant mortality, HPV, environmental hazards, teen pregnancy, homeless youth, racism, discrimination, and cultural competence. The scholars who have contributed to this volume showcase their insight and keen analyses of these pressing issues through a variety of lenses, including but not limited to, sociology, economics, psychology, education, public health, history, urban studies, nursing, and environmental activism. This anthology critically examines the devastating impact of race, class, and gender on the health and health care of African Americans, Latinos and American Indians, with particular focus on children and adolescents.

Recent history has documented a phenomenal surge in global unrest. From Missouri to the Middle East, the world has watched waves of momentum build, peak, and dip around events such as the shooting of Michael Brown and the acquittal of Hosni Mubarak. There have been waves of mass protests of resistance, vivid expressions of human agency through the use of technology and social media, and the clear search for finding voice in spaces where the culture of silence has been the norm for decades. This quest for humanization has led, in some cases, to macro-level changes such as the fall of governments, the collapse of economic stability, and the production of immense refugee populations. It has also led to micro-level changes within individuals’ decisions to no longer be silenced or accept the status quo. Although separated by vast geographic space, this book serves to link these struggles through developing understandings of common patterns within and interconnections across oppressive societal structures. While these dynamic forms of human agency can be studied from multiple perspectives, this book is guided through the powerful ideological frameworks of culture and social reproduction and looks specifically to the role of schooling as a vehicle for catalysing change.

Arguably, since the day he was elected, President Barack Obama met great anticipation from scores of Americans regarding the forward course our nation desired economically, socially, and educationally. The promise of progress and social mobility that millions of U.S. families hope to attain can be unlocked through the educational enterprise. Unfortunately, while the United States educates all children, all children do not receive the same education. Hence, prospects for a better future for many are thwarted from the onset given the inequities in P-12 education. Furthermore, the pendulum is swinging as higher learning is becoming increasingly obstructed for many Americans across income brackets, gender, racial/ethnic backgrounds, abilities, and geographic areas.

Now more than ever, the issue of access to higher education for all is a matter of global importance. As colleges and universities worldwide increasingly extend their academic programs abroad, develop internationally mixed research teams and create international curricular initiatives, it is essential to ensure that equitable access to a high quality education remains a key component of the research and policy agenda transnationally. In this book, leading scholars from around the globe offer the most current knowledge about postsecondary access and success, offering fertile ground for new directions in higher education. A critical read for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers, this book offers interdisciplinary perspectives on key priorities and action steps for the higher education community to help mitigate economic, social, and political inequality.

This book provides a refined definition of standardized educational test fairness that can be utilized in multiple contexts to better understand the experiences and perspectives of diverse groups of test takers. Globally, there has been a significant influx in the use of and dependence on standardized tests to foster educational improvements. Standardized testing programs such as TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study), are designed to provide information about a country’s global standing in multiple academic areas, ranking individuals and/or groups relative to the performance of others. The high-stakes nature of standardized tests has increased public concern and interest in issues related to test fairness. Since standardized test performance has a profound influence on multiple aspects of educational systems, it is imperative to better understand and examine issues of fairness.

This book examines colleges and universities across the diaspora with majority African, African-American, and other Black designated student enrolments. Research confirms that these campuses possess a flourishing landscape with racial, economic, and gender diversity while sharing a Black identity created through global racialization. Globally, Black colleges and universities create academic and social environments where different races, sexes, cultures, languages, nationalities, and citizenship status coexist, enabling academic achievement, civic engagement, and colonial resistance.  This volume highlights racial hegemony in multi-national student experiences and achievement; examines the social and career implications of attendance on lifelong success; explores the impact of global Black marginalization and racist ideology on Black college communities; and explores the role gender plays in outcomes and attainment. This timely work engages the diversity of Black colleges and universities and explains their critical role in promoting academic excellence in higher education.