The Populist Zeitgeist in Today’s Europe

Популисткият Zeitgeist в днешна Европа

Author(s): Cas Mudde / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 23_BG/2007

Keywords: Zeitgeist; populism; ideology; politics; culture; media; defending dmocracy; liberal autocracy

I am thinking about what is the challenge of populism: Is it an opportunity or is it a threat? To answer this question, we have to make a distinction between populism as an ideology, and populism as a style. My position would be that even though, theoretically, populism as an ideology is a key threat, in practice, today in Europe, populism as a style is the main threat. Let me explain. Without going into a detailed discussion of the definition of populism as an ideology and as a style, I will say that here I use the term ‘populism’ as what is called a ‘fan-centred ideology’ – which means that it is an ideology with a limited range, unlike liberalism or socialism, but like nationalism, for example.

Initial Vocational Education and Training Policy in Lithuania and the EU

Initial Vocational Education and Training Policy in Lithuania and the EU

Author(s): Odeta Gurskienė / Language(s): English / Issue: 08/2004

Keywords: Policy of vocational education and training; strategic landmarks; regulations of vocational education and training; the EU vocational education and training programmes.

This article analyses general EU policy, its development, strategic goals and perspectives in the field of education and vocational training. The purpose of this article is to overview the main assumptions for general educational policy in the European Union and main tasks for the Lithuanian policy in the field of Vocational education and training.

Lithuanian Career Counselling System

Lithuanian Career Counselling System

Author(s): Kęstutis Pukelis,Daiva Garnienė / Language(s): English / Issue: 08/2004

Keywords: Career counselling; vocational counselling; career design; career education.

The article presents an overview of career counselling in Lithuania and analyses further opportunities of creating an efficient and coherent national system. It also discusses legal basis, which creates preconditions for the development of career counselling services. Functions of the leading institutions are defined together with the methods used to create career counselling planning and coordination system. An attempt is made to provide a more comprehensive overview of the range of career counselling services. The work highlights the necessity of training career counsellors who could be able to perform this job in a professional way. It also grounds the importance of qualitative career counselling services, career education in general secondary schools and preparing young people to live under the changing labour market conditions.

Influence of Social Events Upon Persons’s Socialization

Influence of Social Events Upon Persons’s Socialization

Author(s): Marija Barkauskaitė / Language(s): English / Issue: 08/2004

Keywords: Social factors; socialisation; personality; educational institution; community change.

The article discusses problems of upbringing, particularly, the impact of social events upon personal development. Analysis of scientific works and practical pedagogical activity revealed scientific hypothesis that belonging of people to formal societies (family class, school), active participation in after school events have positive effect on socialization process. Long term (27 years) scientific research observing social-pedagogical change of teenager relations confirmed the hypothesis and revealed the main social factors which influence person’s socialization

The Dimensions of Open Learning and the Possibilities for its Identification in the Teaching–Learning Process

The Dimensions of Open Learning and the Possibilities for its Identification in the Teaching–Learning Process

Author(s): Lineta Žilinskaitė,Ramūnas Kuncaitis,Audronė Valiuškevičiūtė,Giedra Marija Linkaitytė / Language(s): English / Issue: 08/2004

Keywords: Teaching and learning paradigm; traditional teaching; open learning; dimension of open learning.

The authors have isolated the problem of the coordination of the teaching and learning process in the transition of a learning culture from traditional teaching towards open learning. In this article the theoretical model of teaching-learning paradigms is presented and the dimensions of open learning are isolated: the role of a teacher, the role of a student and the types of learning tasks and exercises. The practical case of the identification of dimensions has been presented and the results are discussed in this paper. The authors suggest that identification of three dimensions, namely the role of a teacher, the role of a student and the types of learning tasks and exercises, create the possibility to reflect on the teaching-learning process.

Arbeitslernen im ganzheitlichen Technikunterricht

Arbeitslernen im ganzheitlichen Technikunterricht

Author(s): Klaus Halfpap,Bernd Ott / Language(s): German / Issue: 08/2004

Keywords: Industriegesellschaften; das Arbeitslernen; Handlungsfähigkeit; Kompetenzen

Arbeiten und Lernen sind nicht nur zentrale Kategorien hochentwickelter Industriegesellschaften, sondern sie bilden in Form des „Arbeits-Lernens“ auch eine wichtige technikdidaktische Zielformel. Die Zielfunktion des Arbeitslernens ist die Förderung einer umfassenden (ganzheitlichen) Handlungsfähigkeit des Individuums, bezogen auf Fach-, Methoden-, Sozial- und Individualkompetenz. Die Autoren referieren aus vorwiegend berufspädagogisch geprägter Perspektive die Intentionen und Ziele des Arbeitslernens. Gleichzeitig soll damit eine Diskussion über die Aspekte und Ziele einer ganzheitlichen Techniklehre und Technikdidaktik initiiert werden.

Social Work Knowledge as a Component of Social Worker Competence

Social Work Knowledge as a Component of Social Worker Competence

Author(s): Violeta Ivanauskienė,Laura Varžinskienė / Language(s): English / Issue: 08/2004

Keywords: Competence; knowledge; social work values.

Knowledge is one of the most important parts of social worker competence. This profession requires knowledge in various social sciences including social work knowledge; consequently, social work knowledge becomes multipartite and complex. Due to this reason not only people unrelated to social work but social workers themselves find it hard to identify social work knowledge. The article discusses the assessment of social work knowledge by social workers who do not have social work education and general social worker knowledge.

Problematic Aspects of Non-formal and Informal Learning Achievement Assessment Methodologies

Problematic Aspects of Non-formal and Informal Learning Achievement Assessment Methodologies

Author(s): Aušra Fokienė,Eglė Stasiūnaitienė / Language(s): English / Issue: 08/2004

Keywords: Non-formal and informal learning; process of learning achievement assessment; assessment quality criteria.

Assessment and recognition of non-formal and informal learning is one of the most important priorities of education policy in Europe, including Lithuania. The article analyses the topic of assessment of non-formal and informal learning achievements, discusses the conceptual barriers and theoretical guidelines of the assessment process as well as presents the validity and reliability criteria of evaluation methodologies.

Parameters of General Practice Physician Professional Activity

Parameters of General Practice Physician Professional Activity

Author(s): Liudmila Kirikova,Laima Sajienė / Language(s): English / Issue: 08/2004

Keywords: General practice physician; primary health care; qualification functions; competences.

Rapid development of the society and change in the human and societal health care needs impact the change in the concept of general practice physician institution. The present situation in Lithuania creates conditions for general practice physicians not only to treat people but also to create assumptions for people to learn to take proper care of their health themselves, train their skills to preserve it and to achieve the level of wellness that exists in the most advanced countries of the world. The purpose of this study is to assess the activity of general practice physicians and identify the necessary competences in primary health care system in Lithuania. Scientific literature analysis, document analysis and a survey are the methods used in this research.

Personal Motivation as the Basis for Professional Career

Personal Motivation as the Basis for Professional Career

Author(s): Nijolė Petkevičiūtė,Egidija Laumenskaitė / Language(s): English / Issue: 08/2004

Keywords: Professional career; personal career; motives; motivation; values; needs.

The article presents the career primarily relevant to a person’s wishes and abilities and, accordingly, becoming personal. It means that not an organization, but a person himself is more responsible for his career. The development of career depends on the external and the internal factors. The latter are directly coherent to the values and have a long-term run in the rapidly changing environment. Motivation is discussed as an internal power in the development of personal career. This internal power rises from personal values and commitment to these values.

Lithuanian Labour Exchange as Network Organization: Main Features

Lithuanian Labour Exchange as Network Organization: Main Features

Author(s): Daiva Bukantaitė / Language(s): English / Issue: 08/2004

Keywords: Network organisation; features of a network organisation; labour exchange.

Network organisations are analysed on the basis of scientific literature analysis, distinguishing their features, types, functions, advantages, and comparing with other organisations. The Lithuanian Labour Exchange as a network organisation is presented in the second part of the article,.

Kooperatives Lernen im Berufsschulunterricht zur Entwicklung eines Pragmatishen Konzepts

Kooperatives Lernen im Berufsschulunterricht zur Entwicklung eines Pragmatishen Konzepts

Author(s): Franz Bernard / Language(s): German / Issue: 08/2004

Keywords: Kooperatives Lernen; Berufspädagogic; Berufsschulunterricht

Im Rahmen der wissenschaftlichen Begleitung des Modellversuches „Kooperatives Lernen im Berufsschulunterricht“ (vgl. Bauer / Bernard 1997) war es u.a. erforderlich, Konzepte für die Gestaltung kooperativer Unterrichtsprozesse auf der Basis neuer Erkenntnisse der Berufspädagogik, der Kognitionswissenschaften und anderer Wissenschaftsdisziplinen in enger Verbindung mit den Erfahrungen der Lehrenden an der Modellversuchsschule zu entwickeln. Ergebnisse dieser Entwicklungsarbeit sollen nach den sogenannten „W-Fragen“ zusammengefaßt werden: • Was ist kooperatives Lernen? • Warum soll, • wie und • wann kann im Berufsschulunterricht das kooperative Lernen realisiert werden? Unter pragmatischem Aspekt werden wesentliche Erkenntnisse nur in Form von Thesen formuliert. Auf eine ausführliche Darlegung von Implikationszusammenhängen wird verzichtet.

No consensus on framing? Towards an integrative approach to define frames both as text and visuals

No consensus on framing? Towards an integrative approach to define frames both as text and visuals

Author(s): Nicoleta Corbu,Aurora Iorgoveanu / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2012

Keywords: integrative approach to framing; verbal framing; visual framing; non-verbal cues

With a relatively recent history, the concept of framing has known a flourishing development, being without any doubt one of the key theories in current mass communication research. Although the growing number of studies on the topic of framing, seeking to understand what framing is and how frames manifest themselves in a number of different sites and across a number of domains, there is no consensus regarding the meaning of this powerful concept. With few exceptions, most of the scholars reduce framing only to written words, fully ignoring the visual cues within news stories. This study aims at filling this gap, bringing new theoretical explanations and trying to make some clear conceptual clarifications. Thus, the paper will address the following questions: How have meanings of framings have evaluated across time?; What are the limitations of these definitions?; How do visual cues function as agents of framing? As a theoretical paper, this article explores the integrative approach on framing, urging researchers to start conducting more framing analysis which combine both verbal and visual elements in news coverage.

Lights, Camera, Action! How the 2009 Romanian Presidential Debates Portrayed Political Candidates

Lights, Camera, Action! How the 2009 Romanian Presidential Debates Portrayed Political Candidates

Author(s): Florina Creţu / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2012

Keywords: mediated public sphere; visual bias; mediated deliberation; Romanian presidential debates; visual semio-pragmatic analysis

In the last two decades, the concept of public sphere has reached international academic debates, its meanings have constantly changed and have been adapted to various domains. Particularly, in media studies, the question that needs to be addressed is this: to what extent the public sphere represents an arena of deliberative communication and equal access, as Jürgen Habermas had envisaged it? Thus, many authors claim that the mediated public sphere provided by television today no longer values the aforementioned elements, leading to its dissolution. However, the meanings of this concept have been constantly reviewed, which requires a more careful consideration of this claim. Hence, the paper aims at understanding how the initial criteria of the public sphere have been assessed by academics in order to develop a personal definition of the concept. We argue that a main prerequisite of the mediated public sphere is that of deliberative communication, understood as equal representation granted by the media to political actors. Inspired by media bias theories, the empirical part of the paper addresses the following question: To what extent is the mediated public sphere a deliberative one? In order to answer it, the present paper examines the visual means used for portraying the political candidates and their supporters in the last Romanian presidential debate.

Review of Social Media ROI: Managing and Measuring Social Media Efforts in Your Organization, by Olivier Blanchard, Boston: Que Publishing, 2011, 350

Review of Social Media ROI: Managing and Measuring Social Media Efforts in Your Organization, by Olivier Blanchard, Boston: Que Publishing, 2011, 350

Author(s): Raluca-Silvia Ciochină / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2012

Terrorist Groups: Using Internet and Social Media for Disseminating Ideas. New Tools for Promoting Political Change

Terrorist Groups: Using Internet and Social Media for Disseminating Ideas. New Tools for Promoting Political Change

Author(s): Liane Rothenberger / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2012

Keywords: (counter-)terrorism; social media; social movement; political change through violence; recruitment; Internet

Terrorism is one of the essential problems of our times. Most commonly, terrorist organizations have their origins in social movements that presume that they cannot reach their goal of promoting political change other than through violence. This paper deals with the use of the Internet, and especially social media, by terrorist groups. Social media seem to be an essential part in the groups’ strategic communication concepts. They do not only use it for the groups’ internal organization but mainly for the dissemination of ideas to a broader public. If the government wants to counteract terrorist movements, it also has to counteract their use of social media. Therefore, theoretical concepts of terrorism as communication, PR and propaganda will be presented as well as results of case studies in order to show the interconnectedness of terrorism and social media.

Media Framing of Sports Competitions. Going Beyond the War and the Show Frames of Sports Events

Media Framing of Sports Competitions. Going Beyond the War and the Show Frames of Sports Events

Author(s): Diana-Luiza Dumitriu / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2012

Keywords: soft war; warrior ethos; social dramaturgy; sports war-show; visual media framing

As an interdisciplinary field, sports activate and re-contextualize a wide repertoire of symbolic elements, among which war and show ethos seem to be the most prominent. The aim of this study is to go beyond the “war” and the “show” frames duality and to discuss the emergence of a new hybrid construct: the sports war-show. Based on a discourse analysis of textual and visual units – images and their corollary captions, the study outlines the way in which media frame an international sports event, i.e. the 2011 Women’s Handball World Championship. While the evaluative potential of the textual component proves to be underused in media’s coverage of sports competitions, the visual component is defined by a clear tendency to dramatization and personalization, using the war and show elements in order to stress out the affective loading and the competitive tension of sports events as global war shows.

Call for papers

Call for papers

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2012

Carrying a Wolf, a Goat, and a Cabbage across the Stream. Metamorphoses of ATU 1579

Carrying a Wolf, a Goat, and a Cabbage across the Stream. Metamorphoses of ATU 1579

Author(s): Piret Voolaid / Language(s): English / Issue: 35/2007

Keywords: computer games; dynamic folklore process; Internet folklore; minor genres of folklore; narratives; riddles; the second life of folklore

The article discusses the functioning of the plot of a fixed tale typeATU 1579 (Carrying a Wolf, a Goat, and a Cabbage across the Stream) as a riddle and a narrative and its forms which have surrounded the plot and originate in traditional folklore genres. Folklore, reconstructed and placed in new contexts, emerges in new genres. In the present computer era, the plot has not only emerged in narrative and riddle genre, but has emerged in an entirely new context – it has been widely applied in the form of an interactive computer game. The different forms, contexts, functions and goals of the type plot may be regarded as aspects of the dynamic folklore process.

The Style of ‘Lokaabharan’ in Indian Proverbs

The Style of ‘Lokaabharan’ in Indian Proverbs

Author(s): Biplab Chakraborty / Language(s): English / Issue: 35/2007

Keywords: Indian proverbs; poetry; ‘lokaabharan’; Sanskrit literature; modern Indian literature

The changing pattern of Indian proverbs is very much reflected invarious literary creations, especially in modern Indian poetry. Proverbs are used in poetry as a mode of creative process which entails change. Indeed, it is mostly expressed in a poetic style of narration which may be termed as the style of ‘lokaabharan’. Various types of folk elements are used in the creative process and amongst such folk elements proverbs assume a very important position in the making of the style of ‘lokaabharan’.The central message of a proverb is often conveyed with a subtle touch of language use as a linguistic device. Patterns of changes in language use need to be examined with a view to measure the mode of expression of the proverb concerned. In order to understand the style of ‘lokaabharan’, we must examine how proverbs have been used as fixative factors. In this process, we need to compare and contrast the original proverbs used and their changing patterns available in the text of the poems concerned. Fixative factors are what may be called the core of folk elements used in a poem. This may be either a conscious creative effort or an unconscious artistic measure. It plays a vital role in conveying the central theme or message, whatever the case may be.