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Open Access
Article
Publication date: 12 June 2017

Silvana Rugolotto, Alice Larotonda and Sjaak van der Geest

The purpose of this paper is to describe how migration affects the care of older people in Italy.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe how migration affects the care of older people in Italy.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on anthropological fieldwork by one of the authors. This consisted of in-depth interviews with 20 “badanti” (migrant caregivers), with relatives of older people and with social workers in the city of Verona, Italy. It further included extensive study of secondary materials on the topic of migrant care of older people.

Findings

Badanti, Italian families and older people find themselves locked in an uneasy contract: badanti because they are exploited and often unable to find better, formal employment; Italian families because they are aware that they fail to render their moral duty to their aged parents and grandparents; and older people because they feel neglected and maltreated by their children. Yet the three parties also rely on each other to make the best of a precarious situation. The relationship between badanti and Italian elderly highlights the contradictions within Italian politics on care and migration. This case study shows how migrants help Italian families to hold on to the tradition of family care for ageing parents.

Research limitations/implications

The small sample of badanti and families provides a detailed and profound insight of the complexity of elder care in Italy but does not allow generalisation for developments in the country as a whole.

Practical implications

Policy makers should take notice of the indispensability of informal migrant care in present day Italy.

Originality/value

The originality of the paper lies in the in-depth conversations with badanti and in the way in which elderly care is contextualised in the Italian tradition of care and present day politics.

Details

International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, vol. 13 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1747-9894

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 November 2006

Sorina Chiper

The purpose of this paper is to address the discourse of Romanian universities as a mirror of the reformation process in the national higher educational system.

1030

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to address the discourse of Romanian universities as a mirror of the reformation process in the national higher educational system.

Design/methodology/approach

The focus of this paper is on external and internal communication, on institutional identity and the symbiosis of orders of discourse. The paper highlights the prospective EU integration as a major trigger of change in the Romanian educational system. It then draws upon critical discourse analysis (CDA) as a relevant research approach and presents the results of conducting critical discourse analysis on a corpus consisting of the web site presentation of ten public and private universities, on three faculty and university prospectuses, and one promotional CD. Finally, the paper briefly compares the discourse of Romanian universities with the discourse of universities from the UK, France, Italy and Germany, and suggest lines for improvement.

Findings

Romanian society is currently the site of ample reformation and one of the factors that trigger change is the prospective integration in the European Union. In higher education, change is enacted discursively though the emergence of new genres as the generalization of promotion as a discursive practice. The discourse of Romanian universities is heavily colonized by the EU discourse, but factors pertaining to local culture also resurface openly. Discourse is, indeed, a factor of change, but not the only one affecting it. The westernizing of Romanian university discourse needs to be backed up by a westernizing of patterns of thinking and behaving.

Originality/value

The paper presents insights into the discourse of Romanian universities.

Details

Journal of Organizational Change Management, vol. 19 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0953-4814

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 June 2009

Morris Altman

The paper aims to examine the reality of, and, conditions for economic growth for former Soviet and Soviet Block economies with special attention to Ukraine and the Russian…

Abstract

Purpose

The paper aims to examine the reality of, and, conditions for economic growth for former Soviet and Soviet Block economies with special attention to Ukraine and the Russian Federation. Many of these economies' transition from “Communism” remain plagued by problems of institutional design and outcomes characterized by high levels of corruption and low levels of accountability and transparency. The purpose of this paper is to analyze aspects of these socio‐economic realities in the context of contemporary economic theory and ongoing revisions to it.

Design/methodology/approach

The type of economic theory used to assess issues of transition has significant implications for public policy. Conventional economic theory has traditionally focused on secure private property rights, competitive markets, inclusive of “flexible” labor markets, as the necessary if not the sufficient conditions to successfully and quickly transition from command style to market economies. Little attention is paid to the details of institutional design. The paper applies a behavioral‐institutional analytical framework to analyze important aspects of failures and successes in transition economies using both economic and governance data sets.

Findings

The paper finds that traditional measures of economic freedom are far from sufficient to generate economic growth. Accountability and transparency in governance structures is also required. Economic failure and success are closely connected with overall performance in socio‐economic governance. Also an unnecessary emphasis on low wages, highly constrained social safety nets and labor market policy impedes successful growth and development.

Practical implications

Transition economies' economic performance can be significantly enhanced through improvements in institutional design that facilitates the evolution of high‐wage market economies. The market in and of itself does not suffice to generate successful transitions from command to vibrant market economies.

Originality/value

This paper provides an original exposé and analysis of transition economies from a behavioral‐institutionalist perspective, with important public policy implications.

Details

International Journal of Social Economics, vol. 36 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0306-8293

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 25 November 2019

Maria Siemushyna and Andrea S. Young

Being a parent supposes an important number of language interactions with children and other social actors, in order to realize “parental functions”, such as everyday…

Abstract

Being a parent supposes an important number of language interactions with children and other social actors, in order to realize “parental functions”, such as everyday communication with children, transmission of knowledge, expression of emotions, communication with school and others. As for parents with migrant backgrounds, some realize their parenting functions while using only the language of the country of origin, whilst others use only the language of the host country, and some parents use both of these languages. The aim of this paper is to discuss which of these language practices enables parents to more fully realize their parental functions. The paper is based on a thematic analysis of non-directive narrative interviews of parents and children with migrant backgrounds in Strasbourg (France) and Frankfurt-am-Main (Germany). We come to the conclusion that “fuller” or “more partial” realization of parenting functions depends on parents’ subjective perceptions. For instance, in similar language use situations, some parents believed their language practices had allowed them to realize their parenting functions “more fully” while others considered that they had only been able to “partially” do so. This paper opens up a new avenue of reflexion while analysing the concept of “partial parenting” regarding the use of languages by migrant parents. We hope that it will be be of interest to migrant and also non-migrant parents and their children, as well as to researchers and professionals working with immigrant families and that it will contribute to raising awareness about the role of languages in parenting.

Details

Transitions into Parenthood: Examining the Complexities of Childrearing
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83909-222-0

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 27 January 2014

Carmen Giorgiana Bonaci, Răzvan V. Mustaţă, Alexandra Muţiu and Jiří Strouhal

We propose a research design involving the use of Bloom’s taxonomy both in facilitating the teaching–learning process and in the educator assessing students’ final grades. The…

Abstract

Purpose

We propose a research design involving the use of Bloom’s taxonomy both in facilitating the teaching–learning process and in the educator assessing students’ final grades. The latter are compared with students’ self-acknowledged grades. Testing is done by considering a sample of accounting students enrolled for the Controlling course in Romania.

Methodology/approach

The employed research methodology relies on two instruments: a questionnaire and the examination process. Cluster analysis is used in analyzing students’ grades. Determinants of students’ academic performance are discussed by using factor analysis.

Findings

Comparing students’ self-acknowledged grades with those assessed by the educator, we document the necessity of further work in enhancing students’ ability to better assess their academic performance. Questions belonging to the application and analysis levels seem to be preferred by students.

Practical implications

We raise a series of theoretical questions in the area of examination performance. The obtained results in relation to the assessment of accounting students’ academic performance and its determinants offer useful insights for accounting educators.

Originality/value of chapter

Our chapter tests the use of Bloom’s taxonomy in the context of an emerging country’s educational system that lacked consistency and faced significant challenges throughout history. We also consider two measures for students’ academic performance as perceptions upon what should be the same result of the teaching–learning process. The chapter addresses the evolutions and particularities of the Romanian academic environment in the area of economics, developing a brief analysis meant to position the testing of the proposed research design.

Details

Accounting in Central and Eastern Europe
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78190-939-3

Keywords

Content available
Book part
Publication date: 2 December 2019

Lloyd J. Dumas

Abstract

Details

Building the Good Society
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83867-629-2

Abstract

Details

Further Documents from F. Taylor Ostrander
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-0-76231-354-9

Article
Publication date: 8 May 2017

Evanthia Tsaliki

The purpose of this paper is to explore teachers’ and head teachers’ perceptions of the implementation of intercultural education within the 13 intercultural primary schools…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore teachers’ and head teachers’ perceptions of the implementation of intercultural education within the 13 intercultural primary schools (IPSs) in Greece.

Design/methodology/approach

The research methodology adopted is a mixed-method approach. It has been employed to add breadth and depth to the analysis and to achieve a better understanding of the issue examined. The research methods used include questionnaires administered and interviews conducted with teachers and head teachers.

Findings

The results indicate that great importance is attributed to the use of cooperative learning, group work and the interdisciplinary approach to implementing intercultural education. The findings provide suggestions for the creation of a school environment in which the intercultural dimension will be promoted, so as to meet the educational needs of native, foreign and, repatriate pupils attending both intercultural and mainstream primary schools.

Research limitations/implications

The research study focusses on primary education. Nonetheless, some of the findings may be applicable to secondary education.

Originality/value

The contribution of this study to the topic examined is significant since this is a country-scale research conducted among the 13 IPSs – and there has been no previous research conducted in all 13 IPSs in Greece – and different pupil populations. Therefore, teachers’ views and practices allow international readership to be informed of the Greek intercultural context as well as to reflect a variety of teaching approaches and methods that can be well adopted by intercultural practitioners and which in turn can contribute to the improvement of the entire spectrum of pedagogy and pursue further research.

Details

International Journal of Comparative Education and Development, vol. 19 no. 2/3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2396-7404

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 May 2014

Vilma Karvelyte-Balbieriene and Indre Grazuleviciute-Vileniske

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the historical, cultural, and social significance and the role in landscapes of Lithuanian villages with churches and to formulate the…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the historical, cultural, and social significance and the role in landscapes of Lithuanian villages with churches and to formulate the hypothetical framework for their revitalization and consequent sustainable development of country's rural landscape.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology of the research encompassed the desktop study (analysis of literature, archival data, maps, and statistical data) and the analyses on site (observation, measurements, and recording in photographs of buildings and urban structures).

Findings

The findings of the research include the analysis of the historical development of country's rural settlements with the religious function, formulation of the notion of the contemporary village with church, identification of the contemporary network of country's villages with churches and analysis of their current socioeconomic and sociocultural situation and the role in rural landscape. The results of the analyses were used formulating the hypothetical framework for the revitalization of the villages with churches and the sustainable development of the rural landscape.

Originality/value

The analysis of literature demonstrated that Lithuanian villages with churches and their significance for the sustainable development of country's rural landscape are paradoxically neglected subjects. Meanwhile, the foreign experience has demonstrated that historic rural settlements, including the settlements with the religious function, are important not only as separate cultural assets but also can play an important role in the identity, viability, and the sustainable development of rural landscapes. Thus the findings of the research demonstrating the peculiarities and potential of Lithuanian villages with churches can be used in the fields of heritage preservation, landscape management, and rural development.

Details

Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development, vol. 4 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-1266

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 March 1987

John C. O'Brien

Praise like gold and diamonds owes its value only to scarcity (Samuel Johnson).

Abstract

Praise like gold and diamonds owes its value only to scarcity (Samuel Johnson).

Details

International Journal of Social Economics, vol. 14 no. 3/4/5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0306-8293

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