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This chapter describes why safe spaces are needed in education settings for full inclusion of gendered identities as they intersect with categories such as race/ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, and ability. This discussion briefly addresses varying and intersecting levels and domains of privilege or marginalization such as identity, inter-/intraaction, organization, society, and knowledge, and how safe spaces in education can support learning as it is entwined with gender, gendered biases, and power dynamics and structures.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) Recommendation on Open Educational Resources (OER) was a milestone when it was uniformly adopted by its member states on November 25, 2019. The purpose of this conceptual paper is to provide an overview of the OER Recommendation in relation to some of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The paper focuses on SDG 4 on education, but also on other SDGs that are directly linked to the relevant SDGs for the overall implementation of the UNESCO OER Recommendation. These SDGs are: SDG 5 (gender equality), SDG 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure), SDG 10 (reduce inequalities within and between countries), SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions), and SDG 17 (partnerships for the goals). All five areas of the OER recommendation are closely linked to the above SDGs. This paper also discusses how to advocate with stakeholders at all levels to implement and mainstream OER and the SDGs across all areas of the OER recommendation. In addition, this concept paper discusses accessibility for all (e.g. any type of impairment/disability, etc.) and addresses quality issues at OER and their implications.

This conceptual paper provides an overview of the UNESCO OER Recommendation and its relationship to some of the SDGs. The paper also addresses the role of stakeholders in implementing the OER Recommendation and the potential problems of its accessibility and quality. This paper has been designed as a literature review including mainly official reports from the organizations in the field, such as the UN UNESCO SDGs (UN, n.d; UNESCO, 2016) and the UNESCO OER Recommendation (UNESCO, 2019, 2021a). This conceptual paper is discursive in nature. It contains a discussion based on a literature review comparative studies, experiences, works, and reflections of the author, who has been working in this field since its beginnings in 2002. This contribution is also based on the experiences, works, and reflections of other authors on the OER movement.

The UNESCO OER Recommendation (UNESCO, 2019) clarifies that all five areas of the OER Recommendation for implementation are closely linked to the SDGs (UN, n.d; UNESCO, 2016), particularly SDG4, which targets to achieve education for all by 2030, and other SDGs, such as SDG5 (gender equality), SDG9 (industry, innovation, and infrastructure), SDG10 (reducing inequalities within and between countries), SDG16 (peace, justice, and strong institutions), and SDG17 (partnerships for the goals). Since OER does not consist of a single goal but is linked to universal values, such as the common good, human rights (United Nations, 1948), equality, ethics, and social justice, this concept paper discusses how they are interconnected and how both the SDGs and the five domains of the UNESCO OER Recommendation (UNESCO, 2019) can be achieved. To date, however, there have been few studies on how they are interconnected. This paper proposes a model that highlights their relationships as two sides of the same coin, as they are interconnected and influence, facilitate, and reinforce each other.

The study presented in this concept paper may have limitations as it is mainly based on a review of the official relevant literature by UNESCOan OECD. A large-scale study relying on more comprehensive methods, such as focus groups, grounded theory, or even other qualitative and quantitative methods, could have validated the findings. However, since this is a first attempt, and there are few, if any studies in this area, it was decided to conduct the study in the form of a literature review and with a personal approach based on more than 20 years of research, experience, and consultation in the area of open education, OER, human rights (United Nations, 1948), social justice, ethics, and the common good.

The practical impact of the findings of this conceptual paper is that by breaking down the broad SDG goals to a practical level, it shows how the SDGs can be part of daily life and seamless daily education and learning throughout the lifespan of the learners.

The higher values of the SDGs relate to human rights United Nations (1948), social justice, and equity. Several of the SDGs, including SDG 4 and others addressed in the UNESCO OER Recommendation, such as the following: SDG5 (gender equality), SDG9 (industry, innovation, and infrastructure), SDG10 (reduce inequalities within and between countries), SDG16 (peace, justice, and strong institutions), and SDG17 (partnerships for the goals) can be achieved through open education (Inamorato Dos Santos et al., 2016), Achieving these SDGs and implementing the OER Recommendation will benefit both individuals and the planet. Education for all will also help solv climate problems.

The OER Recommendation (UNESCO, 2019) clarifies that all five areas of its implementation are closely linked to the SDGs, particularly SDG4, which targets education for all by 2030 (OECD, 2009; UNESCO, 2016), as well as SDG5 (gender equality), SDG9 (industry, innovation, and infrastructure), SDG10 (reducing inequalities within and between countries), SDG16 (peace, justice, and strong institutions), and SDG17 (partnerships for the goals). Since OER is not a stand-alone goal but is related to overarching values, such as human rights (United Nations (1948), equity, and social justice, this conceptual paper explores how these are interconnected and how both the SDGs and the five goals can be achieved. The proposed model is new and clearly needed in research on this topic.

This paper presents an overview of what we have learned about the state of academic freedom in the public schools. It includes a rationale for the place of academic freedom in social studies classrooms, a perspective on the court system as recourse for teachers, and a call for action to protect our freedoms by alternative means. Based on a National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) presentation by American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) lawyer Fritz Mulhauser, the paper provides a thematic summary of case law and precedent as they stand at present, including speech outside of school, classroom materials and content, classroom discussion, and expression through dress. Finally, the paper offers suggestions of how to exercise academic freedom successfully in the classroom.

This paper is a guest editorial piece in the Special Issue of the Gender in Management journal on “Gender equality at work in South Asia”. In this paper, the authors aim not only to introduce the papers selected for the Special Issue but also to offer an overview of the current state of female employment, economic activity and gender equality at work in countries in South Asia.

The paper offers a review of extant literature and macro‐economic data on gender equality in employment and management in South Asia.

Four stories emerge: firstly the pervasive existence of structural and institutional barriers such as patriarchal ideologies reinforced by gender inegalitarian interpretations of holy texts; secondly women's limited access to education and skill development; thirdly lack of non‐agricultural employment and economic resources resulting in economic dependence on men and sex‐based division of labour; and fourthly the development and joy of agency where there is facilitation and nurturance of women.

This Special Issue is probably the first ever collection of journal articles focused on gender equality at work in the South Asia region.

Bill participated in the International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership exchanges in 2005 in Wellington New Zealand and in 2007 in Ottawa Canada. Bill was interviewed by Janet Peters (IIMHL) about his IIMHL experiences and the benefits for First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.

The paper investigates the evolution of the demand and supply of female labour in Italy from 1959 to date with regard to the number of people employed in the resident population and with regard to the labour force. The article asserts that women’s access to the labour market has been slow and more difficult compared with other European countries. It shows how women have had to adapt to male behavioural patterns in order to penetrate the labour market. Education has played a fundamental role in increasing female participation and the service sector has provided the largest number of job opportunities. The extreme rigidity of the Italian labour market limits the use of part‐time work and other flexible working arrangements. In addition, gender stereotypes, still deeply rooted in Italian society, are responsible for a postponement of a “new labour force creation” and for the under‐representation of women in managerial positions and high level jobs.

The purpose of this paper is to ask how we can think about critical reflection as a pedagogical practice given the “confessional turn”. By the “confessional turn” the author refers to the idea that “subjective, autobiographical and confessional modes of expression” have expanded exponentially across a wide range of social spheres, including education, the legal system, the media and the workplace. Examining these developments, this paper asks what these debates on critical reflection and confession mean for pedagogical practice.

The main approach is a review of key debates in the literature on critical reflection and also in the wider social sciences.

The discussion compares different debates. Thus it shows that for critics, the turn to the “first person” technologies is narcissistic, psychologistic and de‐politicising. On this view, critical reflective practice might be understood as an individualistic and individualising pedagogy in spite of its claims to be critical. The paper discusses how in contrast, others see this move to talk about the subjective and the self as an extension of the feminist project of the personal is political – i.e. that personal stories, feelings and issues have social and political roots and consequences. For them, reflection can be critical, leading to political consciousness‐raising, i.e. a new awareness about social, political and personal processes. It finishes by examining the view that the idea of reflexivity might help us out of the conflict between these debates.

The paper poses a number of questions in relation to critical reflection that can be taken up by practitioners in the field.

The paper brings new literature to bear on the practice of critical reflection and raises important questions relevant to academics and practitioners.

In The Netherlands it has become apparent that disruptive dysfunctional families do not receive the treatment and support they need. This has forced a breakthrough in critical social problems and creeping bureaucratic paralysis. This paper aims to investigate this issue.

The paper illustrates how process management can be used successfully as a methodology to lever a social problem, namely with dysfunctional families with disruptive behaviour. In Amsterdam a revolutionary approach has been implemented in a pilot of five severely multi‐problem families.

It was found that the system of family care itself is responsible for dramatic family problems and low effectiveness of the programs. The pilot was evaluated and it was concluded that the model is successful. Families get a well‐managed and engaged supply of care, coaching and supervision. Waiting queues are by‐passed, evidence‐based family therapy is available, the process is consistent and binding to both parties involved.

The model is being implemented throughout the city since the (Board of) Mayor and Aldermen invited other boroughs to adopt this approach and improve cooperation in the care supply chain.

The case study suggests that process management can have a large beneficial impact on managing various current social problems.