The chapters in this edited volume raise important issues of the relation between research and its various external "publics".

Theory and Method in Higher Education Research contains contemporary contributions to international debates regarding the application and development of theory and methodology in researching higher education.

This volume considers the ways in which educational research is being shaped by policy across the globe. Policy effects on research are increasingly influential, as policies in and beyond education drive the formation of a knowledge-based economy by supporting increased international competitiveness through more effective, evidence-based interventions in schooling, education and training systems. What consequences does this increased steering have for research in education? How do transnational agencies make their influence felt on educational research? How do national systems and traditions of educational research - and relations with policy - respond to these new pressures? What effects does it have on the quality of research and on the freedom of researchers to pursue their own agendas? The 2006 volume of the World Yearbook of Education explores these issues, focusing on three key themes: globalising policy and research in education steering education research in national contexts global-local politics of education research. The 2006 volume has a truly global reach, incorporating transnational policy perspectives from the OECD and the European Commission, alongside national cases from across the world in contrasting contexts that include North and South America, Canada, France, Singapore, China, Russia and New Zealand. The range of contributions reflect how pervasive these developments are, how much is new in this situation and to what extent evidence-based policy pressures on research in education build on past relationships between education and policy. This book considers the impact of the steering processes on the work and identities of individual researchers and considers how research can be organised to play a more active role in the politics of the knowledge economy and learning society.

Across the social welfare and human services fields, interest is growing in how to apply research to influence policy and practice; simultaneously, with globalization's advance, it is clearer than ever that an international perspective is vital in understanding how social, political, and institutional contexts affect research and dissemination practices. This volume, with contributions from an array of eminent researchers and practitioners, provides valuable insight into effective research practice and the factors involved in putting research findings to use.Leading with experience - narratives of six child welfare case studies from the UK, Ireland, Israel, South Africa, and the US - the book frames those cases in the context of relevant literatures to build up a cross-case analysis that distills lessons, throws enduring questions into relief, and lays a foundation for informing future practice. It mines the cross-national experience to develop perspective for a better understanding of the importance of different policy and cultural environments, while nonetheless emphasizing issues that are applicable across borders. The ground prepared by the case studies allows the volume to tease out themes and lessons, placing the empirical findings against relevant theoretical frameworks and developing guidelines for improving research practice in this arena.Researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and advocates concerned with promoting effective policy and practice will find this book a vital aid in understanding how to apply knowledge to the real world and bring about in ways that can inform and contribute to social change.

Contemporary Europe – ridden by social, political and economic crises, overlaid onto colonial and imperial trajectories, and shaken by the shockwaves generated by Brexit and wide scale human displacement – has become a space in which citizenship and belonging are contested, disrupted, performed and produced anew. Art, Migration, and the Production of Radical Democratic Citizenshipexplores the contribution of migrant and refugee artists to the performance and production of radical democratic citizenship in Europe. It foregrounds the insights of artists and cultural actors with diverse experiences of migration and displacement to fractious public debates about citizenship and belonging. It explores how migrant and refugee artists have audaciously inserted themselves into, and are pushing the boundaries of these debates, challenging and unhinging dominant interpretations of the parameters of European citizenship and belonging. Part I of this edited volume is comprised of a series of short provocations by artists spanning and intermixing a range of art forms and methodologies including live art, visual art and public installation, community and site-specific durational work, or the combination of writing, auto-ethnography and media activism. The second Part comprises longer, more sustained engagements by visual and live art practitioners, dramaturges, curators and academics. These chapters focus on performative, participatory, auto-biographical and auto-ethnographic artistic processes and practices. Art, Migration, and the Production of Radical Democratic Citizenship highlights the critical interventions by artists who have experienced firsthand the everyday realities of displacement, focusing on how their diverse practices offer incisive challenges to existing regimes of citizenship and democracy.

Drawing on hundreds of studies in the last 20 years, the new edition of Family Policy Matters brings a fresh perspective to family policy, underscoring why it is needed, and outlining how policymaking should be approached. Author Karen Bogenschneider proposes a theoretical framework for conceptualizing policy issues in a way that holds the potential for overcoming controversy and identifying common ground. This new edition includes updates on the most current research, including: *new issues that have changed the political landscape for families (e.g. strengthening marriage initiative, same-sex marriage); *an updated section on state statutes or Governor's orders that require family impact analysis; *a new chapter on the history of family policy in this century; *a new appendix on how to conduct a family impact analysis; and *two new case studies on writing family policy newsletters for state policymakers and teaching family impact analysis to the general public. *Instructor's Manual with sample syllabi for both undergraduate and graduate courses, suggested readings, assignments, and class activities, discussion questions, daily lesson plans, instructor insights, special presentations to enrich one's class, and PowerPoint slides. The targeted audience includes researchers interested in seeing their research and ideas acted upon in the policy world; family professionals who work to connect research and policymaking; and instructors interested in making family policy come alive for undergraduate and graduate students. This book is an ideal textbook for family policy courses.

Sport is perceived to have the potential to alleviate a variety of social problems and generally to ‘improve’ both individuals and the communities in which they live. Sport is promoted as a relatively cost effective antidote to a range of social problems – often those stemming from social exclusion - including poor health, high crime levels, drug abuse and persistent youth offending, educational under-achievement, lack of social cohesion and community identity and economic decline. To this end, there is increasing governmental interest in what has become known as ‘sport for good’. A Wider Social Role for Sport presents the political and historical context for this increased government interest in sport’s potential contribution to a range of social problems. The book explores the particular social problems that governments seek to address through sport, and examines the nature and extent of the evidence for sport’s positive role. It illustrates that, in an era of evidence-based policy-making, the cumulative evidence base for many of these claims is relatively weak, in part because such research is faced with substantial methodological problems in isolating the precise contribution of sport in many contexts. Drawing on worldwide research, A Wider Social Role for Sport explores the current state of knowledge and understanding of the presumed impacts of sport and suggests that we need to adopt a different approach to research and evaluation if sports researchers are to develop their understanding and make a substantial contribution to sports policy..

This book demonstrates how participatory arts-based approaches can help children and youth contribute to peacebuilding within post-conflict contexts and to their communities. Cultural forms of storytelling through visual arts, drama, music, and dance can help to enhance post-conflict community well-being, social cohesion, and conflict prevention. However, in the planning and implementation of these arts-based projects, children and youth are often marginalised in decision-making processes. Drawing on cases from Kyrgyzstan, Rwanda, Indonesia, and Nepal, this book demonstrates the benefits of participatory action research with children and youth to inform education curricula and policies for sustaining peace. Showing how artforms can be adapted to meet the needs of children and youth, the book emphasises the need to scale up arts-based peacebuilding initiatives and leverage for greater policy enactment from the bottom up. It is also an excellent example of South–South learning, advocating for a local approach to engage with arts-based methodologies and peacebuilding. This book will be of interest to researchers across the applied arts, sociology, anthropology, political science, peacebuilding, and international development. Practitioners and policymakers would also benefit from the book’s recommendations for the implementation of successful arts-based research projects and interventions.

Embark on an extraordinary journey through the cutting-edge world of artificial intelligence with The Algorithmic Odyssey. This comprehensive guide serves as both a map and a compass for navigating the complex and rapidly evolving landscape of AI research. From the foundational principles of machine learning to the latest advancements in neural networks, this book offers a detailed exploration of the algorithms that are reshaping our world. Whether you are a seasoned researcher, a curious student, or a tech enthusiast, The Algorithmic Odyssey provides invaluable insights into the methodologies, challenges, and breakthroughs that define contemporary AI research. Discover the intricacies of supervised and unsupervised learning, delve into the depths of deep learning, and understand the transformative impact of reinforcement learning. Each chapter is meticulously crafted to offer clear explanations, practical examples, and thought-provoking discussions, making complex concepts accessible without sacrificing depth. Beyond the technicalities, The Algorithmic Odyssey also addresses the ethical, societal, and philosophical implications of AI. What does it mean to create intelligent systems? How do we ensure that these technologies benefit humanity? These questions and more are explored with rigor and sensitivity, encouraging readers to think critically about the future of AI. With contributions from leading experts in the field and a wealth of resources for further study, The Algorithmic Odyssey is an essential addition to the library of anyone passionate about the future of technology and its impact on our world. Join us on this odyssey and unlock the mysteries of artificial intelligence.

Social psychology, a vibrant and evolving field, occupies a unique niche within the broader domains of psychology and social sciences. It promises a profound understanding of how individual thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are shaped by social influences. This chapter will delineate the definitions of social psychology, explore its core scope, and illustrate its significance in understanding human interactions. **Definition of Social Psychology** At its core, social psychology is the scientific study of how individuals perceive themselves in relation to others, how they are influenced by the social context, and how their behaviors are shaped by the presence of others, whether those others are real, imagined, or implied. Allport (1954) defined social psychology as the “scientific attempt to understand and explain how the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of individuals are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of other human beings.” This definition encapsulates three essential components of social psychology: the individual, the social context, and the interaction between the two. Furthermore, social psychology is distinguished from other branches of psychology by its emphasis on the social environment. While other psychological disciplines such as clinical or developmental psychology may focus on individual differences, social psychology seeks to understand how social situations and group dynamics shape behaviors universally. The field investigates phenomena ranging from interpersonal relationships and group behavior to organizational dynamics and cultural differences.