The field of youth studies appears to have increasingly taken on a self-consciously "international" orientation, characterized by grappling with how to represent local youth identities and social practices within international, transnational, or global contexts. This challenge is repeated across many different types of study and worked…

The vision statement of St. Saviour's Anglican Church in the Parish of Glen Osmon reads, "We aim to be a worshipping, caring, learning and serving Christian Community." These four aspects of Christian Community are essential and inter-related. The intention in the first part of this article is to explore the "learning" aspects…

This article presents the author's response to Wyn and Woodman (2006) who have urged shifting youth research away from a transition paradigm to a generation paradigm. The evidence that they marshal in support is mainly from Australia, but their arguments are intended to be relevant throughout the western world. Here, the author argues that Wyn and…

This paper argues that to fulfil what is required of a model of children's spiritual development in the context of secular educative care, six criteria must be met: the meaning of the terms and nature of the phenomenon must both be specified; the relationship to an underlying ontology must be clarified and the status of alternatives characterized;…

An account of personal reasons for participating in the craft of smocking leads to generalizations about the social and cultural meaning of crafts as a community activity. (SK)

This paper discusses the migrant adolescent in Australia; specifically, the migrant of European origin, both newly arrived and Australian-born. The migrant experience can be perceived as being a dynamic psychosocial process that is uniquely experienced by each individual. In this process, the migrant adolescent has to deal simultaneously with two…

This exploration of the dynamics and developmental consequences of child abuse begins with a definition of child abuse and a discussion of child sexual abuse. After a description of the incidence of child abuse, the consequences of abuse--including health and emotional problems, and neuro-developmental disabilities--are discussed. Further…

Outdoor education is financially and environmentally costly. Goals attributed to outdoor education such as recreational skills, experiential learning, and personal development are not unique to outdoor education. The distinctiveness of outdoor education is that it leaves the conventional setting behind. The only justifiable goal of outdoor…

This review of studies on clinical and nonclinical populations explores outcomes of adoption and developmental issues for adolescents, and in particular, developmental problems for adopted adolescents. Studies on nonclinical populations demonstrate that adoption is a highly successful form of substitute care. Prospective longitudinal studies show…

This paper focuses on how parents, childcare personnel, preprimary and primary educators, and governments all have a role to play in supporting children's early literacy development. For two decades early childhood and literacy education journals have been filled with explorations about the perennial questions which relate to the relationships…

American undergraduates are often enticed to study abroad by the promise that they will have the experience of a lifetime and the experience of the world. For example, one American university attracts participants by claiming that "studying abroad promotes cross-cultural understanding," broadens your worldview, and prepares you for your…

A study examined social and personal factors affecting the decision process of Australian secondary school students choosing university study and the effects of student background factors in higher education participation generally. The complex patterns of factors operating differentially in the high school years are interpreted through…

Television's impact on children and the positive role of parents in moderating that impact is discussed in terms of: (1) the view that television has a largely negative impact on children; (2) the importance of television literacy; (3) ways in which parents are molding television's impact to their purposes; (4) variation in television's impact…

As teacher, musician, and performing artist, John Stokes has traveled widely in his efforts to promote awareness of the natural world and the integrity of indigenous peoples. In this interview, Stokes discusses life experiences that led him to establish the Tracking Project, a program that has taught traditional tracking and survival skills to…

Three educational programs for personal and social change--community development with Aboriginal people, cultural awareness and antiracism in Alice Springs, and preparation of adult educators at the University of South Australia--illustrate the risks and limits of intervention, the importance of clarifying teacher and learner interests,…