Points out that while some symposium papers pursue a model of the individual mind, others explore the social mind. Argues that concepts of cognitive theory originally based on social existence have been deformed to emphasize the individual as a self-contained entity.(RH)

Discusses basic premises and conditions of status inconsistency theory and argues that these premises need to be corroborated empirically, it status inconsistency is to become a strong predictor. Drawing on findings from expectation states theory research, numerous caveats for linkages between theoretical terms and operationalizations are…

In De la Division du Travail Social, Durkheim's causal explanation for secular increases in the division of labor and the differentiation of social structure is flawed. His metatheoretical concerns expressed in the critique of utilitarian social theory flawed his contributions to a causal explanation of social differentiation. (Author/AM)

A discussion of Foucault's formulation of discourse and insights from the works of Dewey, Merleau-Ponty, and Bourdieu are used to analyze the discourses surrounding becoming a parent. (PCB)

Conceptualizes the learning organization as a metaphor, given the centrality of narrative in human endeavors. Reinterprets the learning organization using narrative theory and social theory. (Contains 52 references.) (SK)

Discusses three positions regarding the definition of sociolinguistic theory: (1) sociolinguistic theory is proper linguistic theory; (2) sociolinguistic theory is an accumulation of mini-theories; and (3) sociolinguistic theory as social theory. (Author/VWL)

Critical social theory is a multidisciplinary knowledge base with the implicit goal of advancing the emancipatory function of knowledge. It approaches this goal by promoting the role of criticism in the search for quality education. Through critical social theory in education, quality is proportional to the depth of analysis that students have at…

This paper will look at the "accumulated wisdom, insight, and experience of those who lived before us" (Kopff, 1999, p.1) and discuss historical, philosophical, and social theories to support the statement that we, as a nation need to "get back to the basics of life" (Carmen, 2005, p.1). The following eras will be discussed: Pre-Classical Era,…

Stories are how we make sense of experiences, thus providing the historical sense of life. To paraphrase Dewey, extracting at each present time the full meaning of each present experience enables us to do the same for our pasts. The continual reconstruction of the past in the light of the present is integral to full engagement with the present…

In this paper I respond to Ajay Sharma's "Portrait of a Science Teacher as a Bricoleur: A case study from India," by speaking to two aspects of the bricoleur: the subject and the discursive in relation to pedagogic perspective. I highlight that our subjectivities are negotiated based on the desires of the similar and competing discourses…

In a recent paper, members from the London Feminist Salon Collective reflected on the vexed problem of agency in poststructuralist theory and asked, "as feminist educational researchers, where do we go from here?" The issue remains pressing as agency, both individual and collective, is at the heart of the feminist, and indeed, all radical…

Each generation of Americans has faced some form of risk. Each generation has devised an ideology of salvation. This article describes how the question of risk has been interpreted by selected salvationist ideologies and how educational thought has reflected the ideological assumptions of each age. (MT)

Presents an overview of feminist philosophy and examines values and perspectives feminism and social work share. Argues for a greater integration of feminist theory into social work practice at all levels and gives examples of the implications of feminist perspectives for social work. (Author/ABB)

Responds to an earlier comment by R. Jean Hills regarding the correct use of Parsonian concepts. Notes the difficulty of presenting Parsons' theory and quotes several sources supporting his interpretation of the functions of a system's managerial level. (RW)

Responding to Willower's earlier questioning of the concept of systems' functional requirements, the author outlines the Parsonian theory of action, discussing action systems' components (values, norms, organizations, and facilities) and their functional imperatives or requirements (pattern maintenance, integration, goal attainment, and…