In this commentary Yagnamurthy raises several issues such as right to education, English as the medium of instruction, and quality of education in low-fee and unrecognized schools. Also, Yagnamurthy is of the view that both public and private sectors need to endeavor for equitable participation of all children in education. Tooley replies.

The essays in "School Food Politics" explore the intersections of food and politics on all six of the inhabited continents of the world. Including electoral fights over universally free school meals in Korea, nutritional reforms to school dinners in England and canteens in Australia, teachers' and doctors' work on school feeding in…

The familiar advertising slogan, "Up here it's different," used to attract visitors to the rugged beauty of County Donegal, was correct in highlighting that things are different in Donegal, although not for the reasons one might connect with tourism. For many, Donegal evokes nostalgic images of old, rural Ireland such as close community…

It is well known that to a large extent, it is the young people of today who will determine the intellectual, economic, cultural, and spiritual face of rural Russia in the twenty-first century. Unless young people take part in the modernization of the economy and in its social development, the Russian countryside will not have a future. Among…

This paper argues that the notion of distance ought to be re-conceptualized and promoted to the theoretical foreground of sociological analyses of rural economic action. Using research in rural British Columbia, Canada, I argue that current changes in rural political economy (for instance, the restructuring of industrial resource production, the…

The topic of this paper has emerged from the work of Shelton (2000, 2003), Bernhardt, Kawagley and Hill (2000), Boylan and McSwan (1998), Bryden and Boylan (2004) and others on "place-based" and "consequential" education in rural areas, prompting the question: if place-based and consequential education is "good" for…

This article challenges faculties of the arts in South African institutions of higher education to place arts education at the centre of academic inquiry, scholarship discovery and broaden their narrow understanding of "arts education". I argue for the recognition of a broad-based "arts education" or "faculties of the…

This discussion of the potential role of telecommunications in rural development begins by identifying education, culture and recreation, social pursuits, information exchange, political activity, community development, and business opportunities as activities that might be benefitted by the use of telecommunications. The capabilities and…

Suggests that a narrative perspective can provide a fruitful way to learn from rural development experiences and improve the organizational capacity of development projects. Also suggests a number of conceptual windows for the analysis of narratives in projects. (Author)

Interviews with Directors of restructured collective farms, private farmers, Rural Development Officers, and Agricultural specialists in the Administration from Suzun raion, Novosibirsk oblast, central Russia revealed a regional response to recent agrarian reforms. Distinct differences emerged between the objectives of the restructured collective…

Panelists discuss a ground-breaking study of new Pennsylvania firms; examine patterns/needs of small businesses during phases of start-up, growth, maturity, and decline; describe untapped markets in the federal government and through export trade; and review how states can support small business growth by legislative and regulatory change. (NEC)

Reports study of auto supply, apparel/textile, chemicals, tourism, instruments/telecommunications equipment industries, showing how Appalachia's ability to compete with other regions lies in access to capital, technology, and a skilled workforce. Concludes capitalizing on existing strengths will require action by all levels of government and the…

Notes that declining local resources and state and federal policies demand more intercommunity collaboration. Discusses how continuing education can help rural communities by promoting multicommunity collaborations, expanding the perspectives of community leaders, and presenting new models for local development. (SK)

Case studies from Dutch horticulture projects are used to evaluate the concepts of projects, planning, participation, and platforms. The artificiality of project boundaries and shortcomings of planning models and participatory approaches are addressed. Suggestions include choosing intervention boundaries that reflect reality in terms of time,…

Identifies social policy issues for rural communities affected by major development projects. Advocates increased attention in legislation by community workers and fuller recognition of social policy as a planning and development priority. Concludes that economics is still the major concern for development projects, rather than social policy. (BR)