Democratization through education? Theory and practice of the Czech post-revolution education system and its reforms

2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-281
Author(s):  
Jan Hornat
Keyword(s):  
Transformation Process ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Communist Regime ◽  
Reform Process ◽  
Educational Systems ◽  
Liberal Democratic ◽  
Democratic State ◽  
Education Theory ◽  
Autonomous Schools ◽  
The Individual

The transformation process from an authoritarian/totalitarian system entails many institutional changes, however, the individual citizen is often being overlooked in this chaotic, fast-paced process and his or her “transformation” into a democrat is taken for granted. The changing socio-political system and its exigencies may lead to nostalgia and social frustrations, which in turn cause democratic backsliding. In order to cultivate a democratic society and avoid future backsliding, the post-communist states quickly set out to reform their educational systems, both in form and substance. By reviewing the reform process of the Czech educational system and discussing the prevailing legacies left by the communist regime, the article will show that through the “destruction” of the former system and its de-monopolization, decentralization and de-ideologization, the state deliberately lost significant means and power to transform Czechs from “homo sovieticus” to “homo democraticus” and is now left with a dependence on the highly autonomous schools and their propensity to foster democratic generations that will uphold the democratic state in the future. This paradox is reminiscent of the so-called Böockenföorde dilemma, claiming that the liberal democratic state “lives by prerequisites which it cannot guarantee itself”.

Standing “Aloof” from the State: Thoreau on Self-Government

2005 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 283-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth Lane
Keyword(s):  
Natural World ◽  
Specific Model ◽  
The State ◽  
Cultural Tradition ◽  
State Institutions ◽  
Liberal Democratic ◽  
Democratic State ◽  
Democratic Experience ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Individual Self

Long an icon of the American cultural tradition, Henry Thoreau has recently been welcomed into political theory as a theorist whose political writings go beyond the essays on resistance to government, and contain ideas deeply important for understanding the American contribution to democratic experience. I extend this new appreciation by showing how Thoreau presents a specific model of self-government, individual self-government, that occurs under the frequently irrelevant roof provided by liberal democratic state institutions. Thoreau's model of self-government imagines women and men who are largely free of, or indifferent to, the state; but fully involved in an everyday experience that is deeply political because it allocates values for the individual. Walden is, in this sense, less an escape from government than it is an escape to it. Thoreau spans the spectrum of political philosophy, from Socrates′ concern with justice in the individual, to Nietzsche's model of the self as a governable community, but Thoreau's work is unique, and distinctively American, in its model of a hard-headed individual self-government based upon an unsentimentalized natural world.

The Polish Ombudsman and the Transition to Democracy

1996 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 684-690 ◽  
Author(s):  
Howard Elcock
Keyword(s):  
Transition To Democracy ◽  
Communist Regime ◽  
Short Article ◽  
Rights Protection ◽  
Liberal Democratic ◽  
Democratic State ◽  
Constitutional Tribunal ◽  
The University ◽  
Administrative Adjudication

A great deal has happened since the first Polish Commissioner for Citizens' Rights Protection discussed the role of her office in this journal in January 1990.1 At that time, the communist regime had given place to Eastern Europe's first non-communist government, led by Tadeusz Mazowiecki, after the elections of June 1989. Following the Polish United Workers' Party's defeat then, communism collapsed throughout Eastern Europe. Poland itself has since moved somewhat shakily towards a pluralist democratic regime, with a directly elected president and two chambers of Parliament in which multi-party systems now operate. However, despite some suggestions that the institutions created during the communist period should be swept away after communism fell, several of them have made the transition to the new liberal-democratic State. These institutions include three that were created by the Jaruszelski regime during the 1980s in order to try to win back its fading popular legitimacy: the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC), the Constitutional Tribunal (CT) and the Commissioner for Citizens' Rights Protection (CCRP), or Ombudsman. Since the fall of communism, the need for administrative adjudication has both changed and become greater, especially because there has not yet been any agreement on a new Polish constitution. The number of complaints sent to the CCRP's office rose from 22,764 in 1990 to 29,273 in 1993. This short article gives an account of the principal developments in the Commissioner's role since 1990. Professor Letowska was replaced in the office in 1991 by Professor Tadeusz Zielinski, from the University of Krakow, and the change in incumbent has produced significant changes in practice as well as continuity.

scholarly journals Values, Culture and Context

2021 ◽  
pp. 43-53
Author(s):  
Rose M. Ylimaki ◽  
Lynnette A. Brunderman
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Teams ◽  
Leadership Team ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
School Development ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Education Theory ◽  
The Individual ◽  
School Principalship ◽  
Successful School ◽  
Defined Culture

AbstractThis chapter presents our conception of culture for school development, including broader cultural aims and humanistic values of education for an increasingly multicultural society reflected in the micro-organizational culture of schools and the sub-culture of the leadership team. Specifically, drawing on the International Successful School Principalship Project (ISSPP) research, related studies, and education theory, we defined culture as the values, beliefs and norms of behavior embedded within the individual, the leadership team, the organization, and the larger community. The balance of the chapter presents application of theory and practice in the Arizona project (AZiLDR) as well as lessons learned. The chapter illustrates the critical importance of culture to readiness for school development. Often, during the project, teams were at different stages of readiness, resulting in the need to spend time building and solidifying the culture. In schools with less readiness, we found the diffusion process to progress much more slowly. We saw these schools existing in the Zone of Uncertainty much longer. We describe our process to develop school culture through leadership teams, using the AZiLDR delivery system of institutes, regional meetings and on-site coaching. Example case studies and activities are provided.

Social health of the child’s personality as a result of educational activities

2019 ◽  
pp. 61-69
Author(s):  
Natalia Garashkina ◽  
Raisa Kulichenko ◽  
Igor Akopyanc
Keyword(s):  
Stress Resistance ◽  
Soft Skills ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Social Health ◽  
Educational Activity ◽  
Educational Systems ◽  
Educational Activities ◽  
Criteria And Indicators ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Individual

Formation and preservation of social health of children is an urgent issue of pedagogical theory and practice. Trends in educational systems, interdisciplinary analysis of the concept, age approach allows to consider the social health of the child as a result of educational activity. Interrelation of pedagogical and administrative result of educational activity, examples of levels, criteria and indicators of social health of the child’s personality taking into account age. We conclude that the effectiveness of educational activities in the direction of the formation of social health of the child is the basis for the social security of the individual and society, education of a new culture of interaction that ensures the success of children in different fields of activity with the prospect of their future profession. Social health of a child’s personality is in social, soft skills (emotional intelligence, critical thinking, creativity, stress resistance, etc.). The pilot study confirmed the hypothesis that the increase in the effectiveness of educational activities is associated with the intensive inclusion of trainings on the development of social skills of the child, monitoring and active seminars for educators on the development of innovative technologies to ensure the social health of the child.

scholarly journals Towards Developing Contemporary Education Theory

1990 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-107
Author(s):  
Ishaq Farhan ◽  
Mahmoud Rashdan
Keyword(s):  
Islamic Law ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Educational Systems ◽  
Education Systems ◽  
Educational Thought ◽  
The World ◽  
Islamic Countries ◽  
Education Theory ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Contemporary Education

With the increased interest in Islamic countries to adopt a way of lifebased on Islamic law, the need has intensified for practical and scientificIslamic alternatives to social and economic problems facing the world ingeneral and the Islamic nations in particular.Most countries of the world are undergoing severe education crises andreform is especially needed in education. The education systems in manycountries have failed to develop the individual in relation to social andhumanistic goals. Educational systems in the Islamic countries have beenmostly modeled on those of Western countries. As a result, these Islamiccountries are undergoing dual crises. First, the adopted education systemshave had a severe impact on many aspects of daily life in the Islamic countries.Second, the adopted education systems frequently counter Islamic goals andideals.Numerous thinkers and intellectuals in Muslim countries have emphasizedthe role of education in building a balanced and integrated individual personalityin society. Hundreds of books were written discussing these issues. Variousconferences were held to restore educational thought from the Islamic heritage.The effects of these efforts has resulted in emphasizing the successful roleof Islamic education in shaping the person, rebuilding society, and contributingto civilization.Education in modern society plays an important role in training humanresources to bridge the economic gap between the developed and developing ...

Engaged Study of the Qur'an: Gauging its Effect on the Life of the Individual and of Society

2003 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 202-207
Author(s):  
Ruqayya Ṭā Hā Jābir al-cUlwānī
Keyword(s):  
Social Conflict ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Arabic Language ◽  
Modern World ◽  
Educational Systems ◽  
Functional Perspective ◽  
Number Of Factors ◽  
Social Advancement ◽  
Freedom Of Thought ◽  
The Individual

An engaged and perceptive contemplation of the Qur'an forms one of the most important bases for the cultural and social advancement of Muslims in all walks of life, and the absence of such study is one of the reasons behind the general cultural attenuation in the modern world. Reflection is one of the means of the construction and formation of a civilised society. The applied faculty of intellect creates an environment which allows reflective and considered thought to be developed from a functional perspective for the general well-being of society. Meanwhile the effective neglect of such study leads to the proliferation of superstition, dissent and social conflict. Indeed it can even be argued that it diminishes the significance of the laws and conventions which serve as the backbone of society. This paper reveals a number of factors which can impede the achievement of such an engaged study of the text: thus, for instance, thoughtless obedience to societal conventions; shortcomings in educational systems and syllabi; and a failure to encompass the significance of the Arabic language. Furthermore this paper presents several effective suggestions for nurturing students' potential, encouraging an environment which allows freedom of thought, and its refinement.

Environmentalists, Nuclear Waste, and the Politics of Passive Exclusion in Germany

2001 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 43-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Hunold
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
Public Sphere ◽  
Nuclear Waste ◽  
Environmental Movement ◽  
The State ◽  
Radioactive Wastes ◽  
Liberal Democratic ◽  
Democratic State ◽  
Ecological Democracy ◽  
Over Time

In this essay I examine the dispute between the German GreenParty and some of the country’s environmental nongovernmentalorganizations (NGOs) over the March 2001 renewal of rail shipmentsof highly radioactive wastes to Gorleben. My purpose indoing so is to test John Dryzek’s 1996 claim that environmentalistsought to beware of what they wish for concerning inclusion in theliberal democratic state. Inclusion on the wrong terms, arguesDryzek, may prove detrimental to the goals of greening and democratizingpublic policy because such inclusion may compromise thesurvival of a green public sphere that is vital to both. Prospects forecological democracy, understood in terms of strong ecologicalmodernization here, depend on historically conditioned relationshipsbetween the state and the environmental movement that fosterthe emergence and persistence over time of such a public sphere.

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