Study abroad, human capital development, language commodification, and social inequalities

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Federica Goldoni

Abstract Neoliberal discourse has seeped into various practices of higher education and study abroad (SA), emphasizing the value of human capital development through international education and foreign language learning. Applied linguists have been strongly critiquing neoliberal ideologies, and how they reproduce social inequalities. In this study, the examples of Albert, Theresa, and Rebecca, three U.S. undergraduates in Spain, exhibit how elements of neoliberal discourse and the consumerist notion of second language education as a commodity perpetuate social inequalities abroad and at home. These students were part of an ethnographic study (2007–2008) that included 117 U.S. undergraduates enrolled in four academic SA programs in Spain. The stories of Albert, Theresa, and Rebecca are significant because they had traction within their SA cohort. The consumerist notion of education as a commodity was employed as the analytical framework in conjunction with Bourdieu’s concept of capital (1986). This study problematizes the neoliberal logic and the promise of human capital development associated with language learning through SA. It calls for more diversity, equity, inclusion in SA. A social justice pedagogical paradigm is discussed as a valid, alternative approach to help students emphasize humanistic imperatives over individualist imperatives, gain global understanding, and contribute to world justice.

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-186
Author(s):  
Kehinde Kabir Agbatogun ◽  
Opeloyeru Olaide Sekinat

This paper examined the macroeconomic determinants of under-five mortality rate in Nigeria between 1980 and 2017. The study was predicated on the Grossman analytical framework rooted in the human capital development theory. A macro-econometric model incorporating major macroeconomic variables in explaining under-five mortality health outcomes. ARDL bound test estimation technique that took into consideration error correction mechanism was used. Tests of the model’s reliability were carried out using unit root and co-integration tests. The influences of government health expenditure was significant, however both immunisation initiatives and health workers exerted an insignificant positive influence on under-five mortality rate. Thus, the study recommends policies targeted to improve Nigeria health system both in terms of creation of awareness relating to the service delivery and human capital development of the professionals in the sector to avert brain drain syndrome in the country.JEL Classification: J11, J13 How to Cite:Agbatogun, K. K., & Opeloyeru, O. K. (2020). Macroeconomic Determinants of Under-Five Mortality Rate in Nigeria. Signifikan: Jurnal Ilmu Ekonomi, 9(2), 177-186. https://doi.org/10.15408/sjie.v9i2.13751.


2021 ◽  
pp. 65-77
Author(s):  
Sergey Ryazantsev ◽  
Tamara Rostovskaya ◽  
Galina Ochirova ◽  
Julia Pletneva

Recognizing the importance of the development of human capital, many countries contribute to the growth of international student mobility through various state grants and scholarships for their citizens and foreign students. Nevertheless, there is a lack of research on the state's benefit from sponsoring scholarship programs and study abroad grants in the context of the development of the country's human capital. This article examines scholarship programs and grants to study abroad regarding human capital development, how they can help build human capital, and what can be an obstacle for that. The authors analyze the features and implementation mechanisms and provide typology of the programs in modern conditions. Based on a review of state scholarship programs and grants for studying abroad, and an analysis of scholars' studies and regulatory documents, authors identify existing and potential obstacles to building up and effectively using human capital such as non-return of scholarship holders to their homeland, deskilling, bureaucratic employment procedures, emigration intentions after fulfilling obligations under the program, etc. Exploring of foreign and Russian experience in implementing state scholarship and grant programs, authors determine several ways for the further development of the programs in the context of the idea of human capital building. The results of the study can be applied to the development and improvement of the Russian scholarship programs and grants for studying abroad.


ASJ. ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (40) ◽  
pp. 53-57
Author(s):  
A.V. Kurbatov A.V., ◽  
L.A. Kurbatova

The continuing build-up in the speed of deepening of the global economic crisis, driven by just as fast drop in quantity of the external resources calculated per inhabitant of our planet, forces us to refer to internal resources in order to prevent the irreversible losses, to overcome the crisis and ensure the sustainable development. Beginning from the second half of the 20-th century, the hopes for efficient deployment of internal resources have been laid on the development of the human-capital theory. However, despite the intensive change in perception of the very concept of "human capital" and a wide scope of innovative models of its practical application, aimed at bringing the economy out of stagnation, the desired outcome is not achieved. The trend of transferring of the bulk of investments to human capital, at the expense of the share of investments spent on increased production, has proved insufficient. The analysis of causes of ultra-high risks of investments in increase of human capital has helped to determine that the models, which are used currently, do not take into account some of the fundamental patterns, which ensure the high efficiency of investment in human capital. Most of the models are based on application of the methods of situational governance, which, at best, have a short-term positive effect. This trend results from the insufficient awareness of managers of the fundamental patterns of human capital development, which deprives the investors of the possibility to benefit from the optimal combination of the situational governance with relevant long-term programs, which can steadily increase human capital. The researches of the fundamental patterns of human capital development have shown, that the main factor for achieving the high efficiency of investment in human capital is the correct organization of the processes of value determination of the subjects of economic activity and the transition from the value determination to value-semantic determination, thus ensuring guaranteed attainment of goals along with high dynamics of resources. The work presented here is dedicated to the method of managing the quality of human capital, which is hereafter referred to as value-semantic economy.


Author(s):  
Volodymyr Ryabchenko

There are following prerequisites outlined in this article: worldwide democratization trend; complexity of structures of social systems; growing needs in human capital development; autonomy of national higher education institutions; civilizational problem of Ukraine in national elite. Conceptual problems on a road to real democracy in higher education institutions were actualized and analyzed. Determined and characterized three models of higher education institutions activities based on the level of democratization needs of their social environment as: negative, neutral and favorable.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (10) ◽  
pp. 58-63
Author(s):  
O. N. KUSAKINA ◽  
◽  
S. V. SOKOLOV ◽  

The article is devoted to research of dynamics of disposable resources of rural and urban households; components of disposable resources of households depending on the place of residence (per household member on average); structure of consumer expenditures of rural households based on official statistics for 2018–2020. The presented findings may serve as a basis for justifying the trends in social and economic conditions necessary for the growth of human capital in rural areas.


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