Editorial

La publicación de artículos científicos sigue una serie de lineamientos que todos los autores deben cumplir. Cada revista tiene sus peculiaridades en cuanto a formato de presentación, pero los principios que rigen el fondo son similares en todo el mundo. La revista de la Federación se ha esforzado en adaptarse a los principios establecidos por grupos internacionales, como el Comité Internacional de Editores de Revistas Médicas, con el propósito de asegurar la calidad de los artículos que son publicados y que representan el rostro de la revista. Sin embargo, uno de los principales problemas con los que se pueden topar los autores es lo que se conoce como sesgo de publicación. Se presenta cuando los resultados del experimento influyen en la decisión de publicar el artículo. Son la razón principal por la cual los autores, principalmente los jóvenes, tienden a preocuparse si los resultados de un estudio se reportan como negativos o no estadísticamente significativos. Es una práctica conocida, impulsada por el deseo de solo publicar artículos que puedan atraer a potenciales nuevos suscriptores o lectores, que, en su momento, usarían estos artículos como fuente de citación, mejorando el factor de impacto de la revista en cuestión. Lo malo de esta práctica, además de lo obvio, es que, sin darse cuenta, alteran el balance de los hallazgos de un tema en particular e insertan un sesgo en favor de la positividad. Desde la reestructuración de la revista, nos hemos acogido a la iniciativa de Budapest, propuesta por la Open Society Foundation, para ampliar la disponibilidad a nivel mundial de información académica y científica, al permitirle al autor darle acceso gratuito al lector interesado en el fruto de su trabajo. Eso implica no solo publicar artículos con resultados negativos o no significativos, sino apoyar, cuando el tema lo amerita, a autores con investigaciones de interés general, ejecutadas bajo principios éticos estrictos y siguiendo los rigurosos procesos de revisión por pares. Por ese motivo, este número publica un artículo no relacionado con la obstetricia, pero que pensamos, bajo el contexto de la pandemia que todavía nos azota, merece ser publicado. El conocimiento es poder. Queda en manos de los lectores decidir qué datos le son de utilidad, después de un análisis crítico de la literatura y aplicados a la realidad que nos rodea.

Introduction

This chapter provides an overview of the book’s central claim: that in a free and open society, higher education ought to be a right. It argues that prevailing anxiety about the distributive unfairness of higher education systems shifts needed attention away from a serious consideration of this possibility. However, that chapter also shows how justifying higher education as a right faces conceptual challenges, as well. First, arguments that set out to establish the importance of higher education often end up looking more like an argument in favour of what should be offered to all citizens on a compulsory basis. Second, arguments that set out to establish the general value of a higher education can end up making paternalistic conclusions about what is in citizens’ best interests. Meeting these two challenges, argues the author, can point the way toward a better understanding of why liberal societies should treat higher education as a right as opposed to a mere privilege.

The Right to Higher Education

Is higher education a right, or a privilege? The author argues that all citizens in a free and open society should have an unconditional right to higher education. Such an education should be costless for the individual and open to everyone regardless of talent. A readiness and willingness to learn should be the only qualification. It should offer opportunities that benefit citizens with different interests and goals in life. And it should aim, as its foundational moral purpose, to help citizens from all walks of life live better, freer lives. Using concepts and ideas from liberal political philosophy, the author argues that access to educational goods and services is something to which all citizens have a right over a full life. Such goods, it is argued, play a key role in helping citizens realize self-determined goals. Higher education should therefore be understood as a basic social institution responsible for ensuring that all citizens can access such “autonomy-supporting” goods. The book examines the implications of this justification of the right to higher education for questions of educational justice, political authority, distributive justice, civic education, and personal autonomy.

FORM AND FUNCTION OF PENDHAPA (TRADITIONAL JAVANESE HALL) IN JAVANESE SOCIETY

Pendhapa in this paper is a traditional Javanese hall. The form and function of Pendhapa have a characteristic. The discussion of Pendhapa in this paper is more emphasis on form and function in building communication in the Javanese people. It shows the form and functions of the pendhapa. The method of this research is qualitative research. We use observation, in-depth interviews, and content analysis. The research found that pendhapa generally shaped Joglo, and is the only house that is owned by noble persons. Joglo is in the square a with four-poster as the main pillar. The four pillars support the roof towering in the middle. The main pillar in the Joglo house is often called Saka Guru. And the roof in the middle of the Joglo house is called the roof Brunjung. Pendhapa initially serves as a gathering place and deliberation. Pendhapa is the place of social interaction between citizens to know each other. In traditional Javanese houses, Pendhapa is often called a front home and serves as a living room. Pendhapa is often also called an open room or public room. However, in its development Pendhapa can function as a social communication space or can also be called social communication media. It is associated with the development of the culture and lifestyle of the people in the open society.

Building Inclusive Cities Archive

A collection of essays by international experts was produced on themes central to inclusive city-building. Essays provide insight and analysis on building inclusive cities, what works, what doesn’t, the cost of exclusion, and include examples of good practices, policy recommendations, and resources for further learning and connection. The project was undertaken in partnership with Open Society Initiative for Europe, and with Bertelsmann Stiftung and other partners.

Building Inclusive Cities Archive

A collection of essays by international experts was produced on themes central to inclusive city-building. Essays provide insight and analysis on building inclusive cities, what works, what doesn’t, the cost of exclusion, and include examples of good practices, policy recommendations, and resources for further learning and connection. The project was undertaken in partnership with Open Society Initiative for Europe, and with Bertelsmann Stiftung and other partners.

Teacher support, preparedness and resilience during times of crises and uncertainty: COVID-19 and education in the Global South

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing education inequities, further marginalising those with poor and limited education opportunities, particularly in conflict, fragile, and insecure contexts. In the Global South, the COVID-19 pandemic compounds existing crises, frailties, and inequities as the impoverished suffer food insecurity, physical conflict, and crises of health and water. Existing research suggests that the pandemic has further disadvantaged marginalised communities, weakened learner performance, increased learning losses, and stretched already strained education budgets. However, little is known about the role of teachers in the policymaking process relating to matters that have a direct impact on their work. It is this gap that we address in this paper. Drawing on research, commissioned by the Open Society Foundation and Education International, based on a detailed desk-based review and interviews with purposefully selected Teachers' Union and Government officials in eight African countries, we examine the role of teachers in education policy-making processes and the kinds of support made available to them, or the lack thereof, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using the conceptual framing of de Sousa Santos's sociology of absences and cognitive injustice, we demonstrate that teachers have been absent from policymaking processes and have not been adequately provided with the necessary professional development (PD) and psychosocial support to navigate the uncertainties and pedagogical requirements imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Political thought in Central and Eastern Europe: The open society, its friends, and enemies*

A review essay of key works and trends in the political thought of Central and Eastern Europe, before and after 1989. The topics examined include the nature of the 1989 velvet revolutions in the region, debates on civil society, democratization, the relationship between politics, economics, and culture, nationalism, legal reform, feminism, and “illiberal democracy.” The review essay concludes with an assessment of the most recent trends in the region.

THE TECHNOLOGY OF SOCIAL WORK FOR THE FORMATION OF READINESS FOR EMPLOYMENT IN PERSONS RELEASED FROM PLACES OF IMPRISONMENT

Одной из важнейших и социально значимых задач государства является правовая и социальная поддержка лиц, освободившихся из мест лишения свободы. Граждане после освобождения из исправительного учреждения нуждаются в помощи специалистов различных областей, в том числе социальной. У каждого из них потеряны социально-значимые связи, имеются хронические заболевания, создаются психологические барьеры и т.д. В связи с этим специалистам социальной сферы необходимо организовать комплексную работу по адаптации в социуме данной категории граждан. Из числа всех проблем, с которыми сталкиваются бывшие осужденные, наиболее значимой является проблема, связанная с их трудоустройством после освобождения. Данная категория граждан не подготовлена к началу трудовой деятельности в открытом социуме, у большинства отсутствует мотивация к трудоустройству. Цель исследования - теоретически обосновать и разработать технологию социальной работы по формированию готовности к трудоустройству лиц, освободившихся из мест лишения свободы. В статье представлены результаты констатирующего эксперимента на начальном этапе опытно-экспериментальной работы. Респондентами выступили безработные граждане, имеющие судимость. В исследовании приняло участие 10 респондентов мужского пола в возрасте от 35 до 55 лет. В процессе исследования была теоретически обоснована и разработана технология социальной работы по формированию готовности к трудоустройству лиц, освободившихся из мест лишения свободы. Технология представлена содержательными и процессуальными компонентами и предполагает поэтапное формирование готовности к трудоустройству лиц, освободившихся из мест лишения свободы. Для каждого этапа определяются задачи, содержание и методы. Решение задач предыдущего этапа создает условия для возможности перехода на новый этап. One of the most important and socially significant tasks of the state is the legal and social support of persons released from institutions of confinement. These persons need the help of specialists in various fields, including social ones. Each of them has lost socially significant connections, has chronic diseases, psychological barriers, etc. In this regard, specialists in the social sphere need to organize a comprehensive work on adaptation in society of this category of citizens. Of all the problems faced by former convicts, the most significant is the problem associated with their employment after release. This category of citizens is not prepared to start working in an open society, and the majority of them have no motivation for finding employment. The purpose of this study is to theoretically substantiate and develop the technology of social work for the formation of readiness for employment of persons released from prison. The paper presents the results of ascertaining experiment at the initial stage of experimental work. The respondents were unemployed citizens with a criminal record. The study involved 10 male respondents aged 35 to 55 years. In the course of the research, the technology of social work was theoretically justified and developed to form the readiness for employment of persons released from prison. The technology is represented by substantive and procedural components and involves the gradual formation of readiness for employment of persons released from prison. Tasks, content and methods are defined for each stage. Solving the tasks of the previous stage creates conditions for the possibility of moving to a new stage.