Handbook of Quality of Life in African Societies

by Irma Eloff
Handbook of Quality of Life in African Societies
Author: Irma Eloff
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 456
Release: 2019-08-09
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 3030153673
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This handbook reflects on quality-of-life in societies on the continent of Africa. It provides a widely interdisciplinary text with insights on quality-of-life from a variety of scientific perspectives. The handbook is structured into sections covering themes of social context, culture and community; the environment and technology; health; education; and family. It is aimed at scholars who are working towards sustainable development at the intersections of multiple scientific fields and it provides measures of both objective and subjective quality-of-life. The scholarly contributions in the text are based on original research and it spans fields of research such as cultures of positivity, wellbeing, literacy and multilinguism, digital and mobile technologies, economic growth, food and nutrition, health promotion, community development, teacher education and family life. Some chapters take a broad approach and report on research findings involving thousands, and in one case millions, of participants. Other chapters zoom in and illustrate the importance of specificity in quality-of-life studies. Collectively, the handbook illuminates the particularity of quality-of-life in Africa, the unique contextual challenges and the resourcefulness with which challenges are being mediated. This handbook provides empirically grounded conceptualizations about life in Africa that also encapsulate the dynamic, ingenious ways in which we, as Africans, enhance our quality-of-life.

Community-based Research with Vulnerable Populations

by Lesley Wood
Community-based Research with Vulnerable Populations
Author: Lesley Wood
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 320
Release: 2022-01-01
Genre: Education
ISBN: 3030864022
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This book advocates for community-based research with vulnerable populations within the field of higher education. The chapters outline how research can democratize knowledge generation to make it more accessible and socially relevant, and emphasizes the value of the lived and experiential knowledge of vulnerable and marginalized populations. Rooted in a critique of the current practices of higher education that fail to support participatory and transformative research, the research is structured at micro, macro and meso levels to ultimately emancipate colonized thinking of stakeholders about power, privilege and participation. Focusing primarily on various contexts within the Global South, the contributors argue that the time is ripe for community-based research which combines the theoretical knowledge of the academy with the local, experiential knowledge of those experiencing the consequences of social inequality to co-construct knowledge for change.

The Influence of Theorists and Pioneers on Early Childhood Education

by Roy Evans
The Influence of Theorists and Pioneers on Early Childhood Education
Author: Roy Evans
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Total Pages: 389
Release: 2022-02-23
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1000542513
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The chapters in this book reflect on the major shifts in the views of early childhood thinkers and educators, who have contributed to contemporary theoretical frameworks pertaining to early childhood learning. The book also revisits and critically analyses the influence of developmental theories on early childhood education, starting in the 1890s with the work of G. Stanley Hall that established the close association of early childhood education and child development. Several chapters comprise critical examinations of the fundamental influence of thinkers such as Piaget, Vygotsky, Kohlberg, Adler, Pestalozzi, Froebel, and so on, on early childhood learning. The book also contends that these theoretical conceptions of child development have heavily influenced modern views of early childhood education. This book is a significant new contribution to early childhood learning, and will be a great resource for academics, researchers, and advanced students of Education, Public Policy, History of Education, Psychology, and Sociology. The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of the Early Child Development and Care.

Comparative Education

by Carlos Alberto Torres
Comparative Education
Author: Carlos Alberto Torres
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 603
Release: 2022-08-10
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1538145561
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Now in its fifth edition, Comparative Education: The Dialectic of the Global and the Local has established itself as the state-of-the art, comprehensive as well as sophisticated framework for taking into account the dynamic interactions of local, national, regional, and transnational factors shaping education systems around the world. Our theoretical and methodological strategy for this volume has proven effective as a standard textbook for introducing the field of comparative education from various theoretical and methodological perspectives.

T&T Clark Handbook of Public Theology

by
T&T Clark Handbook of Public Theology
Author:
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 601
Release: 2022-06-02
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0567692175
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T&T Clark Handbook of Public Theology introduces the various philosophical and theological positions and approaches in the emerging discourse of public theology. Distinguishing public theology from political theology, as well as from liberation theology, this book clarifies central terms like 'public sphere', 'the secular', and 'post-secularity' in order to highlight the specific characteristics of public theology. Its particular focus lies on the ways in which much of public theology has established itself as a contextual theology in politically secular societies, aiming to continue the apologetical tradition in this specific context. Depending on what is regarded as the most pressing challenge for the reasonable defence of the Christian hope in liberal democracies, public theologians have focused on (social) ethics, ecclesiology, or Soteriology, with the aim to strengthen the virtues needed for democratic citizenship. Here, attention is being paid to Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox perspectives. The volume further illustrates the characteristics of the discourse by introducing the ways in which public theologians have responded to concrete challenges arising in the spheres of politics, economics, ecology, sports, culture, and religion. To highlight the international scope of the public theological discourse, the volume concludes with a summarizing overview of public theological debates in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and Latin America.

Handbook of Active Ageing and Quality of Life

by Fermina Rojo-Pérez
Handbook of Active Ageing and Quality of Life
Author: Fermina Rojo-Pérez
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 656
Release: 2021-04-12
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 3030580318
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This handbook presents an overview of studies on the relationship of active ageing and quality of life. It addresses the new challenges of ageing from the paradigm of positive ageing (active, healthy and successful) for a better quality of life. It provides theoretical perspectives and empirical studies, including scientific knowledge as well as practical experiences about the good ageing and the quality of later life around the world, in order to respond to the challenges of an aged population. The handbook is structured in 4 sections covering theoretical and conceptual perspectives, social policy issues and research agenda, methods, measurement instrument-scales and evaluations, and lastly application studies including domains and geographical contexts. Chapter 5 is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com./div

African Schools as Enabling Spaces

by Vanessa Scherman
African Schools as Enabling Spaces
Author: Vanessa Scherman
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Total Pages: 171
Release: 2023-03-31
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1000858618
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Using African schools as case studies, this book presents an implementation framework that can be used by schools internationally to drive social change and support their role as enabling spaces, allowing learners to thrive. Recognising the increase in demands, violent conflicts, lack of stability, and social strain prevalent within the current African school system, this book covers the challenges that negatively impact children's development by understanding and presenting a framework that ensures a holistic social and educational support system can be created for students. Featuring contributions from a broad range of leading scholars, the book ultimately addresses the critical need in academic and practice research for the importance of schools in building civil societies. Arguing for the importance of schools as places of stability, social inclusivity, and communities of care, this book will have direct relevance to academics, researchers, and post-graduate students in the field of education policy, international and comparative education and character education. Those working in school leadership, management and administration environments will also benefit from this volume.

Embracing Well-Being in Diverse African Contexts: Research Perspectives

by Lusilda Schutte
Embracing Well-Being in Diverse African Contexts: Research Perspectives
Author: Lusilda Schutte
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 432
Release: 2022-05-19
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 303085924X
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This is the first volume providing a research platform to showcase research in the field of positive psychology and well-being science in African contexts. Next to enhancing context-sensitive theory and practice on the African continent, it also contributes to the global discourse in positive psychology and facilitates the development of a science that reflects and is relevant to complexity and diversity in a globalising society. This volume brings together work from African scholars, featuring research on theoretical perspectives on well-being in Africa, measurement of well-being in Africa, manifestations and dynamics of well-being in Africa, and well-being promotion in Africa. It stimulates further research in positive psychology and well-being science in the African context and globally, and emphasises the interconnectedness and situatedness of human functioning and well-being, contributing to a more balanced perspective on well-being in an international perspective. The volume benefits researchers, students and practitioners in Africa and other international contexts who study or apply the science of positive psychology and well-being in diverse contexts. Chapter 1 is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.