Search Results

This paper is a participative evaluation of the implementation and governance process of a pilot project in food security by the Laboratoire d’agriculture urbaine et de proximité (Labor-AT) (an urban agriculture laboratory), that is active in the Abitibi MRC (regional county municipality), in Quebec, Canada. Evaluation tools were tested, such as “Faire le point sur les conditions de succès du projet” by the Institut national de santé publique du Québec and an analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT). The main findings reveal the time required to develop a common vocabulary and to define a goal and common objectives that allow organizations to actively get involved in collective interests. The complementary strengths of the project coordination committee, the partnerships and the collaboration with various organizations to reach citizens, as well as the support of the local public health professionals, allow to efficiently govern the project. To achieve this, it is essential to identify clear communication channels in a multiple actors context. In conclusion, this participative evaluation process allowed to identify apprenticeships and conditions for success, in a community development perspective.

Keywords: Process evaluation, Évaluation du processus, participative evaluation, démarche participative, gouvernance, governance, food security, sécurité alimentaire, SWOT analysis, analyse FFOM

As Canada begins to establish universal childcare, the market-based neoliberalism of the early learning and care system continues to undervalue, underpay, overwork, and overpolice early childhood educators (ECEs). Ontario’s resource How Does Learning Happen? (HDLH) has been celebrated for its sociocultural stance and identified as transformative and central to the modernization of Ontario’s childcare system. Critical discourse analysis reveals how HDLH and the Ontario Ministry of Education continue to oppress ECEs. The implementation of universal childcare provides an opportunity for the government to include ECEs to make real changes in working conditions, wages, and the provision of quality childcare.

Keywords: How Does Learning Happen?, critical discourse analysis, neoliberal, early childhood educator, oppression, CWELCC, Canada-wide early learning & child care system

This article is about one of the most violent and visible form anti-LGBTQI activism in Sweden, conducted by Neo-Nazis. Through a critical discourse analysis of 189 texts published in Swedish newspapers and Neo-Nazi alternative media, it argues that contemporary Swedish Neo-Nazi anti-LGBTQI activism draws upon and constructs transnational heteroactivist discourses. They claim to “protect the nuclear family” to deflate accusations of homophobia while gaining substantial visibility through news media covering their actions. The findings demonstrate the three ways Neo-Nazi texts use heteroactivist strategies. First, the texts argue that LGBTQI rights and feminism are societally harmful.  Second, through intertextuality they refer to both local and international alternative media as the basis for their arguments. Third, they rationalise homophobic hatred. This paper contributes to discussions of heteroactivism, revealing the need to grapple with the ways it is intertwined with race and nationalism. Empirically, the analysis also highlights the significance of anti-LGBTQI activism in contemporary white power and extreme-right movements. The inclusion of news media texts that frame and represent heteroactivist strategies reveals that, despite their rationalising efforts, Neo-Nazi anti-LGBTQI activism is represented as homophobic and hateful in news and debate articles describing them. Additionally, news media representations of Neo-Nazi heteroactivist discourse present a nationalist contradiction, with authors re-constructing narratives of Sweden as a “LGBT friendly nation”, bringing to light complex relations between heteroactivism, homophobia, racism, and nationalism.

Keywords: Heteroactivism, homophobia, nationalism, homonationalism, Neo-Nazism, Sweden

Based on a conceptualization of heteroactivism as a transnational phenomenon manifesting in local contexts to spread and express resistance to gender and sexual rights, this article aims to illuminate new dimensions of heteroactivism beyond a sole focus on gender and sexuality by bringing its specificities in the Swedish context to the fore. Drawing on digital ethnography with members of the neo-conservative, far-right thinktank Oikos and the ethnonationalist political party the Sweden Democrats (SD), the article shows how heteroactivist forms of resistance seek to reshape the state and the nation through the gender–sexuality nexus and how these resistances enter into negotiation with spatiohistorically established notions of gender equality and sexual rights. Through a multiscalar transnational approach, the article brings forth how heteroactivism connects several levels horizontally—from the local to the national and the transnational—and vertically and establishes linkages among gender, sexuality, the state and the nation. The analysis reveals how care, love and gratitude for the shared home are core elements used in heteroactivist negotiations, with contextually established notions of gender equality and sexual rights as national values. It also demonstrates how the home, which these actors seek to cherish and protect, takes shape as an exclusive and exclusionary space.

Keywords: Heteroactivism, gender, sexuality, rights, Sweden

As events contributing to the distinction of territories in the competition that they are engaged to retain their inhabitants and attract visitors, fairs and festivals are the object of an attention of the researchers only since about twenty years. Following the example of other populations of the countries of the South, villagers of Kabylia try to revitalize the local development following the failure of the public policies. But to what extent? Are these efforts fruitful? After examination, it appears that if all the aimed objectives are not reached, these initiatives contributed to increase the available resources for the development of the concerned regions.

Keywords: Fiestas, Fairs, Fêtes, festivals, festivals, festivales, développement local, local development, desarrollo local, Kabylie, Cabilia, Kabylia

Wherever tourism develops, the local population is involved and affected. The BESTandermatt long-term and companion study described in this article has been investigating the sociocultural and socioeconomic changes provoked by the construction of a tourist resort in Andermatt (Switzerland) since 2008 and shows concerns of inhabitants at all stages of the construction and operation of the resort. In order not only to gain knowledge in the study regarding the subjective perceptions of the 25 respondents, but also to support the population in the process of change, the surveys were combined with activating methods, inherent to a “participatory action research” in which these respondents can influence both the direction and methods of research. After investigation, it appears that this approach promotes standpoints of local social actors in front of tourist officers and the authorities. Processes of development and change shaped in this way strengthen social cohesion and mutual understanding as self-awareness but also confrontation with otherness may enable the people involved to change their perspective.

Keywords: tourist resort, complejo turístico, complexe touristique, socio-cultural changes, changements socioculturels, cambios socioculturales, participatory action research, investigación-acción participativa, recherche-action participative, Suiza, Switzerland, Suisse

The praxis of sociocultural community development often posits that sociocultural community developers initiate cultural actions in their role as agents of State policies. I contend, however, that it remains possible for marginalized groups to be the source of these actions. I demonstrate this through a case study, the LGBT Pride parades. By operationalizing a cultural action that acknowledges social actors’ capacity for action, we examine if the relevant traits can be found in the parades. Although they are a site of tensions, notably between assimilation and subversive politics, inclusion and homogeneity, consumerism and autonomous solidarity, and although there is indeed a risk of depoliticization and adoption of consumerist logic, they nonetheless were initiated autonomously. This invites us to rethink the range of possible involvement from cultural animation.

Keywords: animación, sociocultural community development, animation, praxis, praxis, praxis, marginalidad, marginality, marginalité, LGBT, LGBT, LGBT, action autonome, acción autónoma, autonomous action

This convergent parallel mixed methods study was aimed at addressing the lack of empirical studies in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as an inclusive pedagogy in the Ghanaian higher education context. The overarching objective was to find out whether UDL has the potential in improving the learning processes and learning outcomes of the diverse students reading a History of Global Art course. Quantitative and qualitative data sets were garnered from 122 conveniently sampled students using an adapted version of the Inclusive Teaching Strategies Inventory-Students (ITSI-S) survey instrument. The findings of the study revealed that the UDL principles of multiple means of representation, multiple means of engagement and multiple means of action and expression impacted positively on students’ learning processes and outcomes. UDL assisted greatly in the development of collaborative, problem-solving, good time management and critical thinking skills, while increasing learners’ level of motivation. The study contends that though the UDL as an inclusive pedagogical approach requires a lot of dedication on the part of the instructor as well as a great deal of time and material resources, the accrued benefits of its implementation on the students’ learning processes and learning outcomes are far-reaching.

Teaching during the 2020–2021 school year was fraught with challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the United States, teacher experiences varied greatly. Teacher attrition has been a concern for years, and contemporary media outlets reported that this was exacerbated by the pandemic. The authors surveyed teachers nationally between January and February 2021 (n = 334) to uncover what factors were related to teachers’ reported intention to remain in the classroom after the 2020– 2021 school year. Logistic regression findings indicate that teachers approaching retirement age and those teaching in private schools were significantly less likely to report an intention to remain at their school while elementary school teachers were more likely to stay. Conversely, we found that teacher autonomy, job satisfaction, and student access to resources outside of school were all positively associated with an intention to remain in their current position.

Keywords: COVID-19, COVID-19, fidélisation des enseignants, teacher retention, attrition des enseignants, teacher attrition, teacher autonomy, autonomie des enseignants, job satisfaction, satisfaction au travail, retirement age, âge de la retraite