Recent changes in and issues related to political authority and educational policy, specifically, decentralization and school responsibility, are examined in this paper. The following concerns are discussed: new administrative structures for states and municipalities; allocation of block grants; political and professional control of goals,…

An examination of national higher education policy formation focuses on the shift in relationships of the central actors in the policy formation process. It is argued that whereas the federal government, together with the scientific community and foundations, previously had the dominant voice, the corporate community, in partnership with leaders…

Critical issues concerning the state takeover of local school districts are outlined in this paper. Three major topics are addressed: situational factors leading to intervention; the legitimacy of state power; and appropriate beneficial conditions of state takeover. The most frequent reasons for state intervention involve concerns about equity,…

Effective leaders operate with three different styles: manager-as-technician, manager-as-conductor, and manager-as-developer. The first two work well if the manager remains a hero, but this heroic style diminishes the subordinates' own capabilities and confidence and is counterproductive to change. The post-heroic manager, or manager-as-developer,…

Noting that specific audience reaction to the media coverage of the various stages of an organized protest is seldom documented, this monograph analyzes the consequences of extensive media coverage during the crucial stages of a social protest against the construction of a high voltage powerline. In particular, the monograph considers two…

A discussion of the two predominant theories of power (the juridical-liberal and the Marxist theories) notes the limitations of the two theories, the historical reasons for their common grounding of the analysis of power in terms of repression/sovereignty, and why the theory of sovereignty persisted as an ideology and organizing principle of all…

An analysis of the impact of state government regulation on higher education in California is presented. Two assumptions are explained on which the analysis is based; i.e., that the mission of higher education is teaching, scholarship, and service to the community and that public higher education is rightfully under the authority of the governor…

Literature review on social impact of high school revealed six themes which suggest that high school students have limited opportunities for flexible self-definition. It appeared that, as a result of treatment by authority figures and strong pressures toward conformity, many adolescents failed to learn extent of their rights or effective…

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities' findings are used to support the theory that the interplay between technology, economics, race relations, and power has always guided white treatment of blacks, and that blacks are being forced into ghetto reservations to suffer "conditional genocide" and be exterminated if they cause trouble. (PS)

The author reviews literature on "participation" as a movement in educational administration. He points out that, despite recent setbacks, it may offer a key dimension in developing schools of the future. (MD)

A variety of educational and economic changes can be seen as part of a tendency toward deschooling or modification of the curriculum. One ironic factor is that the skills needed to maintain capitalism have so changed, that in producing them the capacity to critically evaluate its merits is created. (JN)

Globalization has brought market and business practices into universities, but with serious negative ramifications. Interviews with 253 U.S. and Australian faculty, plus additional data drawn from New Zealand and Canadian studies, focused on the rise of performance-based accountability and corporate managerialism and their effects on faculty…

Examines the historical and sociocultural context of Japanese residential child care. Presents three case studies of institutional child abuse to explore its socio-cultural causes. Concludes that lack of leadership in public homes, the wrong leadership authorized unprofessionally in private homes, and the lack of universal systems of public…

A review of vocational education trends in Western Europe and Japan covers the following: curriculum and program structure, alternatives, cooperative education, on-the-job training, enrollments, admission, curriculum content, skills other than strictly occupational, mechanisms for curriculum development, and efficiency of training. (MSE)

Describes alternatives to bureaucratic centralism in the administration of national education systems. Discusses forms of decentralization based on political rationales (liberalism, federalism, populist localism, participatory democracy) and those concerned with quality or efficiency (pedagogic professionalism, management by objectives,…