Examines the relationship between rhetorical traditions and philosophical inquiry about liberty. Argues that rhetoric matters: how people talk about the state sets the limits within which it works. (TB)

Examines Maurice Sendak's recent picture book in the context of his other work. Looks at the text and illustrations in some detail; suggests psychological and political interpretations; and discusses responses of children. Argues that the book forces educators to examine their own basic assumptions about what constitutes literature for children.…

Superintendents must invest time and energy in the political process. They should assist state and local professional associations by calling, visiting, or writing legislators. Superintendents should also establish a governmental relations unit, establish policies and procedures, use effective lobbying techniques, adopt legislative positions,…

Offers the author's narrative of the recent history of performance studies, focusing on the current place of literature, its instability as a recognizable genre of discourse, and its uncertain value in the academic market. Discusses the problem of literature's loss of "academic capital." (SR)

Describes the origins and characteristics of the heterogeneous French advocacy associations known as "mouvements pedagogiques." Draws on Alberoni's model of social movements and institutions. Argues that this phenomenon, which appears a uniquely French response to a highly centralized system, illustrates a universal need to "invest…

Discusses political and cultural forms of globalization, suggesting that the economic dimension of globalization has dominated the policy agenda of western governments as they have attempted to position themselves favorably in competitive global markets. This analysis seeks to determine how globalization might produce dynamic new opportunities…

Examines the dominant strand in comparative education research, hegemony or power-knowledge relations, and considers its limitations amid the growing salience of "globalization." Calls for the building of a democratic, pluralist, non-ethnocentric, and multilingual field of comparative education that enables new kinds of judgments about…

Shows that the reality of Robert Moore and his University of Illinois Writing Clinic is far more complex than previously assumed. Offers a history that is a familiar narrative about the politics of writing centers and writing programs designed to meet the needs of under-prepared students. (SG)

Traces the evolution of the first author's philosophy and practice to show how progressive educational practices have come to challenge cultural norms. Discusses multiple literacies, making whole language critical, learners and the real world as curricular informants, interrupting normativity through literature and the arts, and being critical and…

Discusses how in Connecticut, all teachers must be certified for the position they hold. Outlines the specific certification levels in Connecticut for English Language Arts. (SG)

Considers the motives of corporate America regarding the standards and testing movement in education. Notes that the main objective of the Business Roundtable (a coalition of CEOs of the nation's largest corporations) is not quality education but the preservation of the competitiveness of corporate America. Discusses changes in workplace literacy…

Proposes a notion of linguistic citizenship as a way of capturing how issues of language may be accorded a central place in the arena of education and politics. Offers both sociopolitical and theoretical rationales for an integrative view of language policy and planning in the context of education, combining an academic and social analysis of…

Although research findings endorse abandonment of traditional skills-based views of literacy, governments are instituting models of literacy learning with psychometric measures and benchmarking. Literacy, learning, and teaching are being taken out of the hands of teachers. (SK)

Presents an essay review of Inside the Primary Classroom, 20 Years On, which reports on a 1976 study of teacher-student interaction in English elementary classrooms (the ORACLE project) and discusses the next 20 years of elementary education in England, examining curriculum reform, educational policy, educational research, and related politics.…

Offers the author's perspective on English education in the 1970s using articles published in "English Journal" while he was editor from 1973 to 1980. (SR)