From a multi-dimensional and interdisciplinary standpoint, this book challenges the teleological and unidirectional notions of development embodied in the idea of modernisation or ‘progress’ and offers a critique of the tendency to consider Africa as a basket case, which often gives the Western ‘self’ an undeserving privilege and superiority over the African ‘other’. Mostly authored by emerging African scholars, this 16-chapter volume addresses the historical application of development projects in Africa and their modern impact in economic, political, cultural, social, and infrastructural contexts, among others. The book, therefore, unearths development dynamics in specific African countries, examines the continent’s external relations, rethinks predominant ideas on development, and engages in critical examination of concepts and practices that have maintained hegemonic positions in the discussions on Africa’s development. Its uniqueness lies in the ability to bring these several voices and themes together into a concise conception of both the challenges and possibilities of Africa’s sustainable development. The book targets both the academic and policy worlds in Africa and around the world, as well as ordinary members of the public who seek to broaden their theoretical and empirical understanding on the changing dynamics on the African continent.
... state” (see Frimpong-Ansah 1992) to “the politics of the belly” (Jean-François
1993; see also Lindberg 2003) to the “criminalisation of the state in Africa” (Jean-
François et al. 1999), a great many discourses have emerged to inform us about
why Africa remains where it is today. This is also to show that from the end of the
Cold War to present, there has been a trend of stereotypical—and mostly
imperialist— Afro-pessimism that has characterised the discourse on Africa's
development.
Design more effective social work programs with research data from your clinical files! A well-planned research program helps social workers provide consistent, effective services to their clients, but stretched budgets and tight schedules make it difficult to find the resources for data gathering. Clinical Data-Mining in Practice-Based Research shows how you can use the existing records already kept by every health-care institution as your primary data source. By analyzing documented clinical information, you can do groundbreaking research and custom-tailor programs to fit the specific needs of your department. Clinical Data-Mining in Practice-Based Research draws from the experiences of members of the Mount Sinai Department of Social Work staff. By analyzing case data, these professionals were able to identify biopsychosocial factors that affected social-health outcomes. These practice-based research strategies helped social work professionals see their own work more clearly and helped improve the quality of direct services, interventions, new programs, and case evaluations. Clinical Data-Mining in Practice-Based Research shows the benefits of practice-based research, including: enhancing clinical and administrative functions encouraging direct-service workers to become more reflective fostering cooperation between social workers and other staff members designing earlier, easier, and more effective interventions contributing to continuing education for staff members improving patient care and satisfaction The detailed discussions in this book will help you apply these techniques toward improving your own service. Clinical Data-Mining in Practice-Based Research offers fresh and exciting ideas that can be applied in small health-care agencies or giant medical centers. It will become a trusted reference for administrators, social workers, researchers, and educators in the field.
Clinical Data-Mining in Practice-Based Research shows the benefits of practice-based research, including: enhancing clinical and administrative functions encouraging direct-service workers to become more reflective fostering cooperation ...
Clinical Data-Mining (CDM) involves the conceptualization, extraction, analysis, and interpretation of available clinical data for practice knowledge-building, clinical decision-making and practitioner reflection. Depending upon the type of data mined, CDM can be qualitative or quantitative; it is generally retrospective, but may be meaningfully combined with original data collection. Any research method that relies on the contents of case records or information systems data inevitably has limitations, but with proper safeguards these can be minimized. Among CDM's strengths however, are that it is unobtrusive, inexpensive, presents little risk to research subjects, and is ethically compatible with practitioner value commitments. When conducted by practitioners, CDM yields conceptual as well as data-driven insight into their own practice- and program-generated questions. This pocket guide, from a seasoned practice-based researcher, covers all the basics of conducting practitioner-initiated CDM studies or CDM doctoral dissertations, drawing extensively on published CDM studies and completed CDM dissertations from multiple social work settings in the United States, Australia, Israel, Hong Kong and the United Kingdom. In addition, it describes consulting principles for researchers interested in forging collaborative university-agency CDM partnerships, making it a practical tool for novice practitioner-researchers and veteran academic-researchers alike. As such, this book is an exceptional guide both for professionals conducting practice-based research as well as for social work faculty seeking an evidence-informed approach to practice-research integration.
As such, this book is an exceptional guide both for professionals conducting practice-based research as well as for social work faculty seeking an evidence-informed approach to practice-research integration.
"A gem of a book. Its topics are timely and provocative for cultural studies, sociology, English, literary theory, and education classes. The authors are brilliant thinkers and clear, penetrating writers." -Peter McLaren, UCLA, author of Capitalists and Conquerors: A Critical Pedagogy Against Empire Class in Culture demonstrates the power of moving beyond cultural politics to a deeper class critique of contemporary life. Making a persuasive case for class as the material logic of culture, the book is written in a double register of short critiques of life practices-from food and education to race, stem-cell research, and abortion-as well as sustained critiques of such theoretical discourses as ideology, consumption, globalization, and 9/11. Surpassing the orthodoxies of cultural studies, Class in Culture makes surprising connections among seemingly unrelated cultural events and practices and offers a groundbreaking and complex understanding of the contemporary world.
Both the “low populist” of daily writings and media representations and the “high
populist” of cultural theory aim at the same ideological effect: the normalization of
what Marcuse calls “affirmative culture” (Negations 95). Given the conditions of ...
