Vahid Rahmani Doqaruni, B. Ghonsooly, R. Pishghadam
{"title":"A Practical Model for Integrating Action Research Time into Second Language Education Schedule","authors":"Vahid Rahmani Doqaruni, B. Ghonsooly, R. Pishghadam","doi":"10.3224/ijar.v14i1.04","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3224/ijar.v14i1.04","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Time limitation has always been considered a major problem in conducting action research (AR) in the field of second/foreign language teacher education. In order to overcome the lack of time obstacle to research engagement, a comprehensive framework was set up in this study that allowed teachers the flexibility to plan and incorporate research activities into their current teaching schedule. Seven Iranian teachers of a private English language teaching institute participated in the present study. The structure of first- and second-order AR was used in this collaborative AR study. Qualitative modes of inquiry, including reflective journal and semi-structured interview, were used to elicit teachers’ views about conducting their AR projects. Analysis of the data revealed three major themes about AR that concerned issues such as empowering teachers in dealing with a particular problem, creating a sense of belonging to a professional community, and helping them to value time allotment. Keywords: first-order action research, second-order action research, reflective journal, semi-structured interview, teachers’ views ----- Un modelo practico para integrar el tiempo de la investigacion-accion en el programa de educacion de segunda lengua Resumen La limitacion de tiempo siempre fue considerada el mayor problema en la realizacion de la Action Research (AR) en el campo de la formacion de profesores de segunda lengua/ lengua extranjera. Con el fin de superar el obstaculo de la falta de tiempo para el compromiso investigativo, en este estudio se establecio un marco integral que permitio a los docentes la flexibilidad para planificar e incorporar actividades de investigacion en su programa de ensenanza habitual. Siete profesores iranies de un instituto privado de ensenanza de lengua inglesa participaron en el presente estudio. La estructura de la AR de primer – y segundo orden- se uso en este estudio colaborativo de AR. Modalidades cualitativas de investigacion, incluyendo el diario reflexivo y la entrevista semi-estructurada, se utilizaron para obtener la vision de los profesores sobre la realizacion de sus proyectos de AR. El analisis de los datos revelo tres temas principales sobre la AR que se referian a cuestiones tales como empoderar a los profesores para enfrentar un problema en particular, crear un sentido de pertenencia a una comunidad profesional, y ayudarlos a valorar el tiempo disponible. Palabras clave: investigacion-accion de primer orden, investigacion-accion de segundo orden, diario reflexivo, entrevista semi-estructurada, vision de los profesores. ----- Bibliography: Rahmani Doqaruni, Vahid/Ghonsooly, Behzad/Pishghadam, Reza: A Practical Model for Integrating Action Research Time into Second Language Education Schedule, IJAR, 1-2018, pp. 52-66. https://doi.org/10.3224/ijar.v14i1.04","PeriodicalId":39289,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Action Research","volume":"14 1","pages":"52-66"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-05-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3224/ijar.v14i1.04","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46009453","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Field-configuring events and action research: A case study from Sparta","authors":"Helge Svare, Eugenia Vathakou","doi":"10.3224/IJAR.V13I3.04","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3224/IJAR.V13I3.04","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract FCE theory was developed within neo-institutional theory, the aim of which is to understand how institutions and organisations function and change. In this paper, we match this theory with another theoretical tradition: that of action research. We use this theoretical framework to analyse and reflect upon the SpARTathlo event in the Greek town of Sparta. We demonstrate how the framework enables both a more multifaceted and more comprehensive understanding of the event, and how this has practical implications for the improvement of such events. Keywords: field-configuring events, action research, innovation, regional development. ----- Usando el pasado democratico para acabar con el neoliberalismo en las universidades: Investigacion-Accion, Diseno de Sistemas Socio-tecnicos y el Futuro Global Resumen La teoria de eventos de configuracion de campo (FCE, por sus siglas en ingles) fue desarrollada dentro de la teoria neo-institucional, cuyo objetivo es comprender como funcionan y cambian las instituciones y las organizaciones. En este articulo, comparamos esta teoria con otra tradicion teorica: la de la investigacion-accion. Utilizamos este marco teorico para analizar y reflexionar sobre el evento SpARTathlo en la ciudad griega de Esparta. Demostramos como el marco permite una comprension mas multifacetica y mas amplia del evento, y como esto tiene implicaciones practicas para la mejora de tales eventos. Palabras clave: Eventos de configuracion de campo, investigacion-accion, innovacion, desarrollo regional. ----- Bibliography: Svare, Helge/Vathakou, Eugenia: Field-configuring events and action research: A case study from Sparta, IJAR, 3-2017, pp. 240-260. https://doi.org/10.3224/ijar.v13i3.04","PeriodicalId":39289,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Action Research","volume":"13 1","pages":"240-260"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3224/IJAR.V13I3.04","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44171291","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Erika Natacha Fernandes de Andrade, Marcus Vinicius da Cunha
{"title":"Action research with John Dewey’s poetic and rhetoric pedagogy","authors":"Erika Natacha Fernandes de Andrade, Marcus Vinicius da Cunha","doi":"10.3224/IJAR.V13I3.30461","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3224/IJAR.V13I3.30461","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract In this article, we describe action research to test the hypothesis that the comprehension of John Dewey’s philosophical and educational conceptions can help teachers to construct significant possibilities in teaching artistic languages and forming creative subjects. We consider that Dewey was a precursor of action research as a method for the constitution of the knowledge in the humanities, especially in education, and that the core of his ideas lies in an aesthetic theory. For this reason, his pedagogy can be called poetics, or rhetoric. So, we developed action research with a group of university students from a teacher training course, taking music as an object of reflection and articulation of practical activities. The theme of this experience was the Baiao, Brazilian musical genre, chosen as an expressive way to produce aesthetic, rhetorical and poetic experiences. The results emphasise the potential of musical language to promote the association between aesthetic concepts and the Deweyan educational propositions, in order to provide aesthetic appreciation experiences and to foster the constitution of individuals aware of their potential. Keywords: John Dewey, art, education, music, rhetoric ----- Una investigacion-accion con la pedagogia poetica y retorica de John Dewey Resumen En este articulo relacionamos una investigacion-accion para probar la hipotesis de que la comprension de las concepciones filosoficas y educativas de John Dewey puede ayudar a los profesores a construir posibilidades significativas en la ensenanza de los lenguajes artisticos y en la formacion de temas creativos. Consideramos que Dewey fue un precursor de la investigacion-accion como metodo para la construccion de conocimiento en las humanidades, especialmente en la educacion, y que el nucleo de sus ideas se encuentra en una teoria estetica. Por esta razon, su pedagogia puede ser llamada como poetica, o retorica. Asi, desarrollamos una investigacion-accion con un grupo de estudiantes universitarios de un curso de formacion de profesores, tomando la musica como objeto de reflexion y articulacion de actividades practicas. El tema de esta experiencia fue el Baiao, un genero musical brasileno elegido como una forma expresiva de producir experiencias esteticas, retoricas y poeticas. Los resultados enfatizan el potencial del lenguaje musical para promover la asociacion entre conceptos esteticos y proposiciones educativas de Dewey, con el fin de proporcionar experiencias de consumacion estetica y promover la constitucion de identidades conscientes de sus potencialidades. Palabras clave: John Dewey, arte, educacion, musica, retorica ----- Bibliography: Fernandes de Andrade, Erika Natacha/Vinicius da Cunha, Marcus: Action research with John Dewey’s poetic and rhetoric pedagogy, IJAR, 3-2017, pp. 261-275. https://doi.org/10.3224/ijar.v13i3.05","PeriodicalId":39289,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Action Research","volume":"13 1","pages":"261-275"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45243180","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"An Action Research Approach to Introduce Dalcroze Eurhythmics Method in a Community of Older Adults as a Promising Strategy for Fall Prevention, Injury Recovery and Socialization","authors":"Rodney J. Beaulieu, H. G. Kang, S. Hino","doi":"10.3224/IJAR.V13I3.30462","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3224/IJAR.V13I3.30462","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract A community health programme was piloted at San Marcos Senior Activity Center in California over a two-year period, patterned from the Jaques-Dalcroze Eurhythmics method known to reduce fall rates by half, and improve cognition and mood in older adults. The programme involved live improvised music to cue synchronised and improvised body movements, memory and attention tasks, and cognitive-motor games, with collaborative support from older adult participants and kinesiology students. This article presents the older adults’ perceptions on the strengths and challenges of the programme, and their recommendations for making improvements in the next action research phase. (Feedback from the kinesiology students appears in a follow-up article.) Focus group interviews revealed that the strengths of the programme included: 1) social and physical pleasure; 2) improved health, including balance, gait, recovery after an injury, confidence in mobility, metamemory skills, and a greater understanding of health promotion and fall prevention strategies; and 3) the collaborative nature of individualized support. Challenges during the first year included transportation, scheduling, and differences in skill levels among participants, however, these were resolved by the second year. Recommendations for improving the programme in the next action research phase include: continuing the current practice, attracting more participants who could benefit from the programme and retaining them, and securing funds to offset costs. Keywords: Community-based programme, Jaques-Dalcroze Eurhythmics, fall prevention, older adults, kinesiology, health, exercise. ----- Un abordaje de la investigacion-accion para introducir el metodo Dalcroze Eurhythmics en una comunidad de adultos mayores como estrategia prometedora para la prevencion de caidas, recuperacion de lesiones y socializacion Resumen Un programa de salud comunitaria fue desarrollado en el Centro de Actividad Senior de San Marcos en California durante un periodo de dos anos, modelado a partir del metodo Jaques-Dalcroze Eurhythmics, conocido por reducir las tasas de caida a la mitad, y mejorar la cognicion y el estado de animo en los adultos mayores. El programa envolvio musica improvisada en directo para senalar movimientos del cuerpo sincronizados e improvisados, tareas de memoria y atencion, y juegos cognitivo-motores, con apoyo colaborativo de participantes adultos mayores y estudiantes de kinesiologia. Este articulo presenta las percepciones de los adultos mayores sobre las fortalezas y los desafios del programa, y sus recomendaciones para hacer mejoras en la proxima fase de la investigacion-accion. (La devolucion de los estudiantes de kinesiologia aparece en un siguiente articulo). Las entrevistas con los grupos focales revelaron que las fortalezas del programa incluyeron: 1) placer social y fisico; 2) mejora de la salud, incluyendo el equilibrio, el modo de andar, recuperacion despues de una lesion, confianza e","PeriodicalId":39289,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Action Research","volume":"13 1","pages":"276-299"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49082103","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"How to reconcile work and university studies : An action research case from Finland","authors":"S. Kalliola, J. Niemelä, Ossi Eskelinen","doi":"10.3224/IJAR.V13I3.03","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3224/IJAR.V13I3.03","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract University traditions are confronted by continuous global competition and are challenged to provide a larger and faster highly educated labour force. On the other hand, many adult students work along their studies which prolong earning their degrees. The study explores the perspectives of employers and students, teachers and student advisors coming from two University Consortia, on the need to reconcile work and studies, and on the potential practices to do that. The research setting is that of Action Research applying Democratic Dialogue. The study examines the dialogues of all participant groups, action plans made, practical outcomes after five years of a dialogue based intervention and the learnings about the method used. The study concludes that instead of study-friendly practices at the workplaces, the universities are adopting work-friendly practices, including e-learning, to support their students. The dialogue based method proved to be malleable enough to capture the diverse ideas of participants. Keywords: Democratic Dialogue, action research cycle, adult students, reconciling work and studies ----- Como conciliar trabajo y estudios universitarios ‒ Un caso de investigacion-accion de Finlandia Resumen Las tradiciones universitarias se ven confrontadas por una competencia global continua y son desafiadas a proporcionar, de forma rapida, una mayor fuerza de trabajo con una excelente formacion. Por otro lado, muchos estudiantes adultos trabajan a lo largo de sus estudios y los prolongan para obtener su grado. El estudio explora las perspectivas de empleadores y estudiantes, profesores y consejeros estudiantiles provenientes de dos Consorcios Universitarios, sobre la necesidad de conciliar el trabajo y los estudios, y sobre las practicas potenciales para hacer eso. El escenario de investigacion es el de la Investigacion-Accion aplicando el Dialogo Democratico. El estudio examina los dialogos de todos los grupos participantes, los planes de accion realizados, los resultados practicos despues de cinco anos de intervencion basada en el dialogo y los aprendizajes sobre el metodo utilizado. El estudio concluye que en lugar de practicas de estudio amigable en los lugares de trabajo, las universidades estan adoptando practicas de trabajo amigable, incluyendo la educacion a distancia, para apoyar a sus estudiantes. El metodo basado en el dialogo demostro ser lo suficientemente maleable como para captar las diversas ideas de los participantes. Palabras clave: Dialogo Democratico, ciclo de investigacion-accion, estudiantes adultos, conciliacion de trabajo y estudios ----- Bibliography: Kalliola, Satu/Niemela, Jukka/Eskelinen, Ossi: How to reconcile work and university studies – An action research case from Finland, IJAR, 3-2017, pp. 221-239. https://doi.org/10.3224/ijar.v13i3.03","PeriodicalId":39289,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Action Research","volume":"13 1","pages":"221-239"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3224/IJAR.V13I3.03","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46787188","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Transforming welfare institutions through social innovation and action research in Denmark","authors":"J. Andersen, Annette Bilfeldt","doi":"10.3224/IJAR.V13I3.02","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3224/IJAR.V13I3.02","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The article will present how action research may contribute to social innovation and empowerment in public welfare and cultural institutions (nursing homes and libraries) in a manner that supports the interests of marginalised citizens and local communities, and creates opportunities for positive change. First, we introduce the concepts of empowerment, action research and social innovation along with the roots of these concepts in critical social theory. Secondly, two case studies are presented to analyse two different methodological variants of action research in two different contexts. The first case is about action research in nursing homes, where the objective was to improve elder care through more autonomy and better quality of life for residents and employees. In this project (inspired by critical utopian action research), so called ‘future workshops’ were applied to create “free space” for reflection and creation of concrete suggestions of social innovation in elder care. The second case is about the transformation of a public library into a community centre. In this case, the aim was to break down barriers between citizens and public institutions in a deprived, multicultural urban area and thereby promote local community empowerment. In this project, ‘empowerment evaluation’ was used as an action research method. In the final part we compare the two approaches (utopian action research and empowerment facilitation), and discuss the danger of falling into the trap of localism, where successful social innovations: instead of being up-scaled and widely distributed, end up as oneoffs or simply die out at the very local level. Keywords: action research, social innovation, public libraries, elder care, empowerment evaluation ----- Transformando instituciones de bienestar a traves de la innovacion social y la investigacionaccion en Dinamarca Resumen El trabajo presentara como la investigacion-accion puede contribuir para la innovacion social y el empoderamiento en instituciones culturales y de bienestar publico (hogares de ancianos y bibliotecas), de una forma que apoye los intereses de los ciudadanos marginados y las comunidades locales y crie oportunidades para un cambio positivo. En primer lugar, introducimos los conceptos criticos de ‘empoderamiento’, ‘investigacion-accion’ e ‘innovacion social’, junto con las raices de estos conceptos en la teoria social critica. En segundo lugar, se presentan dos casos de estudio para analizar dos variantes metodologicas diferentes de la investigacion-accion en dos contextos diferentes. El primer caso es sobre la investigacion-accion en hogares de ancianos, cuyo objetivo fue mejorar el cuidado de ancianos mediante una mayor autonomia y una mejor calidad de vida para los residentes y empleados. En este proyecto (inspirado por la investigacion-accion utopica critica) se aplicaron los llamados “futuros talleres” para crear un “espacio libre” para la reflexion y creacion de sugerencias concretas de inn","PeriodicalId":39289,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Action Research","volume":"13 1","pages":"201-220"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3224/IJAR.V13I3.02","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42005909","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Participation and social engineering in early organizational action research: Lewin and the Harwood studies","authors":"M. Kristiansen, Jørgen Bloch-Poulsen","doi":"10.3224/IJAR.V13I2.05","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3224/IJAR.V13I2.05","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract This article deals with Kurt Lewin’s concepts of participation, change and action research in organisations. It presents a series of experiments conducted by some of Lewin’s former Ph.D. students from 1939 to 1946 at Harwood, a textile factory in Virginia, which contributed to early organisational action research. The article has three purposes. Firstly, it demonstrates how articipation occurred to a certain degree in the Harwood organisation where the workers took part in group decisions based on management experimenting with participative management. It shows that the overall goal of the Harwood studies was to increase efficiency through changes in work group dynamics, and that this goal was determined by management and action researchers. The article concludes that participation was enacted as involvement, i.e. as a managerial tool. Organisational action research thus seems to have started as a form of organisational development studies (OD). Secondly, it shows that the research process was enacted primarily as co-operation between researchers. Workers and foremen participated by providing data and feedback, not as co-producers of knowledge in the research process. Thirdly, the article situates Lewin’s understanding of participation and change within a philosophy of science framework and characterises his concept of action research as applied, change-oriented social engineering, based on a natural science paradigm. The article argues that action research as applied research reduces the scope of participation. The article reflects critically on how to understand past experiments without translating the past into the present, and discusses a discrepancy between the radical contents of Lewin’s theories and the Harwood experiments. Keywords: Organisational action research, participation, involvement, Kurt Lewin, organisational development. ----- Participacion e ingenieria social en la Investigacion-Accion organizacional temprana: Lewin y los estudios de Harwood Resumen Este articulo aborda los conceptos de Kurt Lewin de participacion, cambio e Investigacion-Accion en las organizaciones. Presenta una serie de experimentos realizados por algunos de los ex-alumnos de doctorado desde 1939 a 1946 en Harwood, una fabrica textil en Virginia, que contribuyo a la Investigacion-Accion organizacional temprana. El articulo tiene tres propositos. En primer lugar, emuestra como, hasta cierto punto, se produjo la participacion en la organizacion de Harwood, donde los trabajadores participaron de las decisiones de grupo basadas en la experiencia de gestion con la gestion participativa. Esto muestra que el objetivo general de los estudios de Harwood era aumentar la eficiencia a traves de cambios en la dinamica de los grupos de trabajo y que este objetivo fue determinado por investigadores de gestion y accion. El articulo concluye que la participacion fue realizada con involucramiento, es decir, como una herramienta de gestion. Por lo tanto, aa Investigaci","PeriodicalId":39289,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Action Research","volume":"13 1","pages":"154-177"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3224/IJAR.V13I2.05","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47328103","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Non-Normal Normality? Claims on Work and Life in a Contingent World of Work","authors":"Stefanie Hürtgen, Stephan Voswinkel","doi":"10.3224/IJAR.V13I2.03","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3224/IJAR.V13I2.03","url":null,"abstract":"We dedicate this article to Werner Fricke for his coherent and persevering work on concepts of action research and we want to thank him for his collegial interest in our research. Abstract Workers are not determined by their social conditions, and they are no simple object of dominant (neoliberal) discourses. The article shows that, contrarily to widespread beliefs about working people as individualistic “entrepreneurial selves”, workers strongly hold on to ideas about the social character of their life and their world of work, the need for humanity in both work and life, and the basic idea that work, even when it is waged labour, should be meaningful and have a sense for others in society. This is the result of our empirical investigation about expectations on work articulated by “normal” employees (mid-career, medium-level qualification, in relative stable employment). We explored how expectations on work are affected by precarisation, but also by a general rising social insecurity due to permanent corporate restructuring, changes in the social system etc. The findings show, overall, that normative expectations on work have not been given up. However, not all expectations have the otential to serve as basis for self-empowerment and (collective) action. Here, our distinction between “claims” and “desires” is very important. Claims are expectations which are normatively justified. We identified three modes to legitimise claims of work: the concept of performance as meaningful, ocietal work; the concept of human rights, seeing oneself as a bodily and mental human being; and the onception of a balanced life, seeing oneself as a social being within diverse needs and social mbeddings. Desires, by contrast, are expectations with no legitimization in normative terms. Here, expectations are fulfilled by chance or even by individualistic recklessness. Both “claims” and “desires” go along with different perception of society as a whole: firstly as (still) normatively tructured and thus shapeable by the workers: or, secondly, as a terrain of fortune and mere struggle. So, whereas expectations on work in general are not given up, we see a shift from claims to desires. Workers are not sure anymore whether their claims: seen as normal and legitimate, can still rely on the normative normality in today’s society. Biographically, claims and desires are embedded in life rientations, i.e. implicit perspectives on the world, their options and modes to act and influence their life. In all, the article insists on the need to analyse workers as subjects with highly complex and self-confident resources of action and resistance: to avoid worker’s objectivation as a pure appendix to (neoliberal) discourses. Keywords: claims on work, life orientations, meaningful work, normality, social actor ----- ?Normalidad no normal? Reinvindicaciones sobre el trabajo y la vida en el mundo contingente del trabajo Resumen Los trabajadores no estan determinados por sus condiciones socia","PeriodicalId":39289,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Action Research","volume":"13 1","pages":"112-128"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3224/IJAR.V13I2.03","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48123732","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Democratisation of Work and Economy through Participation Is It Possible to Relaunch This Utopia in Neoliberal Times","authors":"E. Sobottka","doi":"10.3224/IJAR.V13I2.28884","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3224/IJAR.V13I2.28884","url":null,"abstract":"----- Bibliography: Sobottka, Emil A.: Democratisation of work and economy through participation. Is it possible to relaunch this utopia in neoliberal times?, IJAR, 2-2017, pp. 191-196. https://doi.org/10.3224/ijar.v13i2.07","PeriodicalId":39289,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Action Research","volume":"13 1","pages":"191-196"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45493067","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Workplace Innovation as Regional Economic Development: Towards a Movement?","authors":"P. Totterdill","doi":"10.3224/IJAR.V13I2.04","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3224/IJAR.V13I2.04","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Action Research in Workplace Innovation and Regional Development (Fricke and Totterdill, 2004) advocated creating “many low-intensity cases generated by a great variety of actors ... (integrating) the ideas and interests of as many regional stakeholders as possible”, thereby unleashing the potential to introduce industrial democracy and worker participation into regional development processes. This article explores a specific attempt to stimulate workplace innovation in the UK, a country with no radition of such policy initiatives, through a coalition of regional actors. The resulting programme was successful in its own terms, achieving tangible outcomes and shared learning, but failed to create a sustainable momentum in its own region. The learning and experience from the programme was ubsequently absorbed by policy makers elsewhere in the UK. Keywords: Workplace innovation, Public policy, Development coalition, Productivity, Skills utilization, Worker empowerment ----- La innovacion en el lugar de trabajo como Desarrollo Economico Regional: ?hacia un movimiento? Resumen Investigacion-Accion en la Innovacion en el Lugar de Trabajo y Desarrollo Regional (Fricke y otterdill, 2004), defendio la creacion de “muchos casos de baja intensidad generados por una gran variedad de actores (integrando) las ideas e intereses del mayor numero posible de interesados egionales”, desencadenando asi el potencial de introducir la democracia industrial y la participacion de los trabajadores en los procesos de desarrollo regional. Este articulo explora un intento especifico de estimular la innovacion en el lugar de trabajo en el Reino Unido, un pais sin tradicion de tales niciativas politicas, a traves de una coalicion de actores regionales. El programa resultante tuvo exito e acuerdo con sus propios terminos, consiguiendo resultados tangibles y aprendizaje compartido, pero no logro crear un impulso sostenible en su propia region. Tanto el aprendizaje como la experiencia del programa fueron posteriormente absorbidos por los responsables de formular politicas en otros lugares del Reino Unido. Palabras clave: Innovacion en el lugar de trabajo, politica publica, coalicion para el desarrollo, productividad, uso de habilidades, empoderamiento del trabajador. ----- Bibliography: Totterdill, Peter: Workplace Innovation as Regional Economic Development: Towards a Movement?, IJAR, 2-2017, pp. 129-153. https://doi.org/10.3224/ijar.v13i2.04","PeriodicalId":39289,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Action Research","volume":"13 1","pages":"129-153"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44971954","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}