Levinasian perspective of political value commitment: antidote to African emancipation

This paper has the sole objective to critically examine the implications of Levinas’ ethics as applied political philosophy. This involves a critical examination of the concept of dialogue in African political value and African emancipation, from the purview of Levinas’ moral obligation as the debt we owe to the Other. Levinas’ ethics is the philosophy of Otherness; the humanism of the other human person. It is radical humanism or radical openness of our socio-political world. Freedom is not just the absence of impediments or constraints but obedience to the universal law of reason. This paper shall analyze the notions of Levinas’ political theory relative to the face of the other and the politics of difference and otherness. This paper appreciates and appropriates the deep logical insight offered by Levinas’ contemporary political philosophy into African emancipation, ethics, politics, African political value, the problems of the ethics of global peace which has been distorted by violence. Violence has been antithetical to global order and it disrupts the projects of our humanity. We have lose every sense of our humanity which has put our contemporary social world at a cross road. Africa, as a continent is not immune from the current global violence and crises facing the world. Levinas’ ethics is the ethics of the good life. Levinas’ ethics is ethical metaphysics and it reminds us of human moral universe; it reflects on the fact that we as humans are inextricably governed by the web of network of cosmic order and social order. Levinas’ ethics reveals the crucial importance of ethics, politics, history, culture to human society. Africa can learn from this Levinasian tradition of the cosmic network of social process.Victor Ogheneochuko Jeko: [email protected] Ukagba: [email protected] Ogheneochuko Jeko - University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, NigeriaGeorge Ukagba - University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, NigeriaCritchley S. and Bernasconi R., (2002): The Cambridge Companion to Levinas, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Habermas., Jurgen., (1996): Between Facts and Norms: Contribution to the Discourse Theory of Law and Democracy, trans. William Regh, Cambridge Mass.: The MIT Press.Habwermas.Habermas, Jurgen, (1979): Communication and the Evolution of Society, trans. Thomas McCarthy, Boston: Beacon Press.Fleurdeliz R. Altez (2007): Banal and Implied Forms of Violence in Levinas’ Phenomenological Ethics, Kritike Volume One (June): Pp. 52-70.Silvano Petrosino (2006): Levinas Concept of First Philosophy, Catholic University of Milan in Piacenza, Department of Semiotic and Moral Philosophy, Athena, (2006): Pp. 29-42.Jack Reynolds., (2007): The Other of Derridarean Deconstruction: Levinas, Phenomenology, and the Question of Responsibility, Minerva – An Internet Journal of Philosophy, Volume 5: Pp.31-62.Alfred I. Tauber (1998): Outside the Subject: Levinas’s Jewish Perspective on Time, Graduate Faculty Philosophy Journal, Volume 20, Number 2 – Volume 21, Number 1: p. 442Roger S. Gottlieb, (1994): Ethics and Trauma: Levinas, Feminism, and Deep Ecology, Faculty of Humanities, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Department of Mass Communication, Cross Currents Summer 94, Volume 44 Issue 2: Pp 1-10.Alford., C. Fred., (2007): Levinas and the Limits of Political Theory, in Marinos Diamantides, (Ed,), (2007), Levinas, Law and Politics, London and New York: Routledge Cavendish.353-36928/135336

An improved mentoring model for student teachers on practicum in primary schools in Zimbabwe

As part of a drive to improve the quality of teachers, Zimbabwe introduced a school-based mentoring model in 1995, a move which regrettably seems not have borne fruit. Therefore, this study sought to propose an improved mentoring model for initial teacher training for primary school teachers. Efforts to improve the current mentoring could, however, be facilitated if they were informed by an empirically-based understanding of the shortcomings of the existing mentoring system for student teachers and teachers. In order to attain the above objective, this study adopted a multisite case study design, guided by the interpretive paradigm. A core of nine primary schools, drawn from the rural, urban and peri-urban areas of the Masvingo Province in Zimbabwe, was purposively selected to participate in the study. In the participating schools, key participants were student teachers and mentors, while school principals participated when they had time. A secondary group of primary schools were also identified to be used as validation of findings in a wider setting. An in-depth literature study on teacher education and mentoring was also carried out and this, combined with empirical data, illuminated the issues being investigated. The empirical data were primarily gathered through focus group and face-to-face individual semi-structured interviews, while participant observation (used in conjunction with informal unstructured interviews) and questionnaires were used to verify and triangulate data collected through the interviews. To safeguard the ethical integrity of the study, ethical approval from the relevant university committee, as well as the official consent of educational authorities, was obtained beforehand, as was the informed consent of individual participants. The research established that the support rendered to student teachers in the participating primary schools was largely inadequate and of a shallow mode, focusing primarily on facilitating the mastery of technical skills and the provision of psycho-social support, while being sorely deficient in empowering the student teachers with the skills and attitudes to reflectively and critically engage with their own and others‟ teaching practices. The mentoring was taking place in the context of field experience, organised along the apprenticeship model, hence located in an outmoded traditional paradigm of field experience, something which is regrettable at a time when international best practices seek to move towards a reflective-inquiry-oriented paradigm. Secondly, the research found that the participating schools were not structurally or culturally ready to take significant teacher training responsibility; hence the schools, in their present state, could be seen as constraining the smooth functioning of the mentoring model. Thirdly, some mentor-based factors also seemed to inhibit the functioning of the mentoring model. These included teachers who were attitudinally indisposed to accept student teachers as their professional colleagues, preferring to relate to them hierarchically and vertically, thereby limiting the emergence of a culture of professional collaboration and reciprocal learning relationships. In similar vein, the mentors‟ lack of training limited their capacity of mentors to perform the extended range of mentoring functions necessary for supporting student teachers trained in 21st century schools. The above conclusions and implications point towards the following recommendations: Mentor support for student teachers should be extended from the present superficial level to include functions that are oriented towards reflective practice. However, for this to happen, some adjustments will need to be made in the schools. These include, most importantly, making time available for mentoring activities. In order for the mentors to be able to perform their mentoring functions knowledgeably, they must be made fully aware of what they are supposed to do by providing them with the official documents spelling out mentoring expectations in schools. Additionally, the commitment of mentors to their duties could be made more sustainable by putting in place a clearly defined reward structure that is fully recognized officially and integrated into the employee grading system. To make school environments more propitious towards mentoring, schools must be structurally modified and re-cultured to create slots for mentoring activities, provide opportunities for informal professional interaction among teachers, as well as establish professional engagement forums, such as school-based learning circles. The research also suggests that student teachers should be allowed to choose their mentors through providing them with opportunities for early contact with their prospective mentoring partners. In an attempt to close the gap between college-based modules and field-based school experiences, the research further recommends that college-based modules be delivered in a way that ensures that they are fully integrated with student teachers‟ field experiences. Finally, mentoring could be better facilitated if schools and colleges adopted a partnership arrangement that is more aligned to mentoring. This implies provisionally shifting from the present separatist to the HEI-led partnership model, while preparing for the adoption of a fully-fledged collaborative partnership in the long term. The research was, however, by no means carried out perfectly. It was somewhat limited by its failure to take into account the view of officials from the Department of Education, as well as the input of colleagues in teacher education. In similar vein, the researcher felt that a more nuanced and fine-grained picture of the participants‟ mentoring experiences could have emerged if he had spent more time in the field, something which limited resources and work commitments did not allow him to do. Some significant issues arose from this study, but which it could not pursue. These include exploring the possibility of coming up with a model of teacher education that integrates ITE and CTPD in the context of mentoring, as well as conducting a similarly designed research into the mentoring that is taking place in secondary schools

Dynamism of African leadership structure: towards developmental strategies and transformation

The problematic facing African transformation in a fast growing world is multifaceted; these include ignorance, lack of technology complex, effective leadership, democratic governance, illiteracy, lack of consensus, and empathy, ethno-religious crises, economic woes, cultural chauvinism, African un-freedom and political instability. African transformation in a fast growing world requires an accelerated proportion of scholarly attention. This paper analyzes the need for Africa to embrace a multi-level approach in redressing the problem of knowledge, certitude, technology complex, scientific progression and assimilation. African society from a contemporary perspective must begin to embrace technical-know-how or expertise coupled with effective or superb leadership skills that is aimed at effective democratic governance in order to affect African potentials and African development. Leaders of governments in Africa in this fast growing world must begin to embrace and engage themselves with comparative evaluation of Africa with the rest of the world. Africa as a continent is lagging behind and is facing serious contemporary challenges of low productivity level, socio-economic crises and political instability. All these must be addressed in order to give Africa a face lift. This paper appreciates and appropriates a multi-level approach in ensuring that there is the prevalence of African freedom, African transformation in the fast growing world even in the mid of her challenges. Africa should and must not remain static but dynamic politically, socially, culturally, scientifically, technologically, psychologically, intellectually and [email protected] Prisons Service, Zone G, Headquarters, Ikpoba hill, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria.Owomoyela., Oyekan., (1996):The African Difference. Discourse on Africanity and the relativity of cultures, studies in African and African – American culture OSA: Peter Lang Publishing.Helen., Aghamelu., (2009): African Leadership Structure in Aghamelu Fidelis and Asomugha Chibuzo (Eds) (2009) Readings in African Thought and Culture, Anambra, Aguata, Strong Tower Books.Asouzu., Innocent., (2003): Effective Leadership and the Ambivalance of Human Interest: The Nigerian Paradox in a Complementary Perspective. Calabar: Calabar University of Press.Ferrante., Joan., (2003) Sociology: A Global Perspective, Fifth Edition, USA Wasson and Thomson Learning.Carden, Stephen., (2006): Virtue Ethics: Dewey and Maclntyre, London and New York: Continuum International Publishing Group.Bass, B.M (1981):Stogdill’s Handbook of Leadership, New York: Free Press.Fiala, Andrew (2005): Tolerance and the Ethical London and New York: continuum.Asouzu. Innocent (2004): Methods and Principles of Complementary Reflection: In and Beyond African philosophy, Calabar: University of Calabar Press.Dukor (2010): Identify, Citizenship and African freedom in Maduabuchi Dukor (Ed) (2010) Philosophy and Public Sphere, An international Journals of Concerned African Philosophers, Vol. 7 No. 1, Lagos Essence Library.Dukor M., (2010): African freedom: The Freedom of Philosophy, USA: Lambert Academic Publishing.Agbakoba J.C.A (2003): Philosophical Issues in Development, Enugu: Fourth Dimension Publishing Company Limited.Maahai Wanagari (2009): The Challenge for Africa, A New Vision London: William Heinemann.333-35228/133335

Defined Contribution Pension Schemes in Central and Eastern European (CEE) Countries – Current Issues And Future Perspectives

Defined contribution pension schemes have become quite popular throughout Europe in the last 20 years. Many countries implemented reforms trying to address the growing concerns about the pension systems organized mostly as pay-as-you-go structures in the last century. Adding fully funded components into the pension insurance, governments were trying to mitigate the problems arising from the ongoing process of population aging and the resulting unfavorable demographic trends in most of the countries in Europe. These reforms were widespread in central and eastern Europe in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s after the influential report published by the World Bank in 1994 whose recommendations became cornerstones of the changes introduced into the pension systems in the region. The purpose of the current paper is to give some insight into the current place of the defined contribution pension schemes in the pension systems in different countries in Europe and their significance in the next decades. The issue is substantial, especially in the light of the continuous inflation and rising pressure on public finances. Defined contribution pension schemes in central and eastern Europe have been increasing in terms of managed assets and number of insured individuals but their role continues to be insignificant in comparison with the pay-as-you-go pillars. At the same time research papers dedicated to long term sustainability of pension systems around the World show that pension insurance that relies on fully funded components tends to be more financially stable than the one built upon solely on pay-as-you-go structures. Long term sustainability of both pension systems and public finances requires reforms that further support accumulation of resources in the long term. The first part of the paper describes the current condition of defined contribution pension schemes in 9 CEE countries, the second part is dedicated to some common problems of the schemes. The paper concludes with some recommendations for future reforms

Bulgarian Pension System – Is It A Sustainable Social Security Structure in The Long Term

Bulgarian pension system consists of three pillars. The first one functions on a pay-as-you-go principle and is a mandatory one, the second and third pillars are fully funded. The insurance into the second column is compulsory and that into the third one is voluntary. The unfavorable demographic trends in the country have an adverse effect on the pay-as-you-go part of the system. At the same time the minor accumulation of resources into the second and third pillar makes the sustainability of the pension system under question especially in the long term. The current research is trying to put some light on this issue by following the reforms made in the recent years and the tendencies concerning the government decisions on each of the pillars of the pension system. The paper is structured in two parts. The first one focuseson the pay-as-you-go part of the system and the factors that influence its financial health. The second one concentrates on the current problems of the funded component of the pension system and the way it must be strengthened in the long term to effectively support the dominant state pension system. Further reforms are needed to raise the sustainability of the pension system as a social security structure in the long term

MAKNA GEOGRAFIS TOPONIMI DI KOTA CIREBON

Nama tempat atau toponimi merupakan salah satu syarat peta, yang jika tidak ada maka disebut peta buta. Toponimi dalam peta mempunyai latarbelakang fenomena geografis baik itu aspek fisik ataupun aspek non-fisik (sosial) yang terdapat di suatu tempat. Sehingga pengkajian toponimi dapat menjadi langkah atau strategi pembermaknaan peta khususnya toponimi dalam perkembangan maupun pembelajaran ilmu geografi. Penamaan toponimi selalu terkait dengan bahasa dan budaya masyarakat di suatu tempat. Kota Cirebon sebagai salah satu kota di Jawa Barat, memiliki keunikan tersendiri dari segi bahasa. Meskipun daerah Jawa Barat sebagian besar berbahasa Sunda, namun masyarakat di Kota Cirebon tidak menggunakan bahasa Sunda dalam bahasa sehari-harinya melainkan bahasa Cirebon. Perbedaan bahasa yang dimiliki Kota Cirebon dengan daerah lain di Jawa Barat ini mengakibatkan toponimi di Kota Cirebon juga berbeda dengan daerah lain di Jawa Barat pada umumnya. Oleh karena itu, perlu dilakukan penelitian tentang toponimi yang ada di Kota Cirebon. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengidentifikasi aspek-aspek geografis yang melatarbelakangi pemberian toponimi, mengidentifikasi makna geografis toponimi, juga mendeskripsikan persepsi masyarakat terhadap toponimi di Kota Cirebon. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode deskriptif, dengan teknik pengumpulan data berupa studi literatur, studi dokumentasi, wawancara, dan observasi. Analisis data menggunakan model analisis interaktif Miles dan Huberman dengan teknik analisis persentase dan perhitungan skala Likert. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa toponimi di Kota Cirebon dilatarbelakangi aspek-aspek geografis baik fisik maupun non-fisik (sosial). Aspek-aspek fisik yang melatarbelakangi pemberian toponimi di Kota Cirebon yaitu aspek geomorfologis, aspek hidrologis-biologis, dan aspek biologis (flora). Sedangkan aspek non-fisik (sosial) yang melatarbelakangi pemberian toponimi di Kota Cirebon yaitu berdasarkan tempat spesifik, aktivitas, harapan, nama bangunan, dan nama tokoh. Makna geografis toponimi di Kota Cirebon juga sangat beragam sesuai dengan aspek-aspek geografis baik fisik maupun non-fisik yang melatarbelakanginya. Persepsi masyarakat terhadap makna dan asal-usul dari toponimi yang ada di Kota Cirebon juga sangat beragam, namun hanya kurang dari setengah sampel toponimi yang diketahui responden. Meskipun demikian, persepsi masyarakat Kota Cirebon tentang pentingnya mengetahui asal-usul toponimi di Kota Cirebon tergolong sangat kuat. Ketertarikan masyarakat untuk mencari tau asal-usul toponimi yang belum mereka ketahui juga tergolong kuat. Sedangkan persepsi masyarakat Kota Cirebon tentang perlunya sosialisasi asal-usul toponimi oleh pemerintah tergolong sangat kuat. Hal ini sejalan dengan persepsi masyarakat terhadap pelestarian toponimi yang juga tergolong sangat kuat

Dimethyldioxirane oxidation of exocyclic (E,E)-cinnamylideneketones

http://apps.isiknowledge.com/full_record.do?product=UA&search_mode=GeneralSearch&qid=11&SID=X22NMCKHdF5lcLIJG6o&page=1&doc=1&colname=WOSExocyclic (E,E)-cinnamylideneketones were oxidized by an excess of isolated dimethyldioxirane (DMDO, in acetone solution) at room temperature, providing diastereomeric mixtures of the α,β:γ,δ-diepoxides. In the case of derivatives bearing an ortho-nitrocinnamylidene moiety, α,β-monoepoxides were also isolated as minor products. The structures of all new compounds and the stereochemistry of the monoepoxides and diepoxide diastereomers were established by NMR studies

Synthesis and structure elucidation of novel pyrazolyl-2-pyrazolines obtained by the reaction of 3-(3-aryl-3-oxopropenyl)chromen-4-ones with phenylhydrazine

Novel 3-aryl-5-{4-[5-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-1-phenylpyrazolyl]}-2-pyrazolines 2a-g have been prepared by the treatment of 3-(3-aryl-3-oxopropenyl)chromen-4-ones 1a-g with phenylhydrazine in refluxing acetic acid. NMR studies on deuteriochloroform solutions of pyrazolyl-2-pyrazolines 2a-g at different temperatures showed that at room temperature a mixture of diastereomers are present. This diastereoselectivity arises from the combination of the pyrazoline C-4 stereocenter and two planar chiral subunits due to internal steric hindrance. The energy barriers of this steric hindrance were overcome in DMSO-d6 solutions at 60oC. The acetylation of some pyrazolyl-2-pyrazoline derivativess 2a-c,e helped to confirm the presence of the referred mixture of diastereomers

Philosophical integration of the human person: African standpoint

The human person has a definitional difficulty. One definition of the human person will be one sided. The human person reflects the philosophical analysis of manifold reciprocal relations and fundamental wholeness. The human person is a unique rational being who is very complex from the domain unified understanding of his nature. It constitutes a rational element and characterized by the social, physical, metaphysical, psychological, existential, global, dialogical, moral, and African plane. The human person is deeply rooted in the fundamental existential question of who he is, what he does governed by its rational ability, cognitive capacity and inter-subjective relation. The human person is both a spiritual and a material being, that is, he is characterized by soul and body. The human person is characterized by the stylization of rational conduct and common good or collective interests. We shall critically examine the psychological, ontological, global, dialogical dimension of the human person, this philosophical elucidation of these dimensions is not exhaustive, the human person can also be viewed from socio-political, moral religious and existential dimension.Department of Philosophy University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, NigeriaHornby., A. S., (1974): Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English, Oxford: Oxford University Press.Chuka., Fidelis., (2009): The Human Person and Social Order: A Moral Perspective, Journal of the Department of Philosophy, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Vol. 2 No. 1: Pp. 35.Asouzu., I., (2004): The Method and Principles of Complementary Reflection: In and Beyond African Philosophy, Calabar: Calabar University Press.Asouzu, I., (2003): Effective Leadership and the Ambivalence of Human Interest: The Nigerian Paradox in a Complementary Perspective, Calabar: Unibersity of Calabar Press.Mondi Battista., (2007): Philosophical Anthropology, Bangalore: Theological Publications in India.Hofmeyr., A. Benda., (2005): Ethics and Aesthetics in Foucault and Levinas, Nijmegen: Radboud University.Iroegbu, Pantaleon, (2000): Kpim of Personality: Treatise on the Human Person, Owerri: Eustel Publications (Nigeria).287-30

Bulgarian Welfare System (1989 – 2014) During the Transition and the Crisis

Bulgarian welfare system was significantly changed in the late 1990’s and in early 2000’s following the whole economic and political changes since the collapse of communist system. On the next lines an attempt to summarize the most important changes in the Bulgarian economy in the early 2000’s is made. The accent is put on the welfare system and social inclusion. The reforms in the pension system and in the system concerning the employment policy in Bulgaria are at the center of the research since these two spheres appeared to be the most sensitive to the changes that took place at that time