Book Review: Political Argument in a Polarized Age: Reason and Democratic Life by Scott Aiken and Robert Talisse

Book Review N

Regional Engagement at a Crossroads: The Intersection of Neoliberalism, Access, and Democratic Engagement

Various modes of regional engagement are being developed at an increasing rate across the United States (US). The purpose of this article is to highlight a theoretical tension that currently informs the way conceptions of access are being produced in regional engagement practice. Generally, regional engagement has been organized within larger movements to improve democratic capacity. However, the practical expression of regional engagement has failed to seriously consider how the context of a market-based society shapes theoretical conceptions of access. This article distinguishes the differences between access to new markets and democratic access for social, political, and economic inclusion. This theoretical framework will help practitioners maintain forms of regional engagement that support the larger democratic engagement movement well into the 21st century

Leadership Education and Development for Justice Using the Canonical Framework of John Rawls\u27s A Theory of Justice

Higher education that presupposes a specific conception of justice do well in preparing students to make claims of justice from specific perspectives or positions. However, civic leadership students with a strong background in specific conceptions of justice are often not equipped with necessary skills, dispositions, and habits to exercise leadership in ways that can manage political contestation associated with competing claims of justice

Leadership Education and Development for What?: Civic Imagination for a More Just and Democratic Society

When institutions assign meaning to individual rights and distribute resources in ways that shape the life chances of people, if appropriately designed they strengthen social justice aims. Yet the natural outcome of how individuals relate to institutions does not automatically align with justice

Educational Considerations, vol. 43 (1) Fall 2015 Full Issue

Educational Considerations, vol. 43 (1) Fall 2015-Full Issu

Table of contents and introductory materials for Vol. 43, no. 1, Fall 2015

This content includes the table of contents, an In Memoriam for Chad Litz, editorial information and more for this special issue Approaches to Social Justice and Civic Leadership Education

Adolescent Expressive Reluctance Exacerbates Risk for Substance Use Following Daily Hassles

Previous research has established a link between adolescent’s perceived daily hassles and subsequent adjustment, but less is known about factors that exacerbate this relationship. The purpose of the present study was to identify if adolescent’s reluctance to express emotions moderated the association between their perceived daily hassles and subsequent substance use (i.e., alcohol, marijuana, tobacco). Cross-sectional data were obtained from a larger study that examined the effects of exposure to community violence among low-income, urban adolescents (N = 260, Mage = 14.14, SD = 1.62 years; 92% African American; 54% female). Linear regression analyses controlling for adolescent age, biological sex, and previous levels of drug use and daily hassles revealed that expressive reluctance moderated the association between perceived daily hassles and adolescent substance use. Specifically, for adolescents who were least likely to express their emotions, increases in perceived daily hassles were associated with significant increases in substance use. Further examination of domain-specific hassles revealed that expressive reluctance moderated the effects of academic, parental, and general neighborhood hassles on drug use, while no significant effects were detected for hassles related to friends or neighborhood danger. The present findings clarify which perceived daily hassles adversely affect adolescents, and how emotional expression can play an integral role in determining risk for poor coping behaviors.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/uresposters/1280/thumbnail.jp

Surface Phason-Polaritons in Charge Density Wave Films

The coupled non-radiative excitations of the electromagnetic field and phasons in films with a quasi one-dimensional charge density wave (CDW) are evaluated for P--polarization and CDW conducting axis inside the film. The prominent features are two surface phason-polariton branches extending from the CDW pinning frequency to the frequency of the longitudinal optical phason. These surface phason-polariton states are confined to a finite band of longitudinal wave numbers. Besides surface polaritons, infinite series of guided wave modes are found which extend to large wave numbers. These differences to usual phonon-polaritons are caused by the extreme anisotropy of the electric CDW reponse. This new class of surface polaritons is expected to be found in the submillimeter frequency range.Comment: Latex2e, 18 pages, to be published in J. Phys. Chem. Solid

Theoretical and Applied Perspectives on Power: Recognizing Processes That Undermine Effective Community-University Partnerships

Interrelational power dynamics are intimately connected to the success of any relationship and are especially critical in developing and sustaining mutually beneficial, reciprocally engaged partnerships. This work analyzes how elements of power impact the negotiation of engagement in community-university partnerships. Although this piece is a general theoretical account of power, it indicates very specific implications for community partners. A hypothetical example is used to contextualize distinct power challenges that confront community partners and faculty members during the engagement process. Specific attention is given to how organizational structure, the academic calendar, and the creation of knowledge influence produced understandings of differentials in power and differentials in need. The paper concludes with a discussion of three applied strategies that can be used to neutralize differentials in power and recognize differentials in need associated with the development of community-university partnerships. The theoretical language of differentials in power and differentials in need will arm practitioners with analytical tools to shape more meaningful partnerships

The effect of leaf area and crop level on the concentration of amino acids and total nitrogen in 'Thompson Seedless' grapes

20 to 50% of the leaves and 25 to 75% of the clusters on 'Thompson Seedless' vines were removed 12 to 16 days after anthesis. In addition, 25 and 50% of the   leaves on other vines were removed 35 and 58 days after anthesis, with no cluster thinning.Total soluble solids in fruits from vines with less than 5 cm2 of leaf surface per gram of fruits was markedly reduced, while concentration in fruits from vines with a ratio above 10 was considerably higher, compared to the concentration in fruits from vines with ratios intermediate between these two values. The concentrations of arginine, proline, total free amino acids, and total N in berry juice were greatly increased by reducing the crop load. Also, the concentration of each of these substances increased during fruit ripening.A significant correlation between leaf area per vine and level of arginine in the juice was obtained. The concentration of proline in the juice was highly correlated with fruit maturity (°B) and with leaf area per unit weight of fruits. Total nitrogen was also correlated with leaf area per unit weight of fruits. Between 4 and 12 cm2 leaf area per gram of fruits there was a linear increase in the concentration of proline and total nitrogen in berry juice, while above 12 cm2 there was generally little further increase in the level of these substances. The ratio of arginine to proline decreased with fruit maturity and with smaller crop weights per vine. Total free amino acids accounted for 64 to 75% of the total nitrogen in the juice of grapes during the fruit-ripening period. Defoliation within 16 days after anthesis reduced crop yields, while later defoliations did not significantly reduce yields