Please note: this work is indefinitely embargoed in OpenBU. No public access is forecasted. To request private access, please click on the lock icon and fill out the appropriate web form. / Based on a qualitative study on the new development of Presbyterianism in China, this thesis explores the urban and rational side of Chinese Christianity, so as to open an empirical window on meso-level social change in urban China. From an empirical perspective, although the organizational form of the Presbyterian Church in China and its scope are still in the fledging stage, the discursive practices and the institutional and coalition building of Chinese Presbyterians fit into the profile of a social movement. This preliminary data collected so far examines the emerging Protestant elites and their role in the precarious civil society of today’s China. On the normative side, these Chinese Presbyterians articulate a strong political theology that blends the Anabaptist and the reformed theologies. In addition, the institutional and the missional tension of this movement is also under examination. In the end, this project is an experiment that tests the commensurability between theology and social sciences, especially the viability of theologically engaged ethnography. / 2031-01-01

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree MASTER OF EDUCATION in the Department of Sociology of Education of the Faculty of Education at the University of Zululand, 1997 / This study considers open schools as a movement for reform and social change. It is argued in this study that the mere act of opening up schools to all race groups is an important step in the road to social change, particularly in a country where government had enacted several pieces of legislation to prevent racial mixing of pupils in schools. A combination of social, political and economic factors such as, the crisis in black education culminating in the 1976 Soweto uprising, the moral and the social conscience of the Churches, corporate social responsibility, skills shortage and the government reform initiatives during the 1990's are cited as the main reasons for the opening up of schools. Theoretically, the study draws on the assimilationist and pluralistic models. These two models are prevalently used in the provision of education in a society comprising of people from diverse groups and backgrounds. Approaches under each of these two models are initially discussed and analysed, and later applied in the conclusion. This dissertation depicts the attitudes of 100 respondents selected from the teachers, parents and pupils ranks associated with open schools in the Durban Metropolitan area. Findings drawn from the empirical data indicate that the different views on open schools held by black and white respondents somewhat blur the role of open schools as catalysts for social change. Blacks interpret open schools from the educational standards point of view, whereas whites see open schools as providing an opportunity for socio-cultural enrichment. As a result of the differing views, the educational approach adopted by open schools vacillates between assimilationism and pluralism. Be that as it may, respondents displayed overwhelming support for the potential open schools have to bring about social change. Finally, on the basis of the aims of the study and the empirical findings, conclusions are drawn. Recommendations to make open schools viable agents of reform and social change are formulated as follows: That open schools reflect their 'openness' in practice in keeping with their intended mission. That open schools revisit their school policies with a view to addressing those aspects of policy which members of certain groups find objectionable. That open schools practise differentiation with care. That open schools implement training for teachers on dealing with school population diversity. That open schools work on producing appropriate teaching material to be used in open schools. That open schools and the Department of Education should co-operate in dealing with problems arising from the 'openness' of schools.

A decline in parent participation in one impoverished Pre-K through Grade 5 school in Texas over recent years has been an ongoing concern for school administrators. The purpose of this instrumental case study was to investigate parent perceptions of the school's efforts to involve parents in the school. Research questions focused on identifying factors that inhibited parental involvement concentrating on parent perceptions of school efforts. Constructivist theory and the advocacy/liberatory framework formed the conceptual framework for this study. A triangulation method for data collection included parent interviews, teacher questionnaires, and observations of parental involvement activities over 12 weeks. Participants were a typical sampling of 9 teachers and 9 parents. Observations were logged and coded. Teacher questionnaires were thematically coded and used to create probing questions for parent interviews. Interview transcripts were coded, and member checks validated findings. Results indicated that school practices for parent involvement were unclear to parents, inconsistently implemented, and poorly communicated. Parents reported that consistent communication and encouragement could help break down barriers to participation. As a result of these findings, a parental involvement project was formulated including research based goals, a plan for implementation, and a program evaluation. These findings and proposed project could lead to positive social change by assisting local staff to design a parental involvement program that gives parents a voice in school practices and by providing a model for other schools struggling to involve parents.

This applied dissertation was conducted in order to compare levels of socially responsible leadership, as reported in the Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership (MSL, Dugan & Associates 2012; Dugan, Komives & Associates, 2009), between students at community colleges and 4-year colleges. The problem this study addressed was the relatively limited knowledge about the leadership development of students attending community colleges (Basham & Mathur, 2010; Cloud, 2010). Students who have the ability to engage in on-campus activities have a greater opportunity to become involved in any one of a variety of leadership positions and activities such as student-organization officers, student employment, retreats, and trainings. Engaged students, therefore, are more easily able to translate leadership involvement into specific skills that can be included on their resumes and marketed to future colleges or potential employers. An adapted version of the MSL scale (Dugan & Associates 2012; Dugan, Komives & Associates, 2009), an instrument created to observe the effects of postsecondary education on the leadership development of college students, was administered to over 300,000 students at approximately 250 institutions. Specifically, the instrument investigates college experiences and their influences on leadership-related outcomes of students such as complex cognitive skills, social perspective-taking, and leadership efficacy. Results revealed significant differences between students attending community colleges and those from 4-year colleges with regard to several values of leadership development: change, citizenship, controversy with civility, and consciousness of self. It can be concluded that students attending community colleges, when compared to those from 4-year colleges, have significantly higher scores for change, controversy with civility, and consciousness of self. In comparison, students from 4-year colleges have higher citizenship scores.

Public art with religious themes or inspiration often represents, promotes, or challenges the concerns, values, characteristics, and/or history of the community in which this art is situated. This dissertation explores the contribution of public religious art to generating dialogue about social issues, in particular homelessness. It builds on scholarship indicating that publicly engaged art is a catalyst for promoting mutual understanding among diverse stakeholders with differing worldviews and joins an ongoing scholarly debate about the place of religion in a secular democratic society. As a case study, I use Timothy Schmalz’s bronze sculpture entitled Homeless Jesus, as an example of public art intended to generate public awareness about social marginalization and homelessness. Situated within the critical paradigm, this dissertation uses a case study methodology to explore the ways faith-based organizations and secular media elicit and use meanings through the representation of sculpture in public and mediated spaces. To gain multiple vantage points for examining the meanings and uses of Homeless Jesus, this case study draws on interviews with faith leaders at organizations who have a replica or are located near the replica in Hamilton, Ontario (n=12), online news articles that reference it (n=85), and photos of replicas in six urban locations. Data analysis proceeded through three stages: an iconography, a narrative inquiry, and a thematic analysis. This case study culminates in insights on the relationship between public religious art and public dialogues on social issues, such as homelessness. Findings indicate that public religious art is a mode in which faith-based organizations seek to contribute to public dialogues about social issues in a manner that is accessible and acceptable to those with differing worldviews. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Public art with religious themes or inspiration can represent, promote, or challenge the concerns, values, identity, and/or history of the communities in which it is situated. Using Timothy Schmalz’s bronze sculpture entitled Homeless Jesus, as an example of public religious art intended to generate awareness about homelessness, this dissertation explores the contribution of public religious art to public dialogues about social issues. To understand how faith-based organizations and secular media interpret and use Homeless Jesus, I analyze photos of replicas, online news articles that reference it, and interviews with faith leaders at organizations that have a replica or are located near the replica in Hamilton, Ontario. Findings indicate that faith-based organizations use art to contribute to public dialogues in a manner they hope is accessible to and respectful of those with differing worldviews.

A movement to reform the media has grown explosively in the U.S. in the past decade. Using dramatic, real-world case studies of journalism that made a difference, Good News shows why media reform is worth fighting for. A vast, old growth redwood forest was spared the chainsaw. Thousands of Latina janitors in Houston united to boost their poverty level wages. In these and other victories for justice and nature, non-corporate journalists played a crucial role.

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Beginning around 1850, Italians found themselves in the midst of an identity crisis. Europeans in France and England had surpassed Italians in terms of political, economic, and social progress. Italians seemed trapped in the past, clinging to their magnificent artistic heritage. However, new cultural and social movements were on the rise in Italy that attempted to throw off the domination of other European entities and forge a promising future for Italy. The Macchiaioli, a group of Italian modern artists who painted from 1853 to 1908, were the first group to address contemporary social issues such as class struggle and national weakness. Their art called for progressive change and arguably influenced how the later Italian Futurist movement would address similar concerns beginning in 1909. One of the Macchiaioli, Telemaco Signorini, advocated the development of new technologies and industries—dominated by men—in realist paintings from 1853 to 1901. Futurist artist Giacomo Balla gained recognition for promoting similar ideas in a more radical fashion. Most art historians believe that the Futurists were influenced by trends originating in Western Europe, specifically the French avant-garde. This thesis argues that the Futurists were significantly influenced by an Italian tradition that originated with the Macchiaioli. The Macchiaioli were animated by a nationalistic fervor and a desire to create a strong and unified Italian state. They used art and literature to advance progressive ideals based on masculine acts. The Futurists responded to similar stimuli in their day. In the absence of a powerful national identity, Signorini and Balla employed modern artistic styles to idealize masculine solutions to social problems. Both ultimately foresaw a world in which technology, mastered by men, would elevate Italian society.

Given the consistent findings in the development literature that fertility is associated with economic growth for individuals, families, and even influences a country's Gross Domestic Product, I explore to what degree motorcycles impact changes in fertility in rural Indonesia. I argue that motorcycles function as a "Distance Demolishing Technology" (Scott 2009:11) and therein empower individuals, particularly young rural women from lower socioeconomic groups who are socially and economically isolated, through increasing their access to labor markets, educational opportunities, non-familial social organizations, and more diverse social networks—key indicators in affecting fertility decisions identified in the existing literature. I examine this relationship in Indonesia where from 1990 to 2009, motorcycle ownership in Indonesia increased approximately 893% while the Indonesian population increased approximately 15% (Badan Pusat Statistik 2009). Using Demographic and Health Survey data across 1994, 1997, 2002, 2003 and 2007, I examine this relationship through a combination of multilevel regression models. My findings show a strong association between motorcycle ownership and a decrease in four different measures of fertility. Considering the importance of fertility in indicating individual and aggregate economic development—particularly in terms of increasing GDP and GNI per Capita—my findings indicate that sometimes even the simplest of technologies can be the "engines" of social and economic change.