Towards the end of the twentieth century academic debates in social policy have increasingly focused on social exclusion. Housing, especially housing tenure, has become of central concern to policymakers, planners and academics alike when contemplating mechanisms for the alleviation of social exclusion at the local level. In particular, the development of multi-tenure housing estates have been seen as strategy for tackling the detachment of local neighbourhoods from the mainstream by the current Labour Administration and its advisors (see Urban Task Force Report, 1999).The research, using both quantitative and qualitative methods, undertaken in this thesis predates the current enthusiasm for such developments and attempts to trace the evolution of the multi-tenure housing estate in the British housing system. It highlights both the potential possibilities and limitations of multi-tenure estates, and housing tenure, as a tool for aiding social inclusion. It finds that these estates marginally influence the social networks and behaviour of its residents, but fail to significantly alter the stigma attached to social housing. Therefore, indicating that the geographical proximity of different tenures does not necessarily lead to integration. It cautions against the belief that these estates will 'solve' the problem of social exclusion, but rather should be seen as one of many measures at the Government's disposal.

España y Grecia, dos países económica y administrativamente diferentes, teniendo cada uno de ellos que hacer frente por un lado al creciente fenómeno de la fuga de cerebros y por otro a la incesante demanda de mano de obra internacional, principalmente cualificada según el tipo de prioridades productivas que cada uno se ha fijado para su respectivo interés, se examina a través de un análisis completo y exhaustivo de los distintos factores económicos en los que se basa cada país, para obtener una ventaja competitiva sobre el resto, ya sea sobre sus respectivos homólogos europeos o incluso sobre la competitividad internacional a la que se enfrenta la UE. El capital humano que ofrecen los migrantes a los países de destino y la falta de competitividad de los países de origen, también se examina a través de paradigmas y gráficos para ambos Estados. En conclusión, la creación de una legislación más social, junto con la estricta económica que propuso el intento fallido de implementar una constitución europea, a través de reconocidas instituciones de la UE, es una de gran importancia para el logro de un marco social atractivo para ambos, nacionales y la población acogedora.

Percepções sobre o acesso à justiça: olhares dos usuários da Defensoria Pública do Estado de São Paulo. Dissertação de mestrado. Tratando de representações sociais relacionadas à experiência de acesso à justiça junto a assistidos pela Defensoria na área cível, o estudo se volta à reflexão dos significados produzidos nesse acesso. A coleta de dados de base qualitativa foi orientada pela teoria das representações sociais e pela técnica da análise de conteúdo. Conjugando a pesquisa empírica com pressupostos teóricos radicados, sobretudo nos Direitos Humanos e na Teoria do Reconhecimento, propõe-se a investigar em que medida a Defensoria é percebida como uma instituição que proporciona o acesso à justiça. / Perceptions about access to justice: the users views of the Public Defenders Office of the State of Sao Paulo. Thesis. The study focuses on the reflection of the meanings produced in the access to justice of beneficiaries of the civil legal aid services provided by the Public Defenders Office. It takes into consideration the social representations related to the experience of access to justice of the aforementioned beneficiaries. The collection of qualitative data base was driven by social representations theory and technique of content analysis. Combining empirical research with theoretical assumptions rooted mainly in Human Rights and the Theory of Recognition, the study aims at investigating the extent to which the Public Defenders Office is perceived as an institution that provides access to justice.

How does the satisfaction (or the lack of satisfaction) of the innate need to have meaningful interpersonal relationships affects behavioural self-regulation? How does having/lacking interpersonal relatedness impact one’s perception of future interpersonal relationships? This doctoral dissertation aimed to answer these two fundamental questions by integrating the views of two complementary theories, need to belong theory (NBT; Baumeister & Leary, 1995) and self-determination theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 1985, 2000). Using a series of two laboratory experiments and one longitudinal study, this thesis examined the effects of social exclusion and inclusion on satisfaction of basic psychological needs, self-determined motivation, and self-regulation of behaviours. In Study 1 (N=72), social exclusion and inclusion were manipulated in order to examine their effects on the satisfaction of the three basic psychological needs proposed by SDT, that is the needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Findings from this first experiment revealed that social exclusion decreases satisfaction of the three needs, whereas social inclusion increases satisfaction of these needs when compared to the control condition. Furthermore, significant differences were found between the exclusion condition and the inclusion condition for the reported levels of satisfaction of the needs for competence and relatedness. The effects of social exclusion and inclusion on basic needs satisfaction were further investigated in Study 2 (N=70); also, the second study examined how self-determined motivation and behavioural self-regulation are affected. More specifically, it tested whether participants’ persistence at a laboratory task, as well as their intentions for a future peer interaction (intentions to compete against a peer participant and intentions to collaborate with a peer participant) are influenced by social exclusion and inclusion, through the meditating effects of basic needs satisfaction and self-determined motivation. The results suggested that social exclusion, via the effects of basic needs and motivation decreases peer collaboration, whereas social inclusion was shown to have an opposite effect on peer collaboration. The effect of condition via the mediating effects of basic needs satisfaction and motivation failed to predict persistence at the task and peer competition. Lastly, Study 3 (N=624) assessed naturally occurring social exclusion and inclusion in a population of junior high school students. This third study investigated the independent contributions of SDT and NBT in the prediction of academic motivation and high school dropout. Peer relatedness, perceived needs support from parents, and perceived needs support from teachers were examined as potential predictors of academic motivation and high school dropout. Findings suggested that peer relatedness plays an important role in the prediction of academic motivation, but, that perceived needs support from parents and perceived needs support from teachers are stronger predictors of that outcome. Results from this study also revealed that peer relatedness contributes to the prediction of high school dropout, beyond what can be explained by academic motivation, perceived needs support from parents, and perceived needs support from teachers. However, perceived needs support from parents was shown to be the most essential predictor of high school dropout. In sum, findings from this doctoral dissertation suggested that social exclusion has detrimental effects on one’s motivation and behavioural self-regulation. In contrast, social inclusion fosters social support which promotes satisfaction of the basic psychological needs, self-determined motivation, and successful self-regulation. This doctoral thesis contributed to the application of SDT and NBT by comparing elements of the two complementary frameworks. It also offered an original contribution to research on social exclusion and inclusion by examining their impacts on self-determined motivation, and basic needs satisfaction, as well as testing them in both the laboratory setting and the natural setting.

How does the satisfaction (or the lack of satisfaction) of the innate need to have meaningful interpersonal relationships affects behavioural self-regulation? How does having/lacking interpersonal relatedness impact one’s perception of future interpersonal relationships? This doctoral dissertation aimed to answer these two fundamental questions by integrating the views of two complementary theories, need to belong theory (NBT; Baumeister & Leary, 1995) and self-determination theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 1985, 2000). Using a series of two laboratory experiments and one longitudinal study, this thesis examined the effects of social exclusion and inclusion on satisfaction of basic psychological needs, self-determined motivation, and self-regulation of behaviours. In Study 1 (N=72), social exclusion and inclusion were manipulated in order to examine their effects on the satisfaction of the three basic psychological needs proposed by SDT, that is the needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Findings from this first experiment revealed that social exclusion decreases satisfaction of the three needs, whereas social inclusion increases satisfaction of these needs when compared to the control condition. Furthermore, significant differences were found between the exclusion condition and the inclusion condition for the reported levels of satisfaction of the needs for competence and relatedness. The effects of social exclusion and inclusion on basic needs satisfaction were further investigated in Study 2 (N=70); also, the second study examined how self-determined motivation and behavioural self-regulation are affected. More specifically, it tested whether participants’ persistence at a laboratory task, as well as their intentions for a future peer interaction (intentions to compete against a peer participant and intentions to collaborate with a peer participant) are influenced by social exclusion and inclusion, through the meditating effects of basic needs satisfaction and self-determined motivation. The results suggested that social exclusion, via the effects of basic needs and motivation decreases peer collaboration, whereas social inclusion was shown to have an opposite effect on peer collaboration. The effect of condition via the mediating effects of basic needs satisfaction and motivation failed to predict persistence at the task and peer competition. Lastly, Study 3 (N=624) assessed naturally occurring social exclusion and inclusion in a population of junior high school students. This third study investigated the independent contributions of SDT and NBT in the prediction of academic motivation and high school dropout. Peer relatedness, perceived needs support from parents, and perceived needs support from teachers were examined as potential predictors of academic motivation and high school dropout. Findings suggested that peer relatedness plays an important role in the prediction of academic motivation, but, that perceived needs support from parents and perceived needs support from teachers are stronger predictors of that outcome. Results from this study also revealed that peer relatedness contributes to the prediction of high school dropout, beyond what can be explained by academic motivation, perceived needs support from parents, and perceived needs support from teachers. However, perceived needs support from parents was shown to be the most essential predictor of high school dropout. In sum, findings from this doctoral dissertation suggested that social exclusion has detrimental effects on one’s motivation and behavioural self-regulation. In contrast, social inclusion fosters social support which promotes satisfaction of the basic psychological needs, self-determined motivation, and successful self-regulation. This doctoral thesis contributed to the application of SDT and NBT by comparing elements of the two complementary frameworks. It also offered an original contribution to research on social exclusion and inclusion by examining their impacts on self-determined motivation, and basic needs satisfaction, as well as testing them in both the laboratory setting and the natural setting.

How does the satisfaction (or the lack of satisfaction) of the innate need to have meaningful interpersonal relationships affects behavioural self-regulation? How does having/lacking interpersonal relatedness impact one’s perception of future interpersonal relationships? This doctoral dissertation aimed to answer these two fundamental questions by integrating the views of two complementary theories, need to belong theory (NBT; Baumeister & Leary, 1995) and self-determination theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 1985, 2000). Using a series of two laboratory experiments and one longitudinal study, this thesis examined the effects of social exclusion and inclusion on satisfaction of basic psychological needs, self-determined motivation, and self-regulation of behaviours. In Study 1 (N=72), social exclusion and inclusion were manipulated in order to examine their effects on the satisfaction of the three basic psychological needs proposed by SDT, that is the needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Findings from this first experiment revealed that social exclusion decreases satisfaction of the three needs, whereas social inclusion increases satisfaction of these needs when compared to the control condition. Furthermore, significant differences were found between the exclusion condition and the inclusion condition for the reported levels of satisfaction of the needs for competence and relatedness. The effects of social exclusion and inclusion on basic needs satisfaction were further investigated in Study 2 (N=70); also, the second study examined how self-determined motivation and behavioural self-regulation are affected. More specifically, it tested whether participants’ persistence at a laboratory task, as well as their intentions for a future peer interaction (intentions to compete against a peer participant and intentions to collaborate with a peer participant) are influenced by social exclusion and inclusion, through the meditating effects of basic needs satisfaction and self-determined motivation. The results suggested that social exclusion, via the effects of basic needs and motivation decreases peer collaboration, whereas social inclusion was shown to have an opposite effect on peer collaboration. The effect of condition via the mediating effects of basic needs satisfaction and motivation failed to predict persistence at the task and peer competition. Lastly, Study 3 (N=624) assessed naturally occurring social exclusion and inclusion in a population of junior high school students. This third study investigated the independent contributions of SDT and NBT in the prediction of academic motivation and high school dropout. Peer relatedness, perceived needs support from parents, and perceived needs support from teachers were examined as potential predictors of academic motivation and high school dropout. Findings suggested that peer relatedness plays an important role in the prediction of academic motivation, but, that perceived needs support from parents and perceived needs support from teachers are stronger predictors of that outcome. Results from this study also revealed that peer relatedness contributes to the prediction of high school dropout, beyond what can be explained by academic motivation, perceived needs support from parents, and perceived needs support from teachers. However, perceived needs support from parents was shown to be the most essential predictor of high school dropout. In sum, findings from this doctoral dissertation suggested that social exclusion has detrimental effects on one’s motivation and behavioural self-regulation. In contrast, social inclusion fosters social support which promotes satisfaction of the basic psychological needs, self-determined motivation, and successful self-regulation. This doctoral thesis contributed to the application of SDT and NBT by comparing elements of the two complementary frameworks. It also offered an original contribution to research on social exclusion and inclusion by examining their impacts on self-determined motivation, and basic needs satisfaction, as well as testing them in both the laboratory setting and the natural setting.

Percepções sobre o acesso à justiça: olhares dos usuários da Defensoria Pública do Estado de São Paulo. Dissertação de mestrado. Tratando de representações sociais relacionadas à experiência de acesso à justiça junto a assistidos pela Defensoria na área cível, o estudo se volta à reflexão dos significados produzidos nesse acesso. A coleta de dados de base qualitativa foi orientada pela teoria das representações sociais e pela técnica da análise de conteúdo. Conjugando a pesquisa empírica com pressupostos teóricos radicados, sobretudo nos Direitos Humanos e na Teoria do Reconhecimento, propõe-se a investigar em que medida a Defensoria é percebida como uma instituição que proporciona o acesso à justiça. / Perceptions about access to justice: the users views of the Public Defenders Office of the State of Sao Paulo. Thesis. The study focuses on the reflection of the meanings produced in the access to justice of beneficiaries of the civil legal aid services provided by the Public Defenders Office. It takes into consideration the social representations related to the experience of access to justice of the aforementioned beneficiaries. The collection of qualitative data base was driven by social representations theory and technique of content analysis. Combining empirical research with theoretical assumptions rooted mainly in Human Rights and the Theory of Recognition, the study aims at investigating the extent to which the Public Defenders Office is perceived as an institution that provides access to justice.

How does the satisfaction (or the lack of satisfaction) of the innate need to have meaningful interpersonal relationships affects behavioural self-regulation? How does having/lacking interpersonal relatedness impact one’s perception of future interpersonal relationships? This doctoral dissertation aimed to answer these two fundamental questions by integrating the views of two complementary theories, need to belong theory (NBT; Baumeister & Leary, 1995) and self-determination theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 1985, 2000). Using a series of two laboratory experiments and one longitudinal study, this thesis examined the effects of social exclusion and inclusion on satisfaction of basic psychological needs, self-determined motivation, and self-regulation of behaviours. In Study 1 (N=72), social exclusion and inclusion were manipulated in order to examine their effects on the satisfaction of the three basic psychological needs proposed by SDT, that is the needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Findings from this first experiment revealed that social exclusion decreases satisfaction of the three needs, whereas social inclusion increases satisfaction of these needs when compared to the control condition. Furthermore, significant differences were found between the exclusion condition and the inclusion condition for the reported levels of satisfaction of the needs for competence and relatedness. The effects of social exclusion and inclusion on basic needs satisfaction were further investigated in Study 2 (N=70); also, the second study examined how self-determined motivation and behavioural self-regulation are affected. More specifically, it tested whether participants’ persistence at a laboratory task, as well as their intentions for a future peer interaction (intentions to compete against a peer participant and intentions to collaborate with a peer participant) are influenced by social exclusion and inclusion, through the meditating effects of basic needs satisfaction and self-determined motivation. The results suggested that social exclusion, via the effects of basic needs and motivation decreases peer collaboration, whereas social inclusion was shown to have an opposite effect on peer collaboration. The effect of condition via the mediating effects of basic needs satisfaction and motivation failed to predict persistence at the task and peer competition. Lastly, Study 3 (N=624) assessed naturally occurring social exclusion and inclusion in a population of junior high school students. This third study investigated the independent contributions of SDT and NBT in the prediction of academic motivation and high school dropout. Peer relatedness, perceived needs support from parents, and perceived needs support from teachers were examined as potential predictors of academic motivation and high school dropout. Findings suggested that peer relatedness plays an important role in the prediction of academic motivation, but, that perceived needs support from parents and perceived needs support from teachers are stronger predictors of that outcome. Results from this study also revealed that peer relatedness contributes to the prediction of high school dropout, beyond what can be explained by academic motivation, perceived needs support from parents, and perceived needs support from teachers. However, perceived needs support from parents was shown to be the most essential predictor of high school dropout. In sum, findings from this doctoral dissertation suggested that social exclusion has detrimental effects on one’s motivation and behavioural self-regulation. In contrast, social inclusion fosters social support which promotes satisfaction of the basic psychological needs, self-determined motivation, and successful self-regulation. This doctoral thesis contributed to the application of SDT and NBT by comparing elements of the two complementary frameworks. It also offered an original contribution to research on social exclusion and inclusion by examining their impacts on self-determined motivation, and basic needs satisfaction, as well as testing them in both the laboratory setting and the natural setting.

The subject of this thesis is to describe the approach of the state and the non-profit sector to education of Romani children in Eastern Slovakia. The theoretical part is focused on the approach of state, from pre-school through elementary school. The second chapter is devoted to the concept of social disadvantages and definitions of children coming from this type of environment. It clarifies known concepts such as zero class, preparatory class, teacher assistant and a full-day educational system, related to primary education and pupils from socially disadvantaged environment. The practical part is specifically dedicated to a single non-profit organization working in eastern Slovakia, ETP Slovakia - Center for Sustainable Development, with a description of the organization and their projects. Qualitative research was conducted using semi-structured interviews. The aim of this thesis is to describe the activities of five staff members of the NGO ETP Slovakia, their preferred styles of work with children and to find out if they themselves see the benefits of non-profit organizations within the village Velka Ida. This thesis should be helpful for workers in the field of education of Roma and socially disadvantaged children, helping them to become familiar with the concepts and principles associated...

The work focuses on the models of work with ethnic minorities and especially the process of social inclusion of Roma through the social pedagogy. The dissertation consists of two parts: The first part examines the theoretical approaches. The social education plays a key role in an effective process of social inclusion of the Roma. Other disciplines also offer specific inputs in the work with minorities, which cannot be overlooked; nevertheless, there is no definite model to replicate. Roma inclusion is a process that is influenced by many variables. The key factor is the mutual relations with the Non-Roma population and their historical development. Although the integration process has been ongoing for more than 20 years, we are still looking for an answer to the success of Roma inclusion projects and activities. The key question, then, is how do the project implementers perceive the key moments that make their project and its activities successful. Thus, the research focuses to identify specific approaches, activities, inclusion principles. The survey shows that the social and cultural context, that is Roma-specific, perhaps generates certain preconditions that make pro-Roma projects successful. Emphasis on individual approach and complexity at the same time makes the assistance in the process of...