Thesis advisor: Curt Dudley-Marling / This critical policy analysis, informed by a qualitative content analysis, examines the ideological orientation of Florida’s A++ Plan (2006), and its incumbent impact upon social reproduction in the state. Utilizing a theoretical framework that fuses together critical theory (Horkheimer, 1937; Marcuse, 1964; Marshall, 1997), Bernstein’s (1971, 1977) three message systems of education and dual concepts of classification and frame, and Collins‘ (1979, 2000, 2002) notion of the Credential Society, the study examines the ideological underpinnings of the A++ Plan’s statutory requirements, and their effects on various school constituencies, including students, teachers, and the schools themselves. The study’s findings show that neoliberal and neoconservative ideological tenets buttress much of the A++ legislation, advancing four particular ideological imperatives: an allegiance to workforce readiness, a burgeoning system of standardization and accountability, the elevation of traditional values and nationalism, and the championing of individual responsibility. Through the control of Bernstein’s three message systems of education, these ideological imperatives deeply impact public education in Florida, and in particular have a disproportionately negative impact upon schools serving high-poverty, high-minority student populations. New initiatives such as the Major Areas of Interest mandate and the Ready-to- Work Program, both of which are heavily influenced by corporate interests, elevate an ethic of economy that commodifies students. At the same time, the legislation ushers in unprecedented levels of curricular and pedagogical standardization that makes comparisons between students and teachers a reality, while commensurately creating a more competitive climate between schools as a means of promoting school choice throughout the state. Further, the legislation advances a vision of society that is strikingly conservative in tenor through the deliberate manipulation of the state’s History and Health curricula, while simultaneously creating programs such as the Character Development Program that espouse a narrowly construed vision of character. Finally, each of the legislative moves described above are undergirded by an increasing reliance not upon the state, but upon the individual who comes to see her or his choices as the sole arbiters of her or his success or failure, absent any possible mitigating, external factor(s). The study concludes with recommendations for further research addressing the manifest effects of neoliberal and neoconservative axioms in education, and a call to action targeted at progressive educators to confront these types of “reforms.” It further recommends that policymakers acknowledge that handing the governance of schools and the curriculum therein over to neoliberal and neoconservative ideologues will result in schools that both overtly value instrumental, corporatist outcomes, and purposefully advance a myopic vision of our nation’s collective memory and system of governing values. The marriage of neoliberalism and neoconservatism is positioned as antithetical to progressive education, and stands to turn back the clock on issues of equity, social justice, and social mobility. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2015. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Teacher Education, Special Education, Curriculum and Instruction.

ABSTRACT ARE PUBLIC SCHOOLS WORTH SAVING? IF SO, BY WHOM? by Philip Kovacs While there is a loose coalition of individuals and organizations attacking the institution of public schools, there does not appear to be a coordinated defense of public schools. Without a coordinated defense of the institution, public schools will arguably 1) grow increasingly regulated and/or 2) be shut down altogether. Given that progressive scholars believe schools should exist to maintain a pluralistic and participatory democracy, should 1) or 2) continue, the progressive goal of democracy through education becomes increasingly removed from possibility. The failure of progressive educational reformers to enter the same spheres as think tank and foundation-housed neointellectuals is partially to blame for the increasingly corporatist ideology governing public school reform. While scholars such as Henry Giroux call for “new articulations,” new languages, and new theories, I believe the problem lies not in the message but in the failure of progressives to promote their ideas in various public, private, and legislative spheres. In order to defend public schools as sites for the generation and maintenance of a participatory democratic social order, this research investigates the possibility that progressive educational reformers, acting as prophetic pragmatists, can save public education by acting publicly and politically to check, counter, and silence the anti-democratic educational initiatives forwarded by neoconservative and neoliberal educational reformers.

Did the terrorist attacks of September 11th change the way the United States ought to contain, confront, or neutralize threats abroad? Or, can the US use the same set of tools and responses in crafting a response to terrorist threats, present and future? These are the questions that underlie the debates, discussions, critiques, and conclusions throughout this work on the US war on terror. After Al Qaeda attacked the US on September 11th 2001, the US launched its war on terror. This global war builds upon the premises of the just war tradition while using the policies of the American neoconservative movement. In essence, the neoconservative movement takes a piecemeal approach to just war theory in order to meet its various goals. This is embodied by politicians from both the left and right that represent this movement, particularly those that run the current American administration. The reason is that the neo-conservative agenda has become a pervasive part of American foreign policy and any discussion of the US execution of the war on terror must necessarily include a discussion of neoconservative practices within its literature review. The question posed with regard to the war on terror as it is currently executed is whether it is just against measures of just war theory and other normative measures. The measurement of the successes and failures of the war on terror is grounded in the overarching framework of just war theory because it represents the prevailing norms and the international community understandings with regard to the conduct of war and armed conflict. The thesis of this work believes that the US, despite its policy of preemption, has been successful in working within just war theory on the short term (tactical) level. However, in the long term (strategic) sense, where the goal is to ferret out the root causes of terrorism, the US has failed in the four years since September 11th.

This paper explores vilification in the popular counterterrorism show, Fox’s "24." A critical, in-depth analysis of three prominent antagonists from the show illustrates the different ways in which they are vilified. Each of the three characters is examined to understand which type of villain he or she embodies in "24," which of the show’s moral codes the villain affronts, and how he or she is punished or treated as a result. The analysis considers the broadcast of the show’s first six seasons in relation to neoconservative and Christian Right values that characterized the George W. Bush administration after 9/11. It finds that the show’s characterizations of all three villains—an Islamic extremist, a femme fatale, and a shirking bureaucrat—reinforce dominant xenophobic, patriarchal, and hypermasculine values, which underscored the Bush administration’s war on terror.

Orientador: Adriana Giaqueto Jacinto / Resumo: A supervisão de estágio é fundamental na formação do assistente social, faz parte do processo de ensino-aprendizagem, trata-se de um espaço educativo que congrega as experiências dos estagiários, o próprio trabalho do assistente social e as questões institucionais. Esse momento oportuniza a formação profissional e a vivência da práxis. Neste sentido, o trabalho dos assistentes sociais, inclusive na supervisão de estágio, é permeado por tendência(s) pedagógica(s). A função pedagógica está relacionada à maneira de agir e pensar dos sujeitos nos processos de trabalho e nos vínculos que se estabelecem com as classes sociais. A tese propõe analisar as tendências pedagógicas presentes no processo de supervisão de estágio na perspectiva dos supervisores de campo, supervisores acadêmicos, docentes e estagiários do curso de Serviço Social de uma Universidade Privada de Minas Gerais. Partimos das concepções de Abreu (2016) que traz os perfis pedagógicos da “ajuda”, “participação” e “emancipação”, e refletimos sobre as mesmas em duas grandes tendências: “neoconservadora” que engloba o “perfil da ajuda” e da “participação”; e a perspectiva da tendência da “emancipação”. Foram utilizados os tipos de pesquisa: bibliográfica, documental e de campo, com abordagem qualitativa. O universo de investigação foi constituído dos campos de estágio de Serviço Social vinculados à IES (Instituição de Ensino Superior) e à própria Universidade. A pesquisa de campo foi realizada através de observação part... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Internship supervision is fundamental in the social worker´s training, it is part of the teaching-learning process, it is an educational space that brings together the trainees' experiences, the social worker's own work and institutional issues. This moment provides the opportunity for professional training and the experience of praxis. In this sense, the work of social workers, including internship supervision, is permeated by pedagogical tendency (s). The pedagogical function is related to the subject´s way of acting and thinking about the work processes and in the bonds that are established with the social classes. This thesis proposes to analyze the pedagogical trends present in the internship supervision process from the perspective of field supervisors, academic supervisors, teachers and interns of the Social Work Course of a private university from Minas Gerais –. We started from the Abreu´s conceptions (2016) that brings the pedagogical profiles of “aid”, “participation” and “emancipation”, and we reflect on them in two major trends: “neoconservative” that encompasses the “profile of aid” and “participation”; and the perspective of the “emancipation” tendency. The research types used were: bibliographic, documentary and field, with qualitative approach. The research universe was consisted in the internship fields of Social Work linked to the HEI (Higher Education Institutions) and the University itself. The field research was conducted through participant´s observatio... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Resumen: La supervisión de pasantías es fundamental en la formación del trabajador social, es parte del proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje, es un espacio educativo que reúne las experiencias de los alumnos, el trabajo propio del trabajador social y los problemas institucionales. Este momento brinda la oportunidad de capacitación profesional y la experiencia de la praxis. En este sentido, el trabajo de los trabajadores sociales, incluida la supervisión de pasantías, está impregnado de tendencias pedagógicas. La función pedagógica está relacionada con la forma de actuar y pensar de los sujetos en los procesos de trabajo y en los vínculos que se establecen con las clases sociales. La tesis propone analizar las tendencias pedagógicas presentes en el proceso de supervisión de pasantías desde la perspectiva de supervisores de campo, supervisores académicos, docentes y pasantes del curso de Trabajo Social de una Universidad Privada de Minas Gerais. Partimos de las concepciones de Abreu (2016) que trae los perfiles pedagógicos de "ayuda", "participación" y "emancipación", y reflexionamos sobre ellos en dos tendencias principales: "neoconservador" que abarca el "perfil de ayuda" y " participación "; y la perspectiva de la tendencia a la "emancipación". Los tipos de investigación fueron: bibliográfica, documental y de campo, con enfoque cualitativo. El universo de la investigación estuvo constituido por los campos de pasantías de Trabajo Social vinculados con el IES y la propia Universidad. La in... (Resumen completo clicar acceso eletrônico abajo) / Doutor