Sharon Clancy - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Drafts by Sharon Clancy

This paper is a response to Raymond Williams’ seminal work on Keywords (1976) and uses his approa... more This paper is a response to Raymond Williams’ seminal work on Keywords (1976) and uses his approach to examine, stimulate and also challenge current debates about charity, philanthropy and voluntarism in the context of Austerity Britain. It also uses theoretical commentary from Habermas on the Lifeworld, the State and the Market and includes a discussion on civil society and associationism.
The primary consideration in the paper is to examine and problematize these words, underpinned by a desire to consider their usage – politically and socially - in a period when poverty and inequality in the United Kingdom has reached new heights. Poverty has become a loaded word ideologically, in the Austerity world of the UK, arguably demonising the poor. In the 2015 election campaign it was used only once by the then-Labour leader Ed Miliband and only in the context of benefits by David Cameron, whose rhetoric presupposes a moral failure in those who find themselves living in poverty. Yet it is a major scourge of our times and the renewed emphasis on charity, philanthropy and voluntarism, and the retreat from state provision, is profoundly political in the context of real and widespread poverty and growing inequality.
The paper examines historical responses to poverty through charity, philanthropy and voluntarism, reflecting on the uses of these words in the context of the Poor Law, medieval to 19th century, the Charity Organisation Societies, the University Settlement Movement, Beatrice and Sidney Webb’s Extension Ladder model, which distinguished different roles for the state and for voluntary action, the evolution of the Welfare State and the fight for rights, not charity. It brings the debate up to date with a discussion about philanthrocapitalism and the Big Society and the renewed interest in charity, voluntarism (particularly as volunteering) and philanthropy encapsulated in current government rhetoric and ideology. It also explores potential ways forward for the voluntary sector.

Papers by Sharon Clancy

Journal of Education and Training, May 23, 2018

This paper aims to examine the implications for adults of learning in a residential context and w... more This paper aims to examine the implications for adults of learning in a residential context and whether the residential aspect intensifies the learning process, and can lead to enhanced personal transformation, moving beyond professional skills and training for employability. Design/methodology/approach The paper reports on research, conducted in 2017, with 41 current and former staff and students (on both short courses and longer Access courses) in four residential colleges for adults: Ruskin, Northern, Fircroft and Hillcroft Colleges. Findings Key findings include the powerful role residential education plays in accelerating and deepening learning experiences, particularly for adults who have faced extraordinary personal and societal challenges and are second chance learners. The colleges, all in historic settings, confer feelings of worth, security and sanctuary and the staff supportpastoral and academic, bespoke facilities and private rooms are vital enabling mechanisms. Seminar-style learning creates opportunity for experiential group learning, helping to foster critical thinking and challenge to mainstream views. Social implications The colleges' ethos, curricula and traditions foster among students an 'ethic of service' and a desire to offer 'emotional labour' to their own communities, through working for instance in health and social care or the voluntary sector. Originality/value Little research has been undertaken in contemporary settings on the impact of learning in a residential environment, particularly for second chance learners and vulnerable adults. Still less research has examined the wider implications of learning in a historic building setting and of learning which extends into critical thinking, intellectual growth, transformation and change.

Educational review, Aug 28, 2019

Access to and use of the material held within the University of Nottingham's Institutional Reposi... more Access to and use of the material held within the University of Nottingham's Institutional Repository (the Repository) is based on your acceptance of the following terms and conditions:

Studies in the education of adults, Jan 2, 2023

International Journal of Lifelong Education, May 3, 2016

Access to and use of the material held within the University of Nottingham's Institutional Reposi... more Access to and use of the material held within the University of Nottingham's Institutional Repository (the Repository) is based on your acceptance of the following terms and conditions:

International Review of Education, Jun 1, 2022

Access to and use of the material held within the University of Nottingham's Institutional Reposi... more Access to and use of the material held within the University of Nottingham's Institutional Repository (the Repository) is based on your acceptance of the following terms and conditions:

Bloomsbury Academic eBooks, 2023

Palgrave studies in adult education and lifelong learning, 2023

Palgrave studies in adult education and lifelong learning, 2023

Adult learners are human. In most countries, and notably across Europe, they are also citizens. T... more Adult learners are human. In most countries, and notably across Europe, they are also citizens. They have rights under international and national law. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, for example, specifies 'the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives', to participate in 'periodic and

Europe's Lifelong Learning Markets, Governance and Policy, 2020

This chapter focuses on the analysis of the European Youth Strategy (2018) and its historical ant... more This chapter focuses on the analysis of the European Youth Strategy (2018) and its historical antecedents, which have been defining the policy priorities for European youth since the early 2000s. Through the examination of the changing policy objectives in the youth field, the chapter traces how the policy instruments utilised by the European institutions evolved. It identifies several governance mechanisms and five policy instruments used to coordinate and influence domestic adaptation of youth policies. The chapter identifies the legal, symbolic and epistemological functions these Youth Strategies have played at the European and national policy level. The Structured Dialogue, particularly, has been recognised as an influential but contested tool within the mutual- and peer-learning arrangements policy instrument.

PCI Journal

This is the first installment in a new Research Corner series highlighting the past and present a... more This is the first installment in a new Research Corner series highlighting the past and present activities of PCI’s Research and Development Council. The focus of the R&D Council is to target research that contributes to the development of precast concrete for the benefit of PCI’s membership.

Palgrave Studies in Adult Education and Lifelong Learning

This chapter focuses on why two groups of disadvantaged young adults (the low-educated and those ... more This chapter focuses on why two groups of disadvantaged young adults (the low-educated and those working in low- or medium-skilled occupations) participate—or do not—in job-related non-formal education and training. It suggests that, across occupational groups, job content is the core mechanism preventing young adults from participating. It also shows that institutional context is important: when unemployment rates are high, inequality in participation between occupational groups increases. During the post-2008 recession, investment in active labour market policies and similar measures reduced the ‘training gap’ between high-skilled and low-/medium-skilled occupations. When labour market conditions are more favourable, strong employment protection legislation appears to reduce inequalities in job-related non-formal education; during the economic crisis, however, it seems to have increased them.

Studies in the Education of Adults

100 Years of Radical Adult Education in Scotland: Building Hope for the Future, Nov 16, 2019

The 21st century has seen an explosion in the attempts of countries to invest in education as a m... more The 21st century has seen an explosion in the attempts of countries to invest in education as a means of economic viability. While developed countries may have already achieved significant progress, developing countries still have a long way to go in increasing their citizen's rate of literacy and education levels. This paper presents the case of Nigeria and the potential of ODE in increasing the sustainability of adult education. The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) is found to be operating within the framework formulated by the National Policy on Education (2004) for the delivery of adult education. Through its vision for social inclusion and equity, NOUN as the primary ODE institution in Nigeria is making significant progress towards the provision of sustainable adult education.

under the theme of Models of Social Capital in the Digital Age Title: Social capital, bounded age... more under the theme of Models of Social Capital in the Digital Age Title: Social capital, bounded agency and fuzzy logic-making data work in real world applications "…in our messy, fuzzy, anarchic field of practice, how can we produce neatly packaged bundles of evidence that might be useful to busy policymakers?" (Field, 2015). Background to the project This paper is the result of collaboration between Computer Science and Education, working on the development of an Intelligent Decision Support System (IDSS) within a Horizon 2020 research project ENLIVEN (Encouraging Lifelong Learning for an Inclusive and Vibrant Europe which brings together an inter-disciplinary team at the University of Nottingham and across Europe. Its objective is to develop an innovative model and mechanism to support policy debate, formation and evaluation in lifelong learning, with a focus on young adults from disadvantaged backgrounds, and furthest from education, training and the labour market.

This paper is a response to Raymond Williams’ seminal work on Keywords (1976) and uses his approa... more This paper is a response to Raymond Williams’ seminal work on Keywords (1976) and uses his approach to examine, stimulate and also challenge current debates about charity, philanthropy and voluntarism in the context of Austerity Britain. It also uses theoretical commentary from Habermas on the Lifeworld, the State and the Market and includes a discussion on civil society and associationism.
The primary consideration in the paper is to examine and problematize these words, underpinned by a desire to consider their usage – politically and socially - in a period when poverty and inequality in the United Kingdom has reached new heights. Poverty has become a loaded word ideologically, in the Austerity world of the UK, arguably demonising the poor. In the 2015 election campaign it was used only once by the then-Labour leader Ed Miliband and only in the context of benefits by David Cameron, whose rhetoric presupposes a moral failure in those who find themselves living in poverty. Yet it is a major scourge of our times and the renewed emphasis on charity, philanthropy and voluntarism, and the retreat from state provision, is profoundly political in the context of real and widespread poverty and growing inequality.
The paper examines historical responses to poverty through charity, philanthropy and voluntarism, reflecting on the uses of these words in the context of the Poor Law, medieval to 19th century, the Charity Organisation Societies, the University Settlement Movement, Beatrice and Sidney Webb’s Extension Ladder model, which distinguished different roles for the state and for voluntary action, the evolution of the Welfare State and the fight for rights, not charity. It brings the debate up to date with a discussion about philanthrocapitalism and the Big Society and the renewed interest in charity, voluntarism (particularly as volunteering) and philanthropy encapsulated in current government rhetoric and ideology. It also explores potential ways forward for the voluntary sector.

Journal of Education and Training, May 23, 2018

This paper aims to examine the implications for adults of learning in a residential context and w... more This paper aims to examine the implications for adults of learning in a residential context and whether the residential aspect intensifies the learning process, and can lead to enhanced personal transformation, moving beyond professional skills and training for employability. Design/methodology/approach The paper reports on research, conducted in 2017, with 41 current and former staff and students (on both short courses and longer Access courses) in four residential colleges for adults: Ruskin, Northern, Fircroft and Hillcroft Colleges. Findings Key findings include the powerful role residential education plays in accelerating and deepening learning experiences, particularly for adults who have faced extraordinary personal and societal challenges and are second chance learners. The colleges, all in historic settings, confer feelings of worth, security and sanctuary and the staff supportpastoral and academic, bespoke facilities and private rooms are vital enabling mechanisms. Seminar-style learning creates opportunity for experiential group learning, helping to foster critical thinking and challenge to mainstream views. Social implications The colleges' ethos, curricula and traditions foster among students an 'ethic of service' and a desire to offer 'emotional labour' to their own communities, through working for instance in health and social care or the voluntary sector. Originality/value Little research has been undertaken in contemporary settings on the impact of learning in a residential environment, particularly for second chance learners and vulnerable adults. Still less research has examined the wider implications of learning in a historic building setting and of learning which extends into critical thinking, intellectual growth, transformation and change.

Educational review, Aug 28, 2019

Access to and use of the material held within the University of Nottingham's Institutional Reposi... more Access to and use of the material held within the University of Nottingham's Institutional Repository (the Repository) is based on your acceptance of the following terms and conditions:

Studies in the education of adults, Jan 2, 2023

International Journal of Lifelong Education, May 3, 2016

Access to and use of the material held within the University of Nottingham's Institutional Reposi... more Access to and use of the material held within the University of Nottingham's Institutional Repository (the Repository) is based on your acceptance of the following terms and conditions:

International Review of Education, Jun 1, 2022

Access to and use of the material held within the University of Nottingham's Institutional Reposi... more Access to and use of the material held within the University of Nottingham's Institutional Repository (the Repository) is based on your acceptance of the following terms and conditions:

Bloomsbury Academic eBooks, 2023

Palgrave studies in adult education and lifelong learning, 2023

Palgrave studies in adult education and lifelong learning, 2023

Adult learners are human. In most countries, and notably across Europe, they are also citizens. T... more Adult learners are human. In most countries, and notably across Europe, they are also citizens. They have rights under international and national law. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, for example, specifies 'the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives', to participate in 'periodic and

Europe's Lifelong Learning Markets, Governance and Policy, 2020

This chapter focuses on the analysis of the European Youth Strategy (2018) and its historical ant... more This chapter focuses on the analysis of the European Youth Strategy (2018) and its historical antecedents, which have been defining the policy priorities for European youth since the early 2000s. Through the examination of the changing policy objectives in the youth field, the chapter traces how the policy instruments utilised by the European institutions evolved. It identifies several governance mechanisms and five policy instruments used to coordinate and influence domestic adaptation of youth policies. The chapter identifies the legal, symbolic and epistemological functions these Youth Strategies have played at the European and national policy level. The Structured Dialogue, particularly, has been recognised as an influential but contested tool within the mutual- and peer-learning arrangements policy instrument.

PCI Journal

This is the first installment in a new Research Corner series highlighting the past and present a... more This is the first installment in a new Research Corner series highlighting the past and present activities of PCI’s Research and Development Council. The focus of the R&D Council is to target research that contributes to the development of precast concrete for the benefit of PCI’s membership.

Palgrave Studies in Adult Education and Lifelong Learning

This chapter focuses on why two groups of disadvantaged young adults (the low-educated and those ... more This chapter focuses on why two groups of disadvantaged young adults (the low-educated and those working in low- or medium-skilled occupations) participate—or do not—in job-related non-formal education and training. It suggests that, across occupational groups, job content is the core mechanism preventing young adults from participating. It also shows that institutional context is important: when unemployment rates are high, inequality in participation between occupational groups increases. During the post-2008 recession, investment in active labour market policies and similar measures reduced the ‘training gap’ between high-skilled and low-/medium-skilled occupations. When labour market conditions are more favourable, strong employment protection legislation appears to reduce inequalities in job-related non-formal education; during the economic crisis, however, it seems to have increased them.

Studies in the Education of Adults

100 Years of Radical Adult Education in Scotland: Building Hope for the Future, Nov 16, 2019

The 21st century has seen an explosion in the attempts of countries to invest in education as a m... more The 21st century has seen an explosion in the attempts of countries to invest in education as a means of economic viability. While developed countries may have already achieved significant progress, developing countries still have a long way to go in increasing their citizen's rate of literacy and education levels. This paper presents the case of Nigeria and the potential of ODE in increasing the sustainability of adult education. The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) is found to be operating within the framework formulated by the National Policy on Education (2004) for the delivery of adult education. Through its vision for social inclusion and equity, NOUN as the primary ODE institution in Nigeria is making significant progress towards the provision of sustainable adult education.

under the theme of Models of Social Capital in the Digital Age Title: Social capital, bounded age... more under the theme of Models of Social Capital in the Digital Age Title: Social capital, bounded agency and fuzzy logic-making data work in real world applications "…in our messy, fuzzy, anarchic field of practice, how can we produce neatly packaged bundles of evidence that might be useful to busy policymakers?" (Field, 2015). Background to the project This paper is the result of collaboration between Computer Science and Education, working on the development of an Intelligent Decision Support System (IDSS) within a Horizon 2020 research project ENLIVEN (Encouraging Lifelong Learning for an Inclusive and Vibrant Europe which brings together an inter-disciplinary team at the University of Nottingham and across Europe. Its objective is to develop an innovative model and mechanism to support policy debate, formation and evaluation in lifelong learning, with a focus on young adults from disadvantaged backgrounds, and furthest from education, training and the labour market.

Studies in the Education of Adults