Annual Report 2008, Göteborg

As in previous years, Network 7 received a great number of papers. The network accepted 60 out of the 69 papers submitted and two of the three symposia submitted. The two main reasons for rejection were: the scientific quality of the proposal and the theme of the proposal that did not fit in with the network’s main focus. This year we received a remarkable amount of proposals on citizenship education. Whenever the proposals linked citizenship education with issues of social justice and diversity, they were accepted. 

Network 7 hosted 16 paper sessions, two symposia and two roundtables. One symposium and two roundtables were a joint activity with network 23 Policy Studies and Politics of Education. The contributions came from different European countries. Eastern European countries were not well represented. 

In 2007 the Network had to cope with late cancellations and four authors not showing up to present their papers. This year only two presenters did not come. We had only one late cancellation. 

Network 7 was located in two perfect rooms in a building adjacent to the main conference building. This did facilitate the possibility of switching between networks. There was a high rate of attendance to the sessions this year. Most sessions had over 30 persons present. During several sessions we counted over 60 people, the Friday sessions being an exception.  

Themes around which papers were grouped ranged from social justice, intercultural education to the identity and the quality of the teachers for intercultural and social just education. Like previous years this year too we had a session on gender issues and social justice.  Further details of the contents of the papers are listed below:

Social justice

• Social justice and diversities
• Social justice and processes of inclusion and exclusion;
• School outcome,
• Interacting inequalities
• Schools and communities
• Segregated schooling
• Preschool, gender and equality

Intercultural education

• Pupils’ contested identities,
• Intercultural education concepts
• Multi-ethnic complexities,
• Developing intercultural competence,
• Citizenship education
• Citizenship education across Europe (symposium)
• From teaching about global issues to global learning (symposium)

Teachers

• The strength of imagination,
• Immigrant and indigenous teachers’,
• Teachers and stereotypes,

The presenters and the audience commended the way in which the papers had been organized this year around a central theme that enhanced the meaning of each presentation and led to a focused and meaningful discussion. 

During the network meeting we discussed the networks’ conference programme 2008, and the quality of the sessions. We agreed that the quality of the presentations was higher than in previous years. Almost all presenters used Powerpoint and handed over a written version of their paper or an outline of their presentation. During all sessions there was a lively discussion, often going on during the coffee or tea break. There were some complaints about the conference book lacking abstracts and indications of the location of the participants in the programme.  

After having published the network book in 2007, Network 7 is considering new publications. New publications will require funding.    

Yvonne Leeman (link convenor)

Ghazala Bhatti

Chris Gaine

Francesca Gobbo