Sociology Commons^™

The Protean Career: Exemplified By First World Foreign Residents In Western Europe?, Marian Crowley-Henry

Articles

This article presents findings from a qualitative study exploring the career-related motivations and experiences of a sample of 20 expatriates living and working on a permanent basis in the South of France (Sophia Antipolis) and in Germany (Munich). By virtue of their having established local links in the host country, either in having local working contracts or being installed in the area on a permanent basis (home owners; children born/being schooled in the host country), these expatriates could also be termed foreign residents in the host country. The study’s sample of highly educated workers originating from the United States of …

Cts Split 2007 The (Audio) Diary In Tourism Research, Deirdre Quinn, Nigel Morgan, Annette Pritchard

Articles

No abstract provided.

The Framework For Early Learning: A Background Paper:Children's Early Learning And Development Executive Summary, Geraldine French

Reports

This is the Executive Summary of the background paper Children’s early learning and development, sets out the theory and research underpinning children’s early learning and development in the Framework for Early Learning. The paper essentially responds to the question - how should we envision and understand the child as a young learner? The paper begins by outlining the context for early childhood care and education in Ireland by referring to our economic and social climate, the increasingly multicultural nature of society and relevant legislation and policy. Drawing on centuries of research, the modern day view of the child is one …

An Equality Perspective On Residential Child Care, Niall Hanlon

Articles

An equality perspective on residential child care is one which places the issues of power and oppression as central concerns of practice. This requires more than an understanding and appreciation of the nature of the inequalities that children in care experience. The residential practitioner must appreciate egalitarian values and develop the skills, competences and knowledge base to evolve programmes and strategies that promote equality. Fundamentally, equality practices require significant changes in relationships of power. This paper will outline a means of conceptualising inequalities by discussing the way that they often have an impact on children and young people in residential …

Centre For Early Childhood Development And Education’S Conference Proceedings, Vision Into Practice, Dublin Castle, Dublin, 8th – 10th February 2007, Pp 321-327., Geraldine French

Other resources

This background paper Children’s early learning and development, sets out the theory and research underpinning children’s early learning and development in the Framework for Early Learning. The paper essentially responds to the question - how should we envision and understand the child as a young learner? The paper begins by outlining the context for early childhood care and education in Ireland by referring to our economic and social climate, the increasingly multicultural nature of society and relevant legislation and policy. Drawing on centuries of research, the modern day view of the child is one of him/her being a competent learner, …

Literature Review On The Support Needs Of Parents Of Children With Behavioural Problems, Siobhan Bradley

Reports

Research commissioned by Bernardos 2007

The Role Of Early Childhood Care And Education: An Anti-Poverty Perspective, Noirin Hayes

Reports

No abstract provided.

Webs Of Power: Multiple Ownership In Tourism Destinations, Ziene Mottiar, Hazel Tucker

Articles

It has been widely noted in the tourism small business literature that collaboration between groups of businesses operating within clusters contributes both to business development and the success of destinations and regions. This paper aims to contribute to the research on tourism destination networks by focusing on multiple ownership, or portfolio entrepreneurship, when more than one small or micro business within a specific destination are owned by the same entrepreneur. Courtown, in Ireland and Göreme in Turkey are presented as two case studies in which the existence of multiple owners was identified. The implications of multiple ownership on tourism operation …

Need For Social Policy To Recognise That People Are Excluded When They Cannot Afford To Give Their Children A Holiday, Bernadette Quinn

Articles

This research investigated how access to an annual holiday can benefit children living in poverty and their families. It studied children who had the opportunity to avail of a child-centred, structured group holiday provided by three NGOs. Study participants were drawn from a cross-section of disadvantaged areas in Dublin, comprising two inner-city and four suburban areas. Data collection involved 75 children and 35 guardians in the first stage, and 27 children and 16 guardians in subsequent stages. In total, 16 families participated in all stages of the research process, which used qualitative methods, including focus groups, in-depth interviews and observation. …

Sustainable Tourism Indicators: Issues And Challenges In The Development Of A Sustainable Tourism Management Model, Kevin Griffin

Conference papers

While it is generally agreed that sustainability is the only long term path for tourism the question of how it should be measured (or attained) remains a challenge. Based on a 2 year EPA funded project this paper traces the development of indicators for sustainable tourism and discusses how they would be of considerable benefit to both government agencies and tourist interests, in the determination of management objectives for an area. It outlines a model of sustainable tourism indicators which was developed and suggests how this model could be adopted by tourism managers.

The objectives of the paper are to …

Working With Navajos: A Case Study Of A Diversity Training Programme, Bruce Carolan

Other resources

This paper critically analyzes – in a qualitative, exploratory way – a diversity training programme designed by Mr. Marshall Plummer, the former Vice President of the Navajo Nation, called ‘Working with Navajos.’ My research query is whether the training programme is consistent with theoretical models for developing intercultural sensitivity, particularly M.J. Bennett’s Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity. (Bennett, 1993; Bennett & Bennett, 2004) My research has included a document review and semi-structured, in-depth interviews with key informants, including Mr. Plummer.

Irish Gay Men And Tourism: Behaviours And Motivations, Bruce Carolan

Conference Papers

This paper is an exploratory study of the holiday practices of an increasingly important segment of the Irish tourism market: gay men. Studies show that gay men are, in many respects, desirable tourists: they tend to be more highly educated, have greater disposable incomes and a higher propensity to travel. Yet there has been relatively little research – and virtually none in an Irish context – concerning gay male holiday destination choice, behaviours, and motivations. After reviewing the existing literature on gay men and tourism, this paper employs qualitative research methods – primarily focus group, depth interviews and observation – …

The Amended Proposal For A Directive On Services In The Internal Market And Its Potential Impact On The Irish Tourism Industry, Bruce Carolan

Articles

The European Union Services Directive, Directive 2006/123, was very controversial. The popular press focused on that aspect of the Directive which would have allowed employers to comply with the 'home' regulations when offering services in an EU 'host' country. For example, a cleaning service could employ Polish workers to clean Irish offices and paid them according to Polish minimum wage laws. As a result of the controversy, this aspect of the Directive was dropped. The controversy deflected attention from the broader impact of the Services Directive. The Directive, as ultimately adopted, will require member states to conduct an 'audit' of …

The Transition From Preschool To School For Children In Ireland: Teachers Views, Mary O'Kane

Articles

There is a wealth of international research on the transition from preschool to school from a range of perspectives. Following on from such research, the issue of transition is emerging as an important new construct in early childhood care and education (ECCE), with a transition-to-school framework replacing the construct of school readiness as a focus of research interest. There has been limited research into transition practices in Ireland and this study is the first comprehensive research looking at this area from an Irish perspective1. Phase I of this study involved conducting a questionnaire on the transition from preschool to formal …

Young People And Crime: Research, Policy And Practice, Kevin Lalor, Fergus Ryan, Mairéad Seymour, Claire Hamilton

Conference Papers

These are the full proceedings of a two-day national conference on Young People and Crime, hosted by the Centre for Social and Educational Research.

Play And Technology For Children Aged 4-12, Stella Downey, Noirin Hayes, Brian O'Neill

Reports

Research study commissioned by the Office of the Minister for Children, Government of Ireland, 2007.

The International Protean Career: Four Women’S Narratives, Marian Crowley-Henry, David Weir

Articles

In this paper, we share individual narratives outlining the experiences of four well-educated western women following a permanent international career in the South of France. By virtue of detailed interview transcripts and contextual information regarding the specificity of the location in question, a comprehensive picture of the experiences and choices of individual women in leadership business positions on an international level is painted. Our aim is not to generalise the findings to a wider population, but to gain an insight into the depth and complexity of career issues for women in general, and particularly for women working in a foreign …

The National Game And Irish Society: The Gaa As A Cultural Brand, Aine Carroll

Masters

The link between brands and culture is well documented (McCracken, 1986; Ritson and Elliott, 1999). However the purposeful creation of brands related to culture is less evident (Vincent, 2002; Holt, 2004). It is this lack of theoretical understanding of cultural brands that drives this study. The objective of this study is to investigate the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) as an iconic brand within the socio-economic context of Ireland. The literature has been divided into two chapters, the first is an overview of consumer culture as the context within which brands have taken on great importance, in the construction of self …

Educating For Sustainability: Creating A Comprehensive, Coherent And Compelling Approach - Guidelines For Sustainability Standards And Resource Materials, Kevin Griffin

Reports / Surveys

In 2007, Fáilte Ireland's Environment Unit, in collaboration with the Education Policy Section,commissioned a review of sustainability content in tourism education and training programmes at NQAI levels 4-8 throughout the State with a view to recommending improvements where necessary.

The review, carried out on Fáilte Ireland's behalf by the Tourism Research Centre of the Technological University Dublin, was - in terms of breadth and depth - the first of its kind to be undertaken at a national level, not only in Ireland but in any of the other countries surveyed during the course of the review.

Irish Gay Men And Tourism: Behaviours And Motivations, Bruce Carolan

Other resources

This paper is an exploratory study of the holiday practices of an increasingly important segment of the Irish tourism market: gay men. Studies show that gay men are, in many respects, desirable tourists: they tend to be more highly educated, have greater disposable incomes and a higher propensity to travel than non-gay people. Yet there has been relatively little research – and virtually none in an Irish context – concerning gay male holiday motivations, destination choice and behaviours. After reviewing the existing literature on gay men and tourism, this paper employs qualitative research methods – primarily focus groups, semi-structured interviews …

An Overview Of Youth And Adolescence In Ireland, Kevin Lalor, Áine De Róiste, Maurice Devlin

Books/Book chapters

No abstract provided.

Boy Cultures And The Performance Of Teenage Masculinities, Cliona Barnes

Doctoral

This thesis is a response to negative media and public portrayals of young white working class men in Ireland It is prompted by the emergence into the public sphere of the Department of Education and Science’s Exploring Masculinities programme, a curriculum initiative designed to counter perceived problematic elements of youthful masculinity. This programme initiated a debate in the Irish media on men and boys, and gave a particular Irish dimension to the international focus on issues and questions about masculinity, social class and youth culture. My research seeks to uncover what lies behind increasingly negative and intransigent portrayals of young …

Building Bridges: The Transition From Preschool To Primary School For Children In Ireland, Mary O'Kane

Doctoral

The overarching aim of this study was to provide an information base on the transition from preschool to formal schooling in Ireland, and to improve understanding about how best to support children’s learning during this time. The theoretical framework for the project was based on the ecological systems model of development proposed by Bronfenbrenner. As there was no previous Irish research in this area, the study took an exploratory approach, and drew on a variety of sources to present the perspectives of preschool practitioners, primary school teachers, parents and children themselves. Phase 1 involved a questionnaire being completed by a …

A Decade Of Reflection: Early Childhood Care And Education In Ireland 1996-2006, Noirin Hayes, Siobhan Bradley

Conference Papers

You are welcome to the first seminar in a CSER series intended to consider aspects of early childhood education and care1 [ECEC] from a policy, research and practice perspective and promote discussion and debate. In this introduction to the seminar I want to outline some of the thinking behind the topic for today and present - with limited elaboration - a personal reflection to add to the discussion and debate. In choosing to reflect on the development and impact of early childhood education and care policy in Ireland it is no surprise that the decade 1996 - 2006 should act …

Youth, Governance And The City: Towards A Critical Urban Sociology Of Youth Crime And Disorder Prevention, Matt Bowden

Articles

This article considers the historical and spatial context for the emergence of youth crime and disorder prevention initiatives in Ireland. These initiatives have to be understood in the context of their relationship to the broader ‘urban question’ and in particular the relationship of the peripheral housing estate to the rest of society and the economic sphere. More recent changes in the nature of society and the emergence of a ‘liberal creed’ have resulted in greater use of surveillance technologies for offsetting the opportunities for crime to be committed. In this context, youth crime prevention initiatives must be seen as an …

The International Protean Career: Considerations For Human Resource Management, Marian Crowley-Henry

Conference papers

This paper presents some career patterns from a research undertaking which qualitatively sampled highly educated Western foreign residents in the South of France. In the data collection, their individual career stories were relayed to the researcher from in-depth exploratory interviews. The very personal and individual nature of these careers is underlined in the research findings. The aim of this paper is to share some of the broader findings from the study, which invoke discussion on the wider concerns for career management within the HRM discipline in the future.

Economic, Environmental And Social Performance Of The Irish Tourism Sector: Towards Sustainability, Kevin Griffin, John Carty

Conference papers

Ireland is promoted a clean, green tourism destination, famous for it’s landscape, environment, natural habitats and biodiversity. However, is this image still realistic and is it an image that can be sustained as Ireland develops post 2006? This question is examined through the course of this paper and relevant tourism policies are drawn on to illustrate this issue further.

Over the past decade, Irish tourism has performed quite well and has made a strong contribution to the national economy[1]. An efficient government sector, a competitive air and maritime transport sector, a strong partnership between public and private sector, …

Creating A Framework For A Single European Sky:The Opportunity Cost Of Reorganising European Airspace, Niall Neligan

Articles

The object of this article is to critically evaluate the legal framework for a European Single Sky project in light of the recent European Court of Justice decision in International Air Transport Association v The Department of Transport. The article will examine in detail the framework regulations outlining the major provisions from the recommendations of the Commission's High Level Group in 2000, to the implementation at a micro-level by national authorities of the legislation adopted in 2004. Furthermore, this article will examine whether the savings to air service providers from the Single European Sky project in the long term will …

No Buts! - Researching Children's Consumption, An Exploration Of Conversation And Discourse Analytic Techniques, Olivia Freeman

Conference papers

Contemporary discussion of social research with children revolves around three trends (i) an emphasis on researching children’s ‘experiences’ rather than their ‘perspectives’, (ii) an emphasis on researching ‘with’ children rather than ‘on’ children or ‘for’ children and (iii) a conceptualisation of children as ‘social beings’ not ‘social becomings’. This paper poses questions about how qualitative data is analysed and posits a two-pronged CA/DA (conversation analysis/ discourse analysis) approach as a potential means to enhance richness in qualitative research in the area of children’s consumption phenomena. Drawing on a number of illustrations from an ongoing research project this paper seeks to …

Challenging The Revenue Management Model In City Hotels, Tony Kiely

Other resources

No abstract provided.