The Italian Middle School in a Deregulation Era: Modernity through Path-Dependency and Global Models

Autor/in	Mincu, Monica E.
Titel	The Italian Middle School in a Deregulation Era: Modernity through Path-Dependency and Global Models
Quelle	In: Comparative Education, 51 (2015) 3, S.446-462 (17 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0305-0068
DOI	10.1080/03050068.2015.1033249
Schlagwörter	Middle School Students; Cultural Influences; Educational Administration; Governance; Decision Making; Models; Educational Policy; Ethnography; Teacher Role; Social Systems; Welfare Services; Educational History; Comparative Education; Global Approach; Educational Change; Foreign Countries; Italy + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Middle school; Middle schools; Student; Students; Mittelschule; Mittelstufenschule; Schüler; Schülerin; Cultural influence; Kultureinfluss; Bildungsverwaltung; Schuladministration; Schulverwaltung; Education; Educational policy; Financing; Steuerung; Bildung; Erziehung; Bildungspolitik; Finanzierung; Decision-making; Entscheidungsfindung; Analogiemodell; Politics of education; Ethnografie; Lehrerrolle; Social system; Soziales System; Fürsorgeeinrichtung; History of education; Bildungsgeschichte; Vergleichende Erziehungswissenschaft; Globales Denken; Bildungsreform; Ausland; Italien
Abstract	In the current context of intensified moves towards educational deregulation, the configuration of the Italian middle school and its relationship to education governance is an interesting case. Historically, it represents a unique example of the successful "decision-making" model of the welfarist era. Despite some internal constraints, at the end of the 1970s it was considered a progressive model of schooling for its time. At present, however, internal institutional processes and path-dependencies have rendered its comprehensiveness relatively formalised and weak. A key finding of this article is that ideas, such as the "two people" theory, have played a crucial role in shaping actors' strategies and goals, while references to world models, in particular the English model, have mediated the reception of global policies. Cultural factors, such as the role played by families, are deeply linked to structural issues and inequalities. An ethnographic account depicts a welfarist institution whose internal processes and links to the wider society may be seen as an example of Italian modernity that "speaks for itself". Fieldwork clarifies the role of the teachers in mediating a path-dependent and cultural reproduction pattern. I argue that partial deregulation is a major source of inequalities at the middle school level, engendered by both new and old mechanisms, which further intensifies a selective path in education. This analysis will show how global deregulation trends meet local and enduring path-dependencies. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01