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John F. Kerry United States Senator If we are to reinvigorate and reinforce civic participation in this country at a time when our society is increasingly fragmented and highly technologically based, we must find a way to unite distinct communities, such as universities, regional and non-profit organizations, and families. We must find ways to link academicians, students, teachers, and professionals with the reality of events and circumstances so that theories and ideas mightily pursued within the "ivory tower" are connected to social reality and useful. As the editors and contributors in this volume point out, the way to bridge theory/practice divide is not merely to interpret and report on circumstances of the real-world; but rather, to deconstruct the separate and distinct communities that exist within our society and actively engage other communities to realize a continuum of mutual understanding, collaboration, and action. It is crucial to include our nation's public schools in this new approach of social inquiry and social action. Improving and creating educational opportunity for all children in the United States has been an ongoing critical federal issue. We know that when children achieve in school they have a much greater chance of living healthy, productive adult lives that will benefit themselves and society, and we know that increasing the base of stakeholders in children's education yields those positive results.
List of contents
1. Engaging New Forms of Social Inquiry and Social Action.- 2. From Data Raider to Democratic Researcher: Learning to Become an Academic-Activist with the Merrimack Valley Project.- 3. Transforming Universities to Sustain Outreach Scholarship: A Communiqué from the Front.- 4. What Is Sacred in a Secular University? A Scenario for the Next Century.- 5. Transforming Social Science: Integrating Quantitative, Qualitative, and Action Research.- 6. Seven Years of Participant Research in a Transforming Community School.- 7. Developing Interprofessional Community in Collaborative Settings: Understanding and Refining the Lawyer's Role.- 8. Seeking Social Justice: A Teacher Education Faculty's Self Study.- 9. The Challenge of Creating a Community of Inquiry Among Scholar-Consultants Critiquing One Another's Theories-In-Practice.- 10. Service-Learning as a Vehicle in Training Psychologists for Revised Professional Roles.- 11. Action Learning in Leadership for Change: Partnership, Pedagogy, and Projects for Responsible Management Development.- 12. Leadership and Lawyering: Learning New Ways to See Juvenile Justice.- 13. The Call to Bridge Knowledge and Action: The Response of the Boston College Doctoral Program in Organization Transformation.- 14. Practice, Participatory Research and Creative Research Designs: The Evolution of Ethical Guidelines for Research.
