This article argues that while notions of collective leadership, such as distributed or shared, are nominally more inclusive, barriers to inclusive ways of thinking about and relating to one another will be multi-faceted (past and present) and formidable to change. This argument emanates from a critical review of research literature and an…

This article arose from the author's experiences as a researcher exploring children's reactions to their parents' separation. Between 1999 and 2004, the author undertook to find out what a sample of Australian children thought of their abilities to participate in decisions that directly affected them following family breakdown. Before beginning…

This paper considers the implications of current notions of the learning city. It argues that popular neoliberal ideologies create an environment in which lifelong learners strive for the learning city as an end product, both in production and for consumption, rather than embrace it as a living, social context. The rhetoric of the knowledge…

In the last 15 years, agri-environmental programmes in Australia have been underpinned by a neoliberal regime of governing which seeks to foster participation and "bottom-up" change at the regional level at the same time as encouraging farmers to become entrepreneurial and improve their productivity and environmental performance without…

Young children's views are heard rarely in public debates and are often subordinated to adults' views. This article examines how early childhood staff could support and enhance young children's participation in public decision making. We argue that when early childhood staff use their expertise in young children's physical, social and cognitive…

Discusses the decentralization of educational administration in Victoria. Examines the change from central to local selection of principals as a possible example of more democratic structures where greater collaboration and participation have been incorporated into the decision-making process. (53 references) (MLF)

Steps for implementing team management in libraries are discussed in the first of four articles. The second reviews the use of quality circles in librarianship, the third describes the implementation of self-management teams in technical services, and the fourth discusses nominal group technique as a team development tool. (CLB)

Educational administrators have the power to determine the nature of decision-making structures and processes within their institutions and the extent to which decisions are implemented. This paper reviews assumptions underlying decision-making structures and processes established by school administrators; examines potential individual motives…

Issues raised by the devolution of decision-making to the school level in Western Australia are described in this paper. The first part provides a background of governance structures and school organization. Prior to 1980, Western Australia had the most centralized system of educational administration in Australia. The second part describes the…

This interview with Dianne Roberts, director of the Minimbah Aboriginal Preschool in Armidale, New South Wales (Australia), explores research issues, leadership styles, and how decision making and responsibilities are handled at Minimbah. Incoming researchers must show how research will benefit the community under study, how they will work in…

Criticizes James S. Kaminsky's position that a 1970 memo by A. W. Jones, then South Australian Director General of Education--which prescribed administrative decentralization in the region's school systems--brought about the democratization of those systems. (MCG)

Rebuts Alan Smithson's critiques of the author's prior position that a 1970 memo by A. W. Jones, then South Australian Director General of Education--which prescribed administrative decentralization in the region's school systems--brought about the democratization of those systems. (MCG)

Australian and American universities contrast instructively in the degree to which faculties participate in their governance. Although faculties have long attempted to gain authority in American universities and participate substantially today in Australian universities, the former are, and the latter are becoming, dominated by external…

There are clear signs that community learning is the way to a more sustainable future for Australian communities, especially rural ones. There are also indications that policymakers now recognize that the people who live in communities should play an important role in determining the future of their own communities. Policy must use the best…

Smyth introduces this special issue with the claim that the question of "how to pursue forms of leadership that listen to and attend to the voices of...young people" is the "most urgent issue of our times". Dana Mitra's article describes what seem to be serious and elaborate attempts to involve students in school…