This article provides a conceptual reformulation of Merton's scientific ethos widely known by the acronym CUDOS (i.e. communism, universalism, disinterestedness and organised scepticism). While Merton perceived the threat to the autonomy of science as coming from "outside" the walls of academe, mainly in the form of nationalism and…

This paper examines the design of school buildings in the last decade of the Portuguese dictatorship (1964-1974) and its relationship with the country's educational policies, geared towards the objectives of industrialisation and economic growth. It also considers the economic constraints placed on the building of schools, the technical and…

In England, 'Virtual Schools' oversee and support the educational progress of children in care. This paper reports on the analysis of 16 interviews with Virtual School headteachers that were part of two mixed methods research projects on the educational progress of children in care. These interviews explored their role; the types of support they…

In 2002 Michael Bloomberg took office as Mayor of New York City and, over the next 12 years of his administration, oversaw a series of sweeping reforms in order to "fix" the broken education system which he believed he had inherited. This paper details the key policy reforms in New York City's public school system during this period,…

This paper explores the changing relationships between the UK government, its research councils and universities, focusing on the governing, funding and organisation of doctoral training. We use the Doctoral Training Centres (DTCs) funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) as a prism through which to study the shifting nature of…

The article reviews the roles played by the Department of Education and the National Research Foundation in South Africa in defining the meaning of scholarship and in evaluating and funding it. The ideas that inform policy and practice include: the view that scholarship must serve the requirements of the national economy in becoming more globally…

This contribution provides a brief endpiece to the Special Issue in honour of Harry Judge from the point of view of a journalist active over much of the period discussed. It focuses particularly on two papers concerned with teacher training in the UK and USA.

An account is given of the development of a distinctive set of education policies in Wales after devolution of power in 1999. In contrast to policies in England that emphasised consumer choice concerning accountability, and central state "support" of the profession, Wales chose a more "producerist" paradigm that emphasised…

Although the famous Blair mantra "education, education, education" was applied by his government mainly to the compulsory education sector, there was no shortage of initiatives in Higher Education (HE). The scene was set by the Dearing Report in 1997 which effectively determined the direction of Blair's first term. The second term…

While faith schools have always been an integral part of the English state-maintained system of education, during Tony Blair's period as Prime Minister there was a distinct encouragement of the sector. This article assesses the long-term effects of such support. (Contains 1 table.)

From his very earliest days in office, Tony Blair believed that if he was to achieve his broader educational reforms then the teaching profession itself needed modernising--it had to become a "21st century profession". This paper charts the background to this aspiration and the complex range of interrelated policies used to achieve that…

Reviews three new books by Croom Helm on international adult education and issues confronting it today. States that each of the books is written from a very different perspective and focuses on different aspects of adult education. (Author/BSR)

Why was Oxford the home of the mandarin and why has the era of the mandarin come to an end? The era of the mandarin was inaugurated by T. H. Green, who sought, through the gospel of citizenship, to provide a philosophy for an age of religious doubt. Green's moralism served in Oxford as a substitute for the social sciences, which came to be…

This article examines the cyclical nature of government policy vis-a-vis work-related learning. First, it looks at the purposes and types of work-related learning which exist in the 14-19 educational phase. Second, it describes the policy history surrounding work-related learning, highlighting policy emphasis on recurring themes such as enterprise…

Questions the degree to which it is appropriate to consider the public and private schools of the United Kingdom as independent. Presents data on the Assisted Places Scheme, changes in tax regulations for charities, and other ways in which the government has given financial and ideological support to independent schools. (Author/BSR)