There are many theories on how these processes work, ranging from rational choice approaches to arguments influenced by Marxism. In this post, I will introduce you to one influential approach, called discourse theory. What this theory is about, and what a discourse actually is, is not always easy to understand: This post is meant to help you if you are new to the field and want to get your bearings.
The Obstacle in our Path In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the kirig's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.
Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road.
After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway.
The peasant learned what many of us never understand. Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.
Frog in a Milk-Pail A frog was hopping around a farmyard, when it decided to investigate the barn. Being somewhat careless, and maybe a little too curious, he ended up falling into a pail half-filled with fresh milk.
As he swam about attempting to reach the top of the pail, he found that the sides of the pail were too high and steep to reach. He tried to stretch his back legs to push off the bottom of the pail but found it too deep. But this frog was determined not to give up, and he continued to struggle.
He kicked and squirmed and kicked and squirmed, until at last, all his churning about in the milk had turned the milk into a big hunk of butter. The butter was now solid enough for him to climb onto and get out of the pail! One day a wealthy father took his son on a trip to the country so that the son could see how the poor lived.
They spent a day and a night at the farm of a very poor family. When they got back from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip? We have a pool that reaches to the middle of the garden; they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lamps in the house; they have the stars.
Our patio reaches to the front yard; they have the whole horizon. His son then added, "Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are!
He had lost an important sale. In discussing the matter with the Sales Manager, the young man shrugged. It's to make him thirsty. He was about to give a student a zero for his answer to a physics question, while the student claimed a perfect score.
The instructor and the student agreed to an impartial arbiter, and I was selected. I read the examination question: The length of the rope is the height of the building.
On the other hand, if full credit were given, it could well contribute to a high grade in his physics course and to certify competence in physics, but the answer did not confirm this. I suggested that the student have another try.
I gave the student six minutes to answer the question with the warning that the answer should show some knowledge of physics. At the end of five minutes, he had not written anything. I asked if he wished to give up, but he said he had many answers to this problem; he was just thinking of the best one.
I excused myself for interrupting him and asked him to please go on. In the next minute, he dashed off his answer which read:Jan 31, · Nel Noddings, the ethics of care and education, Nel Noddings is well known for her work around the ethics of caring, however, she has also added significantly to theory and practice more broadly in education.
Apr 05, · If relative inequality is the underlying reason behind everything wrong in society, do we stop comparing the freedoms & rights Americans have versus the.
Mar 30, · Please review the FAQs and contact us if you find a problem. If you prefer more offline work, we have the reading and vocabulary from this course in book form.
Daily Progress Chart Materials: Basic Supplies List Spiral notebook or lined paper in a separate section of . In this stunning new book, Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual journey through the world of "outliers"--the best and the brightest, the most famous and the most successful.
Thesis The debate over the issue of whether or not American citizens have the undisputed right to bear arms is a controversy that has been brought up many times dating back to the late s.
Dec 18, · It's time for a Christmas break here at the Whisperer. This short pause is a good time to take stock of the year.
Far from slowing down with age, the statistics show that the Whisperer is still going strong.
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