WEEKLY SUPPLEMENT / European library

*** JEAN-LOUIS DEROUET, MARIE-CLAUDE DEROUET-BESSON (Eds.): Repenser la justice dans le domaine de l'éducation et de la formation. Peter Lang (1 Moosstrasse, Postfach 350, CH-2542 Pieterlen. Tel: [phone] - Fax: [phone] - Email: [e-mail] - Internet: http://www.peterlang.com ) and Institut National de Recherche Pédagogique (Lyons. Internet: http://www.inrp.fr ). 'Exploration - Recherches en sciences de l'éducation' series. 2009, 225 pp, €56-70. ISBN 978-3-03911-800-7 and 978-2-7342-1131-0.

The vast majority of the readers of Agence Europe publications are no doubt already experts in questions of education, and some probably have children at school. All Agence Europe's readers have certainly been to school and probably to university as well. They are all involved in the life of society, whether at national and/or European level, and it was a careful choice to select this book to open this issue of European Library because it examines the world in general, and Europe in particular, in the way it is shaped by scientifically enlightened scientific methods. This choice was particularly motivated because European Union action in this field goes much deeper than people might imagine at first sight.

A fundamental question underlies the arguments set out in the book, namely 'What criteria have to be met to ensure that education programmes fulfil the usual meaning of justice?' From the French Revolution onwards, the ideal of justice has often been confused with the aim of equality. In the century before the French Revolution, the notion of equality was fine-tuned and turned into promotion of the notion of equality of opportunity and the introduction of selection methods based on merit that were supposed to eliminate any form of inequality. This quest is reported to have led in turn to a dead-end at the end of the post-war boom in the twentieth century, raising questions that have been at the heart of the political philosophy of education ever since, namely how to work for the interests of everyone across and the board and also the interests of the most able. Clearly, as the editors of this book explain in the introduction, the formation of elites and support for the weakest are two sides of the same coin. In order to embrace both, the English-speaking world invented two new ideas at the end of the last century, namely the aim of equality of outcome which, following reports published in the United States, 'A Nation at Risk' and 'No Child Left Behind,' reawakened interest in the training of elites in order for a country to remain at the head of global competition, this interest being tempered by recognition that social cohesion, like economic efficiency, implies concern for the success of everyone in the light of their skills and possibilities. The second idea is moving from equality to fairness, based on the tradition in the English-speaking world of dealing with poverty in such a manner that one does not give everyone the same thing but rather everyone is given what they need, this only being really practical at the local level. These developments gradually paved the way for the establishment of the 'managerial state' that was supposed to breathe new life into the welfare state and encourage liberal management with the obligation of results for teachers and pupils, competition between education establishments and performance pay for teachers (in line with their pupils' performance)…

The aim of the analysis in this book by historians, psychologists and sociologists of education and the world of work is not to examine the motives of people who introduced liberalism in the belief that they were serving the welfare state. The authors avoid taking such Manichean views. Instead, they aim to carefully unravel the processes by which the change from one model to another occurred, examining the 'curvatures' characterising the present period and asking good questions for the future. This approach enables them to point out that the European Union is a key player in this domain, firstly through its directives that require both competition and positive outcomes for education and training and then, more tangibly still, with the Lisbon Strategy, the lifelong learning programme and the Open Coordination Method that have substantially influenced the way education is changing in the EU. In this connection, Eric Verdier makes a very clear demonstration that the EU certainly does not promise inevitable alignment with a single idea of how education can be used or the choice solely of either education adjusted to meet the needs of management or education which enables people to have a second chance. He discerns in the Member States no fewer than five public action systems characterised by the imprint of diverse education traditions, that can feed into one another through the exchange of best practice without losing their own originality in the search for justice. EU public action clearly deserves the extremes of awe or indignation that it comes in for, which tend to compare it either with an 'agent for the dirty work of neoliberal globalisation, or the impotence of enchanting speech, the prisoner of national egotism and the European Commission's bureaucratic bungling.'

Michel Theys

*** Étudier ou enseigner à l'étranger 2010 - 2011. Wallonie-Bruxelles International (2 place Sainctelette, B-1080 Brussels. Tel: [phone] - Fax: [phone] - Email: [e-mail] - Internet: http://www.wbi.be ). 2009, 178 pp.

Written for young French-speakers in Belgium, this brochure of the 'Communauté Française Wallonie-Bruxelles' would inspire any youngster tempted to move abroad and can be found online at http://www.wbi.be/bourses . It is a guide to grants, scholarships and training courses in various countries, some of which cover the domain of education. Alongside details of Belgian schemes, there is useful information about EU programmes like Comenius, Erasmus, Leonardo da Vinci, Grundtvig, the Jean Monnet Programme, Tempus and Youth In Action, and opportunities provided by other international institutions like the 'Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie,' the Council of Europe and even NATO.

(PBo)

*** JÖRG MICHAEL VOSS: Pluraler Rundfunk in Europa - Ein duales System für Europa? Rahmenbedingungen für den öffentlich-rechtlichen Rundfunk in einer europäischen dualen Rundfunkordnung / Unter Berücksichtigung der Anforderungen der europäischen Meinungs- und Medienfreiheit. Peter Lang (see above). "Studien zum deutschen und europäischen Medienrecht", No. 33. 2008, 383 pp, €52-80. ISBN 978-3-631-57077-7.

This book analyses broadcasting systems in the European Union, focussing on the two-pronged organisation of broadcasting in Germany and other EU Member States. In the light of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, the author examines the legal requirements for public broadcasting in Europe. Structures are constantly changing and the author tries to identify the role that broadcasting plays, and should play, in the European system. Examining the expectations of European public opinion and freedom of the media, the book provides in-depth research into how broadcasting is dealt with at national and EU level, highlighting the problem of power-sharing in this domain.

(EPi)

*** TAMMY BOYCE, JUSTIN LEWIS (Eds.): Climate Change and the Media. Editions Peter Lang (see above). "Climate Change and the Media" series, No. 5. 2009, 261 pp, €22-50. ISBN 978-1-4331-0460-2.

As its title suggests, this book tries to understand how the media deal with the problem of climate change and to discern their influence in the forming of public opinion in this domain. Academics, journalists, sociologists and climate researchers, the authors start by examining the media's responsibility for climate change - difficult to determine given the ephemeral and virtual nature of the evidence - and argue that the media can be seen as bearing a degree of responsibility for climate change given the fact that advertising encourages over-consumption, and this responsibility could well be just as large as that borne by aviation. The second section of the book looks at changes in media coverage of climate change. Sceptics initially ensured that public opinion remained divided over the issue, but most of the media is tending nowadays to validate the views of the majority of the scientific elite. Studies demonstrate the mushrooming of documentaries and television programmes arguing the case for climate change in order to convince public opinion that the issue cannot be ignored. This section of the book also looks at what it describes as 'disinformation' attempts by lobbies sponsored by various industries, similar to the tactics long used by the tobacco industry. Public relations and various forms of communication used to this end are examined in the third part of the book, which looks at the role of non-governmental organisations and the internet. Although they have helped raise public awareness, these public relations campaigns have tended to distort understanding about climate change among the general public. The final part of the book analyses media coverage around the world, pointing out that journalists in the developing world find it difficult to cover the issue because they are so reliant on Western sources for news and subject matter. The book also argues that coverage by the media in China, which tend to react to news from the Western media, is not covered by strict state controls. The book reviews the different approaches taken by European newspapers to climate change issues, setting out lessons that could be applied in other countries.

(NDu)

*** ROBERT KANDEL: Turning the tide on climate change. CEFIC (4 av. Van Nieuwenhuyse, B-1160 Brussels. Tel: [phone]). 2009, 100 pp.

This wonderfully illustrated and mouth-wateringly laid-out book by astrophysicist Robert Kandel, renowned for his skill in explaining science to the public, confirms the relevance of the diagnosis of experts like Dr. Pachauri (who wrote the preface) that greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activity is the main cause of the climate change currently underway in the world. No defeatism, however, in the book, written with the support of an association representing the chemical industry. At present, industry is part of the problem, but can also be part of the solution if innovation is mobilised in the service of a sustainable future. The author argues that there is mobilisation in this direction both in terms of production and in terms of consumption, as can be seen with the interest in energy efficiency. Robert Kandel makes recommendations about how this trend can be made more powerful and how Europe, given its low level of resources, could do better with less by making the most of the skills of its chemists.

(MT)

*** ELOI LAURENT, JACQUES LE CACHEUX: Une Union sans cesse moins carbonée? Vers une meilleure fiscalité européenne contre e changement climatique. Notre Europe (41 bld. Des Capucines, F-75002 Paris. Tel: [phone] - Fax: [phone] - Email: [e-mail] - Internet: http://www.notre-europe.eu ). "Etudes & Recherches" series, No. 74. 2009, 79 pp.

How time flies! It was back in the autumn of 1990 that European Community environment and energy ministers first talked about stabilising emissions of carbon dioxide and in the following months, the European Commission suggested introducing a carbon tax to ensure lasting change in manufacturing and consumption to ensure low-energy and a low carbon footprint. It is good that the European Union was a leader in this domain, but the problem is that the words have not been followed by action. In order to consolidate the EU's relative ecologist advantage, two economists close to the think-tank set up by Jacques Delors suggest in this brief study reforming European taxation to deal with EU carbon trading and also with carbon taxation. The authors argue that this would be advantageous for Europe from the geopolitical, economic and democratic viewpoints, not to mention the fact that it would also provide the EU with a new ideal capable of drawing closer links between the Member States.

(MT)

*** Responsabilité & Environnement. Editions ESKA (12 rue du Quatre-Septembre, F-75002 Paris. Tel: [phone] -Fax: [phone] -Email: [e-mail] -Internet: http: //http://www.eska.fr ). 2009, No. 56, 184 pp, €23. Annual subscription: €81 (France) or €98 (elsewhere). ISBN 978-2-7472-1616-6.

The special report in this issue of this consistently excellent review examines the problem of adapting to climate change.

(PBo)

*** FRIEDRICH LENGER: Stadt Geschichten. Deutschland, Europa und die USA seit 1800. Éditions Peter Lang (see above). 2009, 333 pp, €44-90. ISBN 978-3-631-58855-0.

This book contains thirteen studies of urbanisation and urban development in Germany, Europe and the United States since the nineteenth century. Each chapter gives an overview of cities and their meaning in the region and epoch being studied. The essays come into three categories - economics and demographics, political and administrative, and cultural and societal. Issues addressed range from the problem of the elite in US cities to urbanisation and internal migration in Germany, via the future of European cities and a comparison of cities in different countries.

(EPi)