Kepa Artaraz

The wrong person for the job? Professional habitus and working cultures in connexions

A paradigmatic shift has taken place in the underlying principles that have, in the past, informed the provision of careers education and guidance (CEG) in the UK. The root cause has been a policy transition to a new service model that emphasizes the importance of CEG as part of New Labour’s social inclusion agenda. This article reflects on this policy transition and, using the Connexions service as a case study, explores some aspects of its effects on professional identities of Connexions personal advisers (PAs) through a Bourdieusian framework. The article argues that a new, externally imposed context and service discourse can affect the various ‘communities of practice’ that operate under the Connexions service. The article also questions policy attempts to create generic forms of professionals for the delivery of future welfare services.

Suma qamaña in Bolivia Indigenous Understandings of Well-being and Their Contribution to a Post-Neoliberal Paradigm

In recent decades there has been increasing interest in academic, governmental, and nongovernmental circles worldwide in developing universal definitions of well-being. Governments have progressively shifted their policies on this concept and are currently engaged in improving the well-being of their populations. Bolivia’s concept of suma qamaña (living well together) is broader than “well-being,” emphasizing the importance of harmonious relations between nature and human beings and providing an important link to sustainability that current conceptions of well-being fail to make. Exploring the concept is highly relevant at this historical moment because the Morales government is engaged in a wide-ranging process of social transformation to implement it. Its translation into public policy and the adoption of a development model consistent with it have proved problematic. While the introduction of the concept into the National Development Plan, the new constitution, and the Law of Mother Earth has addressed the need to move from individualized understandings of well-being to collective ones, the government has not overcome the conflict between growth-driven approaches and sustainability that is inherent in all its legislation. Moreover, understandings of the concept are constantly being negotiated and transformed, calling for an understanding of it that is rooted in people’s practices and beliefs rather than in theoretical constructions. En las últimas décadas ha habido un creciente interés en los círculos académicos, gubernamentales y no gubernamentales de todo el mundo en el desarrollo de las definiciones universales de bienestar. Los gobiernos han cambiado progresivamente sus políticas en este concepto y se dedican actualmente a la mejora del bienestar de sus poblaciones. Concepto de suma qamaña (vivir bien) de Bolivia es más amplio que el “bienestar,” enfatizando la importancia de las relaciones armoniosas entre la naturaleza y los seres humanos y proporcionando un vínculo importante con la sostenibilidad que las concepciones actuales de bienestar no pueden hacer. Explorar el concepto es muy relevante en este momento histórico, porque el gobierno de Morales está involucrado en un amplio proceso de transformación social para implementarla. Su traslación en las políticas públicas y la adopción de un modelo de desarrollo coherente con ella han demostrado ser problemático. Si bien la introducción de este concepto en el Plan Nacional de Desarrollo, la nueva Constitución, y la Ley de la Madre Tierra ha abordado la necesidad de pasar de entendimientos individuales de bienestar a los colectivos, el gobierno no ha superado el conflicto entre los enfoques impulsados por crecimiento y la sostenibilidad que es inherente a toda su legislación. Por otra parte, las comprensiones del concepto están siendo constantemente negociados y transformados, reclamando una comprensión que está enraizada en las prácticas y creencias de las personas y no en las construcciones teóricas.

New Latin American networks of solidarity? ALBA’s contribution to Bolivia’s National Development Plan (2006–10)

The term ‘network’ has become prominent in many areas of public policy, including international development and global social policy. In these subject areas it is generally used to refer to the mechanisms by which those levels of governance that extend beyond the state can transmit influence and ideas, exercising power and shaping economic, political and social change. This article explores the role played by the Latin American solidarity network represented by ALBA in Bolivia’s National Development Plan, particularly in the areas of health and education. The article argues that ALBA offers a new perspective from which to understand this process of international solidarity, its effects in Bolivia’s development and the creation of a new post-neoliberal paradigm in human development.

Cuba and western intellectuals since 1959

A New Political Dawn: The Cuban Revolution in the 1960s Cuba: The Myth and the Reality of an Original Revolution Who Cared About the Cuban Revolution Then and Who Cares Now? Geopolitics and Race: The Cuban Revolution and the US New Left British Intellectuals and the Cuban Revolution: Neutralism or Revolution? French Intellectuals and Cuba: A Revolutionary Working Model? Cuba and the Third World: Evolution of a Concept and a Relationship The New Left: Activists or Intellectuals? Conclusion: Cubas New Dawn

Going Full Circle?: Integrating Provision for Young People in the Connexions Service

Welfare initiatives introduced by New Labour have emphasised the integration of service provision by sponsoring the creation of new professional roles and by promoting closer interagency links. The Connexions service exemplifies these two levels of integration. This article argues that the process of integration in Connexions was limited and it offers two main types of explanations. The first set concentrates on the changes brought to the professional role of Connexions workers. The second uses the example provided by interagency links between schools and the Connexions service in order to explore the role played by power relations to explain limitations to integration. The article concludes with a consideration of some of the effects brought about by Youth Matters and by the introduction of Childrens Trusts on the provision of services for young people in the future.

Pension reform in Bolivia: two models of income security in old age

Since the 1980s, two alternative approaches for financing and organizing pensions for older people have emerged across developing regions. These are: (1) contributory schemes, taking the form of capitalized individual accounts, usually managed by private firms; (2) government funded non-contributory “social pensions” provided on either a means-tested or universal basis. Both these approaches are influential in Latin America, where they have often come to replace long-standing defined benefit schemes. Indeed, Chile was a pioneer of the first approach, implementing a reform in 1980, and it continues to be seen as a model for pension reforms in countries as diverse as Nigeria and India. Since the 1960s, Brazil has developed a substantial social pension programme which runs alongside contributory schemes for protected workers. More recently, social pension programmes have become more widespread in Latin America, including new and enlarged schemes in Mexico, Colombia and Argentina.

The French New Left and the Cuban Revolution 1959–1971: Parallel Histories?

This article revisits the reception given to the Cuban Revolution by the French New Left in the 1960s. It does so by describing the dominant currents of the French New Left and the various attractions that the Revolution held for it throughout the decade. The article argues that the reasons for the New Lefts continuing interest in Cuba changed during the 1960s in ways that mimicked Cubas own development. In addition, the article argues that two key concepts dominated the New Lefts interest in Cuba. The first was the issue of the Third World, which Cuba represented, whereas the second was the question of the intellectual. The eventual distancing of the French New Left from Cuba was compounded by failure to find a resolution to these definitions.

Vivir bien, entre utopía y realidad

Resumen es: Los paradigmas dominantes del bienestar siguen empenandose en entender lo que este termino significa. De igual manera, los disenadores de politicas publi...

Climate Change and the Environment

The world is facing huge challenges in realising the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Enabel wants to contribute with its experience and expertise in five specific domains: Peace and Security, Climate Change and the Environment, Social and Economic Inequality, Urbanisation, and Human Mobility. In our search for adapted solutions we take into account the inevitable ongoing population explosion and we strongly believe in empowering women and youths.