Heuristic Case Study Research Articles

Does decentralisation promote learning? Local political settlements and education policies in Indonesia

ABSTRACT This article examines the effect of local political settlements on education policies in a decentralised political system. Under what conditions does decentralisation promote learning-enhancing policies? Despite the numerous works on decentralisation and education, little is known about how local politics influences student learning. We develop a novel approach to the politics of education policies by looking at the effect of local political settlements on education policymaking. Using a heuristic case study method comparing three districts in Indonesia, we found that constraints on the discretionary power of the district head over employment decisions in the bureaucracy matter for the development of learning-enhancing policies. Such a constraint can pave the way for the development of the bureaucratic capacity required for local governments to pursue quality-promoting reforms. In the absence of such a constraint, the extent to which district governments will implement learning-enhancing policies depends on district heads’ commitment to learning.

The urban political ecology of the commons or commoning as a socio-natural process: The case of the Peri-Urban Gardening group in Thessaloniki

This paper casts the foundations for the development of an urban political ecology of the commons, drawing on the case of a guerrilla gardening initiative in Thessaloniki, Greece. In doing so, it draws on the literature of urban political ecology and its ontological and epistemological underpinnings and argues for a reconceptualisation of urban commoning as a socio-natural, productive process. Understanding commoning as inherently socio-natural, the product of discursive and material practices, opens new horizons for both academic research and activist engagement in efforts to imagine and build alternative urban futures. The commoning practices of the Peri-Urban Gardening Group of Karatassou, in Thessaloniki, serve as a heuristic case study for the development of a holistic methodological framework that uncovers the equal significance of discursive and material commoning practices and processes.

Branding, Enduring Racial Logic, and Creation of Liturgical Places: Better World Logo as Heuristic Case Study

Branding, Enduring Racial Logic, and Creation of Liturgical Places: Better World Logo as Heuristic Case Study

Gendered insecurities: EU practices in countering violent extremism in Niger

ABSTRACT What kind and whose security is the European Union concerned with in its gender practices in countering violent extremism? This article contributes to the scholarship on EU implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda and gender in countering violent extremism, highlighting shortcomings in the conceptualisation and practice of women’s participation in the security sphere. Taking Niger as a heuristic case study, the paper explores tensions between local gender norms and EU securitised framing of women’s empowerment and gender equality, arguing that women’s increased participation in the security field is tacitly understood in terms of use-value. Building on feminist postcolonial scholarship, the analysis uncovers how women are included and what expectations they are deriving from their engagement, exposing the neoliberal and neocolonial framings of EU intervention and the misunderstandings of women’s materialities. By ontologically flattening women subjectivities without accounting for their intersectional experiences, both patriarchy and global hierarchies of knowledge production are reiterated. In doing so, the EU co-constructs gendered and racialised subjects, thus reinforcing inequalities, silencing local pluralities, and in many cases, aggravating women’s situation of insecurity in Niger. The analysis employs feminist and ethnographic methods, including semi-structured interviews and participant observation.

On the Social Existence of Mental Health Categories: The Case of Sex Addiction

Abstract Mental health categories can circulate in societies regardless of whether they are recognized by medical professionals. This article asks why some labels are adopted en masse to commonly characterize some forms of distress, while other labels remain confined to specialist spheres. Contrasting with many examples of medicalization, “sex addiction” offers a heuristic case study because it was only after its exclusion from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in 1994 that it became widely used to pathologize sexual excess in Western cultures. To understand how this and other categories acquire such popularity, it is necessary to account more explicitly for the multiple social appropriations of these categories within various non-medical fields and examine how they circulate between these fields. Drawing on two years of qualitative data collection from North American and Australian social institutions of non-medical therapy, law, the media, and religion, this article proposes a theoretical and methodological framework for studying the “social existence” of mental health categories such as sex addiction.

Young people’s agency in Zimbabwe’s precarious informal sector

ABSTRACT In Zimbabwe’s ‘new’ dispensation, young people’s agency pertaining to the precarious informal sector and livelihoods has so far received limited attention in youth research, youth literature and social policy of the Global South. This article seeks to reduce lacunae in this regard by exploring their lived experiences, situated meanings and agency, basing on Harare City as the heuristic case study. Against prolonged socioeconomic and political crises, spiralling unemployment and poverty, enduring generational divides and accumulating waithood, the ‘new’ dispensation is yet to deliver on developmental transformation for the benefit of young people. Detached from the general view of young people as passive victims of socioeconomic problems, the article advances them as agentive actors in pursuing livelihood pathways and improving individual and household wellbeing. Improving young people lives should be based on empirical evidence of their diverse situations and agency.

Mutual desecuritization as a model of détente? Foreign policy change in the US-Cuban dyad

In foreign policy dyads characterized by enmity, mutual desecuritization can serve as a crucial asset for détente. But how does “the way out of the emergency mode” function, considering mutual securitizations over decades? Embarking from theoretical insights provided by second generation scholars on securitization and desecuritization studies, the authors generate a theory-based model of détente for dyads. This analytical tool contributes to the study of the dissolution of historically grown, mutual (re-)securitization processes in interstate relations. By clarifying the impact and functioning of the four desecuritizing modes (replacement, silencing, change through stabilization, and rearticulation), our model allows us to trace dynamics of change and assess the sustainability of détente. Especially mutual desecuritization as rearticulation has the potential to substantially change the self-other relation with effects on the social structure of a foreign policy dyad. The heuristic case study of US-Cuban relations serves as a prime example of a complex dyad of enmity which became a subject of change due to the Obama–Castro diplomacy in 2014. The study on US-Cuban foreign policy issues before and after 2014 helps to sharpen our understanding of dynamic securitization and desecuritization processes. The overall analysis demonstrates that the modes of desecuritization during the Obama–Castro diplomacy lifted the process of détente to a new and unprecedented level.

Halal Value Chain in the Holding Business: The Experience of Islamic-based School (Pesantren) in Indonesia

This study constitutes a novel concept that provides a complete analysis of the holding business at an Islamic-based school (Pesantren) and the halal value chain. The halal value chain provides a standard for sharia-compliant production, distribution, or consumption activities. This case study was based in Pesantren Al-Rifa’ie, addressed in Malang East Java Indonesia. This study collected data through interviews, contract data, SOP, financial statements, BMT reports, and observation. The data were analyzed using the heuristic case study. The results showed that the holding business at Pesantren Al-Rifa'ie was in the form of a cooperative since it combines business units. The cooperative has funding, financing, and BMT activities. BMT is profit-oriented through establishing business units. Business units supporting the halal value chain were husbandry, bus rentals, and One Pesantren One Product (OPOP) starting from the input, process, and output. This research strengthens the New Institutional Theory and provides insight into the need for technical requirements to establish the company holding in Pesantren.

Destination Design: A heuristic case study approach to sustainability-oriented innovation

The landscape of research outputs in tourism planning is fragmented and multi-disciplinary. Design as a meta-discipline has the power to integrate sectoral thought and inject creativity, non-linear thought and transdisciplinarity into planning processes, particularly when tackling sustainability challenges. This paper defines Destination Design as a novel framework capable of evolving the concepts of spatial and participatory planning using the design thinking cognitive style to address sustainability paradoxes. The features of Destination Design are explored through the unique case study of sustainability-oriented innovation in the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage Site. Results show that design thinking can be invaluable for pioneering pro-sustainability initiatives. Further, creative forms of engagement might encourage the acceptance and support of local transformations, but are difficult to implement.

The Fight Within: Parent-Educators Advocating for their Children with Autism Inside their Own School Districts

Parents have advocated for the educational rights of their children with disabilities for decades, and more so since the reauthorization of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Advocating for one’s child while working as an employee in the same school district where your child receives special education services comes with unforeseen complexities. Using a heuristic case study approach, this inquiry intended to discern the experiences, barriers, and perceptions of job security of two parent-educators with children with autism. Findings suggest unanticipated experiences and challenges within their dual, parent-educator role as indicated by the theory of responsible advocacy. Perceived employment consequences related to advocating from within the school system are also discussed along with implications for such parent-educators and their role in improving parent–school partnerships in special education.

Making Sense of the Refugee Crisis: Governance and Politicisation of Asylum-Seekers’ Reception in Northern Italy

Challenging and complementing the existing literature on the Italian refugee crisis, this working paper develops an actor-centred approach to open the ‘black box’ of asylum governance processes, showing the constitutive effects of governance on the asylum issue. The approach developed is applied to the case of the Veneto region in Italy during the recent “refugee crisis”, a heuristic case-study that shows the value of the approach developed. The paper, first, investigates the cognitive and environmental mechanisms that shape key actors’ asylum policy decisions. Drawing concepts and ideas from framing and sensemaking theories, it shows that, while there is certainly a strategic element that shapes actors’ policy preferences, there is also a meaningful cognitive component in asylum governance. The analysis reveals, indeed, that actors’ strategies are powerfully shaped by political actors' (different) understandings of public attitudes on migration, rather than by attitudes per se. Secondly, SNA is applied to examine how such understandings are located within and depend upon network relations and to investigate actors’ agency, power and interactions. The analysis shows that local asylum policy outcomes are deeply influenced by the “politics of policy-making”, i.e. by power dynamics and how powerful actors position themselves, behave and mobilise their understandings. Ultimately, the paper sheds light on the interplay between the “regulatory” and the “public reaction” dimensions of the Italian asylum crisis, illustrating the politicisation of asylum governance and the relationship between public attitudes on migration, frame emergence, policy-making, politics and public mobilisations in the active constitution of the Italian asylum crisis.

Understanding the roles of deputy school heads in primary schools in Botswana

The position of deputy school head has in recent years attracted the attention of researchers and debate globally (Cranston, 2007). Deputies, in their individual capacity or collectively working with other members of the school management, perform a variety of tasks that contribute to the day-to-day operation of the school. As would be expected, they work very closely with school heads, who have increased delegation of responsibility to deputy heads (Kwan & Walker, 2008). In Botswana as in other countries, deputy school heads play a very significant role in the management of schools. They are actively involved in a broad range of school responsibilities that include the function of head of academics and those delegated to them by school heads. In spite of the significance of their leadership and management school functions, their perspective of the role and responsibilities they perform have not been subjected to any extensive research. This exploratory study sought the views of primary deputy school heads about their role and responsibilities as members of the school management team. The study adopted heuristic case study design and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. The sample of the study consisted of fifty deputy school heads. Data were analysed inductively using themes. The findings of the study show that they are aware of what their duties entail. The conclusion drawn from the study is that deputy-school heads are overwhelmed with duties that are not part of their job description. The study recommends that their duties be confined mainly to their job description to give them more time to focus on the supervision of teaching and learning, which is their core business. The findings of the study have implications for research and practice.

When a Parent of a Student With a Learning Disability Is Also an Educator in the Same School District: A Heuristic Case Study

Advocating for your child with a disability can be a daunting task for any parent. When the parent is also a school district employee, determining whether advocacy could impact one’s position as an employee becomes inherently problematic. Using a heuristic case study approach, this inquiry’s intent is to understand the experiences, barriers, and perceptions of job security related to advocating from inside the district as a parent–educator of a child with a learning disability. Three themes emerged that describe this parent–educator’s experiences. Findings indicate this parent–educator encountered varied experiences. Specifically, these include experiences that were both positive and challenging in nature, barriers that were not anticipated by the parent–educator, and repercussions related to job security. Implications for practice and future research related to parents of children with disabilities who are also educators are discussed.

Boundaries of belief: religious practices and the construction of ethnic identity in Hui Muslim communities

ABSTRACTThough scholars of ethnicity remark that religion is an important qualifying attribute for membership in an ethnic group, the nature of the relationship between religious faith and ethnic identity requires further exploration. An approach that emphasizes the importance of religious practices in forming and maintaining ethnic boundaries may offer a more complete explanation of the relationship between religion and ethnicity. This article proposes a framework for understanding how religious practices influence ethnic boundary formation and maintenance processes. I propose that religious practices may play a universalizing, negotiating, or differentiating role in influencing the formation and maintenance of ethnic boundaries. To illustrate these various roles played by religious processes, the article presents a heuristic case study of Islamic faith in boundary setting processes in Hui Muslim communities in China.

Functional sustainability indicators

Sustainability indicators (SIs) are not just traditional performance metrics but are value laden pathways to supporting urban development. This paper presents a functional classification for SIs. The following six classes are used to illustrate the various functions of SIs: (F1) Political and Operational; (F2) Problem Recognition and Awareness; (F3) Justificatory; (F4) Monitoring Control and Reporting; (F5) Normative Guidance; (F6) Communication and Opinion Forming. The Houston Sustainability Indicators (HSI) program was used as a heuristic case study of how the functional classification could be applied. F1 was illustrated by carefully choosing geographic boundaries for the study. F2 was highlighted by careful review of the socio-economics of persons in the Food Desert. F3 was demonstrated by a look at issues of calculating population growth totals and also setting standards for access to parks. F4 was illustrated by a look at Employment figures. F5 was highlighted by a look at affordability in Houston. Lastly F6 was explained by a look at income inequality. This paper is intended to strengthen the importance of sustainability in development planning, through the illustration of key functions for SIs.

Family Life Across Borders

Restrictive rules for family unification are in place in a range of European countries today. In response, some persons affected by these rules are mobilizing their European Union (EU) citizenship to bring in a spouse from outside the EU. EU free movement legislation provides extensive protection of family life for mobile citizens enabling them to sidestep or contest national law. This article discusses what such restrictive policies and migrant strategies entail for the economic, sociocultural, and political integration of transnational couples. It develops a dynamic, multidimensional analytics of integration beyond the nation-state. The merits of this approach are then illustrated through a heuristic case study based on narrative interviews with Danish-international couples in the border region of Øresund. I show that while restrictive domestic rules for entry can be a barrier to integration, EU citizenship can help promote inclusion in existing and emerging communities.

Webcams and virtual teams: an impact model

Purpose – The paper aims to address the question, “What is the impact of web-based video via webcams on virtual team trust and effectiveness?” Change and evolution in team perceptions over time are described. The result is the creation of a theoretical model describing the effect of webcams on virtual team development. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative phenomenological heuristic case study was used to explore the individual expectations and experiences of the team members over a six-week period. To strengthen reliability and validity, two qualitative methods, content analysis and constant comparative analysis — a means of grounded theory, were used to both test the historic basis of the existing literature on trust and effectiveness in virtual teams and to explore how the use of webcams influenced the work, interactions and effectiveness of a virtual team. Both qualitative methods involved different pairs of researchers using inter-rater coefficients to address coding reliability and validity. Results from the two methods were then compared and contrasted. Findings – The resulting model highlights the importance of ongoing, formal differentiated training on new technology. This research also suggests careful management of technology change and its deployment to enhance outcomes of various organization forms. Research limitations/implications – Given the nature of the qualitative study, the findings are not generalizable, but may illumine the understanding of webcams and technology adaptation in similar virtual teams. Practical implications – The resulting model highlights the importance of ongoing, formal differentiated training on new technology. This research also suggests careful management of technology change and its deployment to enhance outcomes of various organization forms. The study incorporates Technology Acceptance Theory and applications of the Kirton Adaptation-Innovation Inventory. Originality/value – With the increase in bandwidth on the Internet, technologies such as webcams have become more viable for use in virtual teams.

Sub-state Climate Pioneers: The Case of Scotland

Climate change poses a global challenge, but many of the most ambitious and innovative efforts to confront it have emerged from the sub-state level. While such action has received significant attention in North America, less attention has been paid to European sub-state nations and regions, even though several of these regions are at the forefront of policy efforts to reduce carbon emissions and promote renewable energy. This article begins to fill that knowledge gap. It explores the puzzle as to why, and how, given their more limited scope for policy action, some sub-state governments position themselves as ‘climate pioneers’. The article undertakes a heuristic case study of Scotland, which has developed a particularly ambitious climate change and renewable energy programme. Drawing on public policy literature, we use the case study to consider the extent to which such ambition is enabled by constitutional and fiscal capacity, facilitated by a cohesive policy network, and motivated by economic and political goals. While we find evidence of these enabling features in the Scottish case, we argue that understanding sub-state climate action also necessitates examining such action through the lens of territorial politics. Adopting a territorial perspective highlights the opportunities, constraints and motivations associated with the politics of territorial identity and multi-level government.

How Intense is This Silence? Developing a Theoretical Framework for the Use of Psychodynamic Music Therapy in the Treatment of Selective Mutism in Children with English as an Additional Language: A Heuristic Case Study

Selective mutism (SM) is often referred to as a rare disorder affecting children when they first enter the education system. Current research suggests the prevalence of SM among children with English as an additional language (EAL) is under-reported due to a lack of awareness and resources within schools. Usual treatment of SM in schools in the UK combines a behavioural approach with speech and language therapy. There is a small amount of literature that suggests that music therapy might complement this approach. This article describes a heuristic research case study which aimed to develop theory about the way that music therapy can be used in the treatment of foundation stage (nursery and reception class) children with SM and EAL. Eleven sessions of music therapy with a four-year-old boy with SM and EAL in a UK nursery school were videotaped, and meaningful moments selected and analysed in order to generate themes informing a theoretical understanding of the therapeutic process. A creative synthesis of themes provided a theoretical framework which incorporated key elements of music therapy practice, suggesting that music therapy could be a useful intervention in the treatment of SM.

Social creativity at the coalface: a heuristic case study incorporating non-human agency

The safe operation of an underground coal mine is coordinated in a control room where data from a range of sensory equipment, and indeed, all communication between underground personnel and the surface, is monitored. It is here that response to any emergency is initiated. Specific hazard management plans and emergency procedures will be triggered by any one of a number of automatic or manual alarms. The complex array of information to be processed has the potential to overwhelm the cognitive capacity of the control room operator, particularly in a potentially catastrophic emergency scenario. A proprietary computer software-based system (Nexsys™) uses a rules engine to assist with real time monitoring and response affording control via a single interface. This paper arises from the experience of a designer charged with proposing a user interface design at a specific site, enabling efficient monitoring of prevalent operational conditions and prioritised, context-relevant access to technical documents, procedures and communications. It is a reflective case study account that draws on trans-disciplinary literature in order to theorise the nature of the creativity involved in implementing a user centered design approach. The heuristic analysis, from the perspective of a creative industry practitioner working in an industrial situation not commonly associated with creativity, proposes that Csikszentmihalyi’s (1999) “systems perspective for the study of creativity” be appended to include non-human agency before a convincing account of the sources of creativity involved may be proposed.