Programme full

Friday 17 April 2015 09:00 - 10:30
ROUNDTABLE SESSIONS
Bourdieu, Mathematics Teacher Education, and Survival of the Fit
Nolan, K.
(University of Regina)
Drawing on the conceptual tools of Bourdieu's social field theory and social practice networks, this presentation takes
up the issue of mathematics teacher education field (practicum) experience. The presentation is based on a research
program aimed at reconceptualizing teacher education by troubling the discursive network of relations that are
perpetuated through traditional notions of teacher education programs as places to 'train' and 'prepare' new teachers.
This presentation constructs a social practice and graph theory network analogy to analyse data from self-study
research on the role of a mathematics teacher educator as faculty advisor 'in the field'. The analogy introduces a
unique and playful way to conceptualize how networks of social relations—embodied through Bourdieu's thinking tools
of habitus, field, capital, and doxa— feature prominently in (re)constructing the field of teacher education, and token
faculty advisors within. Through reflection on the research presented, I disrupt the storylines and pathways sustaining
the current network of relations in the field, working to reveal their arbitrary and contingent nature in the acts of
producing new teachers in the image of traditional habitus-field 'fits'. In doing so, I also highlight in the self study data
my own 'survival of the fit' as a faculty advisor.
Sociology of Religion
ROUNDTABLE 26, CONFERENCE HALL, HAMISH WOOD BUILDING
Impact of Religious Beliefs on Political Orientations in Russia
Vdovichenko, L.
(Russian State University for the Humanities)
This paper presents a sociological analysis of the linkages between religious beliefs and political practice. Spiritual
values have been identified as one of the significant elements that shape people's trust of political authority in various
societies and secure legitimization of political decisions, especially in crisis periods. Growing interest to conservative
(religious) values in Russia could change the context of political discourse and conditions in which conventionally
political decisions are considered and made. However the question about readiness of Russian people to such
transformation of their political culture needs more profound analysis. From one side we reveal the signs of increasing
importance of religious traditions and beliefs for politics. From the other side the paper focuses on the contradictions
between levels of nominal confidence in the Church and real observance of religious rules. Analyzing such
contradictions is necessary for a better understanding of the prospects of future development of political culture. The
second problem of my research is case study of political orientations of young Catholics in Russia. The data is taken
from surveys and religion samples conducted by Russian Fond of Public Opinion, and face to face and on line
interviews given by young Catholics in Moscow from 2012 to 2014. Analyzing these materials, I investigated haw
religious beliefs and spiritual values impact on political culture of Russian people. My findings helped to formulate
some assumptions and hypotheses haw use these linkages in politics. My paper aims to provide possible support for
an outlook of the political situation in Russia.
Blood Donation, Weber and Salvation
Mahon-Daly, P., Smith, K.
(Buckinghamshire New University)
This paper looks at the reasons why people donate blood, especially where they do this on a long term and /or regular
basis. Why do people make this sacrifice—of their time and in fact even of their own blood—when this involves some
inconvenience to themselves and even mild but repeated pain? One possible answer to this question is provided by
Max Weber's concept of 'salvation' . Weber's concept of salvation is considered in detail and two major categories of
donors are identified: those who donate because at some time in their lives they have been involved in an accident,
received a blood donation as a result of this accident, and feel that they must give something back to the institution
which saved their lives [literally 'saved' them], and a second group who do so purely to obtain a feeling of grace this
life / this world by doing 'good works'.
The paper identifies new reasons behind percieved altruistic blood donation.
BSA Annual Conference 2015 252
Glasgow Caledonian University