Using the contemporary status of the Welsh language in post-16 education and the administration of justice as models, the aim of this article is to identify a paradigm of minority language non-use that arises despite the formal provision of bilingual services and resources. Thereafter, weaknesses in this paradigm will be explored in order to evaluate how existing legislation and policies may be employed in a manner that facilitates a change in linguistic behaviour from that which normalises minority language non-use to one that maximises the opportunities for meaningful linguistic choices.
The Welsh language as a model for breaking the lack of use cycle in the context of minority languages
'Towards the light': Parents’ reasons for choosing Welsh education for their children in Cwm Rhymni
Welsh-medium education has long been seen as an effective language planning tool in order to transmit the Welsh language in Wales. According to the 2001 Census, there has been a substantial increase in the numbers of Welsh speakers 3–15 years old, especially in south–east Wales, since the 1991 Census. The aim of this paper is to elaborate upon this quantitative data by providing qualitative data with regard to the main reasons and incentives for parents to choose this educational option for their children. The study location is Cwm Rhymni, Caerffili county. A combination of quantitative questionnaires and qualitative in-depth interviews were administered amongst parents from the meithrin, primary and secondary school sectors in Cwm Rhymni. The reasons why parents choose this educational system for their children were cultural, educational, economic and personal. However, it is pertinent to note from the outset, that the parents chose Welsh-medium education for their children in this area for mainly cultural reasons, rather than economic reasons which featured heavily in past studies such as research by Williams et al. (1978) on bilingual education in the Rhondda. This study is the first in a larger corpus of work and one that hopes to address the existing lacunae in the Sociology of Language in Wales, especially as there is a lack of Sociology of Language studies through the medium of Welsh in Wales.
The Welsh Government’s plan to introduce a system of presumed consent for organ donation
The Welsh Assembly Government will introduce a system of presumed consent for organ donation in 2015. According to this scheme, if adults in Wales have not expressed their opposition to the use of their organs after their death, and in the absence of opposition from their families, permission to use their organs will be presumed by the authorities. According to the present system, the onus is on the individual to register as a donor, but if this new scheme is implemented, it will be the responsibility of the individual to deregister as a donor. This essay is a legal and ethical evaluation of the proposed changes.
Cyflwyniad yr Athro Gareth Williams ar ysgrifau sydd wedi dylanwadu arno
Mae'r Athro Gareth Williams yn hanesydd disglair, yn arbenigo ar ddiwylliant poblogaidd yng Nghymru yn y 19eg a'r 20fed ganrif. Mae bellach yn Athro Emeritws Prifysgol De Cymru. Yma, mewn darlith a draddododd ym Mhrifysgol Abertawe ar 17 Ebrill 2013, mae'n trafod pa ysgrifau sydd wedi dylanwadu ar ei yrfa.
Cynhadledd Ryngwladol 2014
Yn y casgliad hwn ceir cyflwyniadau o Gynhadledd Ryngwladol y Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, 1-3 Gorffennaf 2014. 'Pa le i'n hiaith mewn Addysg Uwch?' oedd thema'r gynhadledd ac mae'r cyflwyniadau'n ymwneud yn bennaf â pholisi iaith ac addysg yng Nghymru ac Ewrop.
Y Meddwl Modern: Weber – Ellis Roberts
Max Weber is recognised as one of the foremost founders of modern sociology. This volume places him in the tradition of sociology and outlines some of his major contributions: his idea of 'verstehen' or 'sociological imagination', his involvement in the great debate about the relationship between capitalism and the Protestant religion, and his 'ideal types' or definitions of the basics of particular regimes.
Y Meddwl Modern: Marx – Howard Williams
An illustration of the life of Karl Marx: his ideas, the roots of his philosophy and his influence on the world.
Y Meddwl Modern: Durkheim – Huw Morris Jones
Emile Durkheim was the first to hold a university chair in sociology, and his ideas remain of fundamental importance to all who want to understand the origins of the subject. He adopted the image of society as an organism, each part of which has a particular role to play in ensuring the well-being of the whole body. His ideas include an analysis of the social origins of religion, in particular the suggestion that any religious worship is 'worship of society'; its emphasis on what he called 'anomie' as the root of dispute and unrest in the life of an individual and society; and his original and important study of suicide as a social phenomenon. His influence is seen in fields as diverse as criminology on the one hand and literary criticism on the other.
E-lawlyfrau Syniadau Gwleidyddiaeth ('Political Ideas E-books')
Digital resources introducing the core ideas, concepts and principles of Politics.
Be Ddywedodd Durkheim – Ellis Roberts a Paul Birt
Introduction to the ideology of sociologist Emile Durkheim in his own words, translated into Welsh. Durkheim believed that it was possible to create a science to study sociology, and was one of the main founders of modern sociology. According to Durkheim, an individual and his or her actions are controlled by society. He also studied the role of religion in society.