Michael Connolly

Discrimination Law provides readers with a detailed yet clear guide to this technical and difficult area of law.

In identifying a number of ‘fuzzy border’ cases (notably where pensionable age, pregnancy, residence, and marriage, are proxies for unlawful discrimination), Equality, Discrimination and the Law argues that the traditional notions of discrimination and victimisation are inadequate to implement equality policy and cannot represent fully the reality of discriminatory practices. When Mr and Mrs James - each aged 61 - went swimming, Mr James was charged for entry, while Mrs James was admitted free. The reason was that the local authority offered free swimming to those of ‘pensionable age’ (at the time, 65 for men and 60 for women). The House of Lords found that Mr James had suffered direct sex discrimination. This majority plurality decision indicated that sometimes a given set of facts does not neatly accord to traditional definitions of discrimination. This in turn encourages the judiciary to shape the law to fit the facts, which results in an inconsistent body of law full of ‘fuzzy borders’. Starting with the James case, this book investigates a number of ‘fuzzy border’ cases in the EU and UK based on nationality discrimination, notions of indirect discrimination, pregnancy and sex discrimination, marriage and sexual orientation discrimination, perceived discrimination, and victimisation. The argument concludes that fixed notions such as ‘direct and indirect discrimination are mutually exclusive’ do not stand up to scrutiny and that it must be recognised that the traditional concepts of discrimination and victimisation do not reflect the reality of practice.This work is essential reading for students, scholars and practitioners in all EU and English-speaking jurisdictions, particularly post-graduates, Policy/Law-makers, and those on dedicated equality undergraduate courses.

In identifying a number of ‘fuzzy border’ cases (notably where pensionable age, pregnancy, residence, and marriage, are proxies for unlawful discrimination), Equality, Discrimination and the Law argues that the traditional notions of discrimination and victimisation are inadequate to implement equality policy and cannot represent fully the reality of discriminatory practices. When Mr and Mrs James - each aged 61 - went swimming, Mr James was charged for entry, while Mrs James was admitted free. The reason was that the local authority offered free swimming to those of ‘pensionable age’ (at the time, 65 for men and 60 for women). The House of Lords found that Mr James had suffered direct sex discrimination. This majority plurality decision indicated that sometimes a given set of facts does not neatly accord to traditional definitions of discrimination. This in turn encourages the judiciary to shape the law to fit the facts, which results in an inconsistent body of law full of ‘fuzzy borders’. Starting with the James case, this book investigates a number of ‘fuzzy border’ cases in the EU and UK based on nationality discrimination, notions of indirect discrimination, pregnancy and sex discrimination, marriage and sexual orientation discrimination, perceived discrimination, and victimisation. The argument concludes that fixed notions such as ‘direct and indirect discrimination are mutually exclusive’ do not stand up to scrutiny and that it must be recognised that the traditional concepts of discrimination and victimisation do not reflect the reality of practice.This work is essential reading for students, scholars and practitioners in all EU and English-speaking jurisdictions, particularly post-graduates, Policy/Law-makers, and those on dedicated equality undergraduate courses.

In 1856, the US Supreme Court denied Dred Scott, now free of slavery, his Constitutional rights, solely because he was black. According to the Court, when the Constitution was drafted, some 60 years earlier, its authors would not have intended that ‘a subordinate and inferior class of beings’ qualified as citizens of the United States. Thus, the meaning of language drafted over half a century before was frozen in time.This case, perhaps more than any other, demonstrates that the matter of statutory interpretation is critical, technical, and, sometimes, highly emotive. The case is not a mere nugget from history to indulge our disgust with values of another age, and with it a satisfaction of our progress to today’s higher moral ground. It is the unfortunate case that the senior courts of England continue to produce highly contentious interpretations of our equality and discrimination laws. This book examines these cases from the perspective of statutory interpretation, the judge’s primary function. The scrutiny finds the judgments technically flawed, overcomplicated, excessively long, and often unduly restrictive. As such, this book explains how the cases should have been resolved – using conventional methods of interpretation; this would have produced simpler, technically sound judgments. Rather like the case of Dred Scott, these were easy cases producing bad law.

In 1856, the US Supreme Court denied Dred Scott, now free of slavery, his Constitutional rights, solely because he was black. According to the Court, when the Constitution was drafted, some 60 years earlier, its authors would not have intended that ‘a subordinate and inferior class of beings’ qualified as citizens of the United States. Thus, the meaning of language drafted over half a century before was frozen in time.This case, perhaps more than any other, demonstrates that the matter of statutory interpretation is critical, technical, and, sometimes, highly emotive. The case is not a mere nugget from history to indulge our disgust with values of another age, and with it a satisfaction of our progress to today’s higher moral ground. It is the unfortunate case that the senior courts of England continue to produce highly contentious interpretations of our equality and discrimination laws. This book examines these cases from the perspective of statutory interpretation, the judge’s primary function. The scrutiny finds the judgments technically flawed, overcomplicated, excessively long, and often unduly restrictive. As such, this book explains how the cases should have been resolved – using conventional methods of interpretation; this would have produced simpler, technically sound judgments. Rather like the case of Dred Scott, these were easy cases producing bad law.

Many young people today yearn to make a positive difference in the world and not just when they re grown up. Presented with an opportunity and support, they have the ability to do that. Alexander the Great, Joan of Arc, Mary Shelley, (author of Frankenstein) and Louis Braille (who created the Braille system), all made a major contribution to society before they were out of their teens. Although young people are idealistic, they have a sincere desire to help those less fortunate than they are in the world. However, the disheartening message that society sends them is, Not yet; you re too young to do anything important right now. The 15 stories of young people from around the world described in Young Enough to Change the World are proof that this message is wrong. Each of these kids and teenagers has made a positive difference in the lives of others. Moreover, most of the projects are still going strong. As you will see, many of the heroes and heroines in this book began with a dream that grew and gained momentum and support in spite of a small beginning. It is remarkable what inspired youngsters and adolescents are capable of accomplishing. The key to their success has been their heartfelt passion and determination. There are genuine heroes of substance in every society often flying under the radar of media exposure, and not a few of them, as the stories in this book demonstrate, are young people whose commitment to helping others is awe inspiring. Fortunately, that commitment bodes well for the future of humanity. The young people whose philanthropic work is recorded here certainly possess the qualities of heroes empathy, self-sacrifice, service, persistence, perseverance and commitment. These young heroes are not content to battle singlehandedly the misfortune and sorrow they see around them. They want an army of courageous young people, as determined as they are, to join them in the work of eliminating human suffering and hardship. They want many others, the young as well as the old, to work with them to make the effort required to bring about a healthier, more peaceful, more equitable world for all of us. Are you ready to join them?"

Since its founding in 1651 on the western shore of the Delaware River, New Castle and its residents have shared in the making of American history. Known as the first capital of the first state, this charming town watched European powers clash over its control; welcomed William Penn when he first set foot on American soil; participated in the drama of the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War; and reaped the benefits of new technologies like the railroad, steam engine, and aviation. Eventually, trade and commerce moved elsewhere, leaving New Castle preserved and intact. Today, the people of New Castle take great pride in their community's heritage and enjoy sharing the story of this National Historic Landmark District with others.

With so much emphasis these days on making students globally competitive and prepared to beat students of other nations on international assessments, and with so much talk about academic rigor and emphasis on rigid accountability measures, we are in danger of losing sight of the most fundamental element of successful teaching and learning — love. Teaching Kids to Love Learning, Not Just Endure It makes the case that if we really want "no child left behind" we must return to the solid foundation on which successful teaching and learning has always rested — the love of teacher for her students (and they for her) and the passion of the teacher for her discipline and her desire to share that passion with her students.

With so much emphasis these days on making students globally competitive and prepared to beat students of other nations on international assessments, and with so much talk about academic rigor and emphasis on rigid accountability measures, we are in danger of losing sight of the most fundamental element of successful teaching and learning — love. Teaching Students to Love Learning, Not Just Endure It makes the case that if we really want 'no child left behind' we must return to the solid foundation on which successful teaching and learning has always rested — the love of teacher for her students (and they for her) and the passion of the teacher for her discipline and her desire to share that passion with her students.

A leader's position can be a lonely one even in the best of times. A school leader faces many challenges —some of them daunting. Principals and other school leaders benefit from good mentors, but now that many established principals are reaching retirement age a good mentor may be hard to find. What They Never Told Me in Principals School attempts to fill the gap left by an absence of mentors. Drawing upon his many personal experiences as a principal in urban, suburban and rural schools in the USA as well as his work in a variety of international schools, Mike Connolly shares with leaders what they need to know in order to develop, be successful and feel fulfilled in the important work of educating the students of the next generations.

Debunking the Taboo of TruancyDon't Fence Me In: Essays on the Rational Truant makes the iconoclastic assertion that most truancy stems from rational decisions made by students facing adverse circumstances in school This unique and engaging take on truancy rejects the assertion that all acts of truancy are linked to deviancy and anti-social behaviour. While the book's aim is not to absolve young people from accountability, it shows that structural weaknesses in the state-supported school system play a significant role in truancy from class and school.The book consists of a series of essays which seek to explain and understand truancy rationally, and dismantle existing narratives surrounding truancy. Many of the contributors report on recent research including the relation of teaching style to truancy, the incidence of truancy as a function of ethnic group and linguistic proficiency, the student as consumer and the importance of establishing a literate order to decrease truancy rates. Other essays in the collection are more speculative, offering a theoretical assessment of political attitudes to truancy.Don't Fence Me In makes essential reading for anyone with an interest in today's schooling system. It offers a fascinating and insightful exploration into one of schooling's biggest taboos.

This textbook introduces students to the fundamental workings of business and finance in the global economy. It brings clarity and focus to the complexities of the field and demonstrates the key linkages between the foreign exchange markets and world money markets.Core topics examined include: corporate aspects of international finance, with special attention given to contractual and operational hedging techniques the mechanics of the foreign exchange markets the building blocks of international finance the optimal portfolio in an international setting. Michael Connolly also provides up-to-date statistics from across the globe, relevant international case studies, problem sets and solutions and links to an online PowerPoint presentation. International Business Finance is an engaging and stimulating text for students in undergraduate and MBA courses in international finance and a key resource for lecturers.

This textbook introduces students to the fundamental workings of business and finance in the global economy. It brings clarity and focus to the complexities of the field and demonstrates the key linkages between the foreign exchange markets and world money markets.Core topics examined include: corporate aspects of international finance, with special attention given to contractual and operational hedging techniques the mechanics of the foreign exchange markets the building blocks of international finance the optimal portfolio in an international setting. Michael Connolly also provides up-to-date statistics from across the globe, relevant international case studies, problem sets and solutions and links to an online PowerPoint presentation. International Business Finance is an engaging and stimulating text for students in undergraduate and MBA courses in international finance and a key resource for lecturers.

This book examines the change management strategies and processes employed to ensure that the Labour Government's commitment to devolution became a reality in Wales. It is an account of constitutional, cultural, organizational and human change set within a dynamic political context and is based on unprecedented research access to devolution papers and the politicians and civil servants concerned with the changes.

'Chris James, Michael Connolly, Gerald Dunning and Tony Elliott have produced a comprehensive analysis of the very effective primary school. Although the research for the book draws on the authors' experiences in Welsh Primary Schools, the range of literature cited and the analytical frameworks employed ensure that their findings have a much broader relevance. They define 'a very effective' school as one that provides high levels of attainment and rich educational experiences despite being located in extremely challenging circumstances. A key insight of the book is that although these schools are consequently 'extraordinary' their practice was in many ways quite 'ordinary'. This is because these schools worked in much the same way as the very best of schools have always done. In many ways, this as the authors note, is an optimistic message – that all children deserve to be educated in such very effective schools. The virtue of How Very Effective Primary Schools Work is that it makes clear those characteristics and strategies that can help every school to become great' - David Hopkins, HSBC iNet Chair of International Leadership, and formerly Chief Adviser on School Standards to the Secretary of State 2002-2005 'All children, especially the poorest, deserve capable, mature and well adjusted teachers and leaders who work together to lay firm foundations of learning and behaviour, then enrich and elevate everyone's learning far beyond that in optimistic cultures of security, persistence and hope. Based on solid research from 18 outstanding schools in challenging circumstances, this is the vital message of this important and unique book. Chris James and his colleagues show that highly effective schools need high functioning adults and communities who expect and get the best from everyone, dedicate themselves to others without burning themselves out, are not frightened of challenges and contradictions, stay around to fulfil their obligations to others and see their efforts bear fruit, and are emotionally comfortable in their own skin. If you want to become more effective as a school you will need to become more effective and adjusted as a teacher, a leader and an all-round human being. This inspiring and indispensable book, will stir and steer all who read it in that educationally essential quest' - Andy Hargreaves, Thomas More Brennan Chair in Education, Boston College All good teachers and headteachers are concerned with improving pupil attainment. In high attainment schools, they must recognize how to sustain success. In schools with low attainment levels, they must come to understand the challenges they face and find ways of overcoming the difficulties. This practical, research-based book describes the key approaches used by very effective schools. The authors explain how success can be achieved and maintained and describe ways of working that bring about high levels of pupil attainment. They also explain why these ways of working are successful. This book is essential reading for headteachers, teachers, students of educational leadership and management, school governors, and those who work in local authorities.

The fourteen papers presented in this volume are thought-provoking studies of the economic adjustment of Latin America to the difficult external environment of the 1980s. The anthology evolved out of a group of papers presented at the Third Dominican Republic Conference on International Debt and Adjustment in 1986. A number of the papers were updated and are presented here along with new ones written especially for this collection. The debt problems of Latin America form the background for the analyses undertaken by the articles in the book. The articles go beyond description of the debt problems to offer insights on the more fundamental long-range problems facing policy makers in the region. Positive analyses into the nature of the adjustment process and insights into future institutional changes that could improve the functioning of the Latin American economies highlight the book.The papers are divided into major topics of concern. The transmission of external shocks to the region and instability to the financial markets are covered. Fiscal constraints, labor market adjustment, exchange rates, and the political economy of adjustment as each relates to the external shocks of the 1980s are investigated. A major essay by Montague Lord shows Latin American potential to reap substantial gains by pursuing policies to encourage expansion of its resource-based comparative-advantage activities. The essays in Latin American Debt and Adjustment provide a starting point for the consideration of some of the deeper problems that need to be addressed by any meaningful attempt to improve the market-oriented economies of the region.

Great economic change is now occuring and will continue to occur in Latin America. This study analyzes the economic problems of the Latin American nations and sketches possible solutions to them. The focus is on positive economic analysis rather than normative political analysis. The contributors to this volume first analyze common economic and monetary problems of the Latin American nations and then suggest possible frameworks for solutions. Problems discussed include: floating exchange rates, peso speculation, real exchange rates, exchange rate reform, optimal tariff policies, economic liberalization in LDCs, financial markets and income distribution, external shocks, the Latin American debt problem, and microfoundations of financial liberalization.

A concise, yet complete study of the theory of international trade and foreign lending. The author discusses two of the major models used to discuss trade: the Theory of Comparative Advantage, and the Heckscher-Ohlin model. Connolly presents empirical tests of both theories, and then moves on to discuss, gains from trade and protectionist vs. free trade arguments and applies the basic trade model to international lending.