Synopses & Reviews
This is the very first book to look at scouting worldwide and explain in a comprehensible way the largest youth movement on the planet, with a presence in over 165 countries on 5 continents. Based on the first academic research on world scouting, it covers the history of boy and girl scouting from its origins to the present, its structure and recognition policy, and its role in developing ideas of global citizenship and belonging. Using new data and storytelling, Eduard Vallory discusses the main elements that distinguish the scout movement all over the world; explains its origin, evolution, operating system, and values; and deals with its controversies.
Review
"Quite possibly the best discourse on World Scouting and non-formal education I have ever had the good fortune to read. Vallory's style, whilst uncompromising in its academic rigour, is highly readable for a reader who normally prefers 'doing' Scouting to studying it." - John May, Vice-Chairman, World Scout Committee; Secretary General of the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award for Young People
"The research that Eduard Vallory has produced is not just exceptional, it is unique. It should become a landmark in the history of education as it demonstrates how the world's largest and oldest youth movement has contributed and still contributes to structuring the personality of yesterday's and today's youth toward a most needed local and global citizenship." - Jacques Moreillon, Secretary General, World Organization of the Scout Movement (1988-2004); former Director General, International Committee of the Red Cross
"Eduard Vallory has written an impressively researched and eminently readable account of the positive contribution Scouting and Guiding has made to the modern world. All those involved and interested in the development of young women and men into responsible world citizens will find this book invaluable and inspiring." - Lesley Bulman-Lever, Chief Executive, World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (1997-2006)
"This book unveils how scouting values of peace, tolerance, and solidarity shape responsible individuals into global citizens with critical thinking skills and a commitment to human rights - individuals who are willing to make a change anywhere they find injustice." - Federico Mayor Zaragoza, Director-General, UNESCO (1987-1999); Chairman, Foundation for a Culture of Peace
"This book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding how social movements and voluntary organizations can successfully contribute to preparing our youth to develop some of the competencies that will most matter to their ability to take charge of their future." - Fernando Reimers, Ford Foundation Professor of International Education, Harvard University, USA
"Written in a very exciting style that will make you want to keep reading till the end, this book revisits how Scouting started, showing its informal launching and its historical evolution throughout the twentieth century. The book analyzes Scouting's structure and recognition policy, its role in developing ideas of global citizenship and belonging, and the spirit of Scouting." - World Scout Bureau
Synopsis
In a very comprehensible and entertaining way explores the main findings of the first academic research on world scouting, the largest young movement on the planet. The work revisits scouting's origins, analyzing its structure and recognition policy, its role in developing ideas of global citizenship and belonging, and the spirit of scouting.
About the Author
Eduard Vallory is Visiting Scholar at New York University, USA, after having been Director of the Barcelona Graduate School of Economics, Spain. He has been Research Fellow of Fitzwilliam College at the University of Cambridge, UK, and he served as Chief of Staff of the Ministry for Universities and Research of the Government of Catalonia. He holds a PhD from Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Spain, and an MA from the University of Chicago, USA. He was International Commissioner of Catalan Scouting.
Table of Contents
Foreword; Prof. Joseph P. Farrell
Acknowledgements
Introduction
PART I: ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF TRANSFORMING THE FUTURE
1. The Precedents of World Scouting (1907-1920)
2. An Idea, a Book, and How They Came About
3. Scouting in Britain and its Spontaneous Internationalization
4. Peace and the Ideal of the League of Nations
5. The Historical Development of Scouting Worldwide
6. The Period Under the Leadership of Robert Baden-Powell
7. The Globalization of Scouting
8. Evolution of the WOSM Censuses (1924-2004)
9. Scouting in the 21st Century: Some Numbers
PART II: AN IDEAL, A MOVEMENT, AN ORGANIZATION
10. Essential Characteristics of Scouting
11. Definition
12. Purpose and Principles
13. Educational Method
14. A Highly Intuitive Educational Movement
15. More a Network Movement than an Organization
16. The Educational Impact and the "Magic" of Scouting
17. How the Organization Works: Town, Country, and World
18. The Local Group and the National Association
19. When a Country Has More Than One Association
20. World Organization(s) and Global Belonging
21. The Gender Approach: WOSM and WAGGGS Separated...Forever?
22. Recognition and Belonging
23. Relevance of the Recognition Policy
24. Differentiating Between What Is and Is Not Scouting
25. Religion, Culture, Tradition: Motives for Split in Scouting
PART III: "GLOCAL" CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION
26. Citizenship Education and Scouting
27. What Does to Educate Citizens Mean?
28. The Assumptions of "Citizenship" in Scouting
29. Values to Perpetuate Society versus Values to Transform Society
30. Consistency and Incoherencies in a Global Movement
31. Scouting in the USA: Controversies and Culture War
32. Spiritual Dimension and Dependence from Denominations
33. Social Values, Cultural Change, and Critical Thinking
34. Local Rooting, National Belonging, Global Commitment
35. Peace Culture, Human Rights, and Community Development
36. Legitimizing International Institutions
Concluding Remarks
Appendix: Countries and territories with Associations Belonging to World Scouting