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The new Republic of Ireland Leaving Certificate geography programme (taken by 16- to 18-year-olds), which was first examined in 2006, marked a major change in approach from its predecessor. This paper presents the results of a study that explored the learning outcomes in light of the stated aspirations of the syllabus, teacher perceptions and of society's expressed concerns about the nature of education today. Research data were obtained via interviews with teachers and questionnaire surveys with participants. The results from this study indicate that the new programme appears to have some impact on learning outcomes, both positive and negative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we use commodity chain ideas to compare the All Blacks rugby tour of Great Britain and Ireland in 2005 with the formative 1905 tour, and to relate their cultural economy to their political economy. We argue that ‘globalization’ has become imagined and institutionalized in new ways that more thoroughly exploit rugby's production values. We highlight the value-adding potential of a 100-year-old tension between a colonial/imperial and a national identity. Our point is that fresh insights can be drawn from bringing cultural economy sensitivities to political economy approaches and concerns with identity and consumption to those of value and production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]