This essay deals with the epistemological nature of Eary Language Teaching Methodology. After briefly descibing the evolution of this branch of Langauge Teaching Methodology in Italy, we propose to redefine its field of interest and describe an epistemological interdisciplinary model made up of three interrelated dimensions: the acquisitional dimension, the linguistic and cultural dimension, and the methodological dimension. The conclusion indicates some practical implications of the model for early language teaching practice.

The doctrines on the goodness or evilness of human nature maintained in ancient China respectively by Mencius and Xunzi has been interpreted mosttly as a contradition within the Confucian school. In this article it is argued that they represent two distinct , yet possible and congruous, modes of interpreting and re-elaboarting Confucius teachings, two opposing yet largerly complementary currents which have developed within the Confucian school.

This is a compilation of essays by thirteen authors dedicated to a direct exploration of Wittgenstein and Plato.

The article deals with the evolving features and development trends of universities in the 21st century. They are described as characterized by institutional complexity, since they come to terms with the multiple, often conflicting roles and aims of education and training, often reflecting contradictory attitudes, both conservatory and critical - which seems to point out the growing need for interdisciplinary perspectives. The concept of interdisciplinarity is then teased out and explained, by contrasting it with related concepts involving a plurality of (...) disciplines. The key function of interdisciplinarity as related to new, strategic roles of universities in the global knowledge economy is then underlined, considering implications linked to the ‘post-media’ network age and the systems theory, involving a perspective of shared knowledge as ‘fuzzy’ and ‘fluid’. The consequences for teaching and research from an interdisciplinary perspective are then enlarged upon, as related to disciplinary areas and clusters. Some reflections are finally made, about the desirable role of the University of the future as an open, value-generating net of interwoven communities of learning. (shrink)