collard Headless form of cabbage (Brassica oleracea, Acephala group), in the mustard family. It bears the same botanical name as kale, differing only in that collard leaves are much broader, are not frilled, and resemble the rosette leaves of head cabbage. The main stem has a rosette of leaves at the top. Lower leaves commonly are harvested progressively; some¬ times the entire young rosette is harvested. The leaves are highly nutri¬ tious, rich in minerals and in vitamins A and C.
collective bargaining Process of negotiation between representa¬ tives of workers (usually labour union officials) and management to deter¬ mine the conditions of employment. The agreement reached may cover not only wages but hiring practices, layoffs, promotions, working condi¬ tions and hours, and benefit programs. Collective bargaining developed in England at the end of the 18th century. Although collective bargaining agreements are common in many countries, they are more scarce in devel¬ oping countries that have large pools of surplus labour. Contract negotia¬ tions may occur at the national, regional, or local level, depending on the structure of industry within a country. See also labour union; strike.
collective farm Russian kolkhoz. In the former Soviet Union, a cooperative agricultural enterprise operated on state-owned land. Under the policy of collectivization, which was pursued most intensively by Joseph Stalin in 1929-33, peasants were forced to give up their individual farms and join large collective farms. They objected violently and in many cases slaughtered their livestock and destroyed their equipment before joining. By 1936 almost all the peasantry had been collectivized, though millions had also been deported to prison camps. With the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1990-91, the collective farms began to be privatized.
collectivism Any of several types of social organization that ascribe central importance to the groups to which individuals belong (e.g., state, nation, ethnic group, or social class). It may be contrasted with individu¬ alism. Jean-Jacques Rousseau was the first modem philosopher to discuss it (1762). Karl Marx was its most forceful proponent in the 19th century. Communism, fascism, and socialism may all be termed collectivist systems. See also communitarianism; kibbutz; moshav.
college Institution that offers postsecondary education. The term has various meanings. In Roman law a collegium was a body of persons asso¬ ciated for a common function. The name was used by many medieval institutions, including guilds. In most universities of the later Middle Ages, collegium meant an endowed residence hall for university students. The colleges kept libraries and scientific instruments and offered salaries to tutors who could prepare students to be examined for degrees. Eventually few students lived outside colleges, and college teaching eclipsed univer¬ sity teaching. In England, secondary schools (e.g., Winchester and Eton) are sometimes called colleges. Canada also has collegiate schools. In the U.S., college may refer to a four-year institution of higher education offering a bachelor’s degree, or to a two-year junior or community college with a program leading to the associate’s degree. A four-year college usu¬ ally emphasizes a liberal arts or general education rather than specialized technical or vocational preparation. The four-year college may be an inde¬ pendent private institution or an undergraduate division of a university.
collider See particle accelerator
collie Breed of working dog developed in Great Britain, probably by the 18th century. The rough-coated vari¬ ety was originally used to guard and herd sheep; the smooth-coated vari¬ ety was used to drive livestock to market. Both varieties are lithe dogs with a tapering head, almond-shaped eyes, and erect ears that tip forward at the ends. They stand 22-26 in.
(56-66 cm) tall, weigh 50-75 lb (23-34 kg), and may be variously coloured. See also border collie.
Collingwood, R(obin)
G(eorge) (b. Feb. 22, 1889, Cart- mel Fell, Lancashire, Eng.—d. Jan.
9, 1943, Coniston, Lancashire) British historian and philosopher. A lec¬ turer, and later professor, at the University of Oxford (1912—41), he was a leading authority on the archaeology and history of Roman Britain. He believed that “the chief business of 20th-century philosophy is to reckon with 20th-century history” and that philosophy and history are both a matter of discovering fundamental presuppositions. In his most influen¬ tial work. The Idea of History (1946), he maintained that historical think¬ ing requires explanation as part of any description and that it is the philosopher’s task to articulate and justify historical methodology. He is viewed as a seminal thinker in the philosophy of history.
Collins, Michael (b. Oct. 16, 1890, Clonakilty, County Cork, Ire.—d. Aug. 22, 1922, Beal-na-Blath, Cork) Irish national leader. He worked in London (1906-16), then returned to fight in the Easter Rising. Elected as a member of Sinn Fein to the Irish assembly (1918), he became the Irish republic’s first minister of home affairs. He was general of the volunteers and director of intelligence of the Irish Republican Army in the Anglo-Irish War. In 1921 he signed the controversial Anglo-Irish Treaty, which gave Ireland dominion status, though with provisions for partition and for an oath of allegiance to the crown. He and Arthur Griffith then became lead¬ ers of the provisional government. When civil war broke out, Collins commanded the government forces fighting the anti-treaty republicans, and on Griffith’s death he became head of the government. Ten days later he was killed in an ambush at age 31.
Gaspard II de Coligny, detail of a por¬ trait by an unknown artist, 16th cen¬ tury; in the Musee Conde, Chantilly, France.
COURTESY OF THE MUSEE CONDE, CHANTILLY, FRANCE; PHOTOGRAPH, GIRAUDON-ART RESROUCE, NEW YORK
Collie
SALLY ANNE THOMPSON/EB INC.
© 2006 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Collins > colon I 433
Collins, (William) Wilkie (b. Jan. 8, 1824, London, Eng.—d. Sept. 23, 1889, London) English novelist. After working briefly in commerce and law, he took up writing and became associated with Charles Dickens, who had a formative influence on his career. For two works, he is remem¬ bered as one of the first and best writers of English mystery novels. The Woman in White (1860), inspired by an actual criminal case, made him famous. The Moonstone (1868), one of the first English detective novels, introduced features that became conventions in the genre.
colloid \'ka-,l6id\ Substance consisting of particles that, although too tiny to be seen with the unaided eye (typically 1 nanometre to 10 microme¬ tres), are substantially larger than atoms and ordinary molecules and that are dispersed in a continuous phase. Both the dispersed phase and the continuous phase may be solid, liquid, or gas; examples include suspen¬ sions, aerosols, smokes, emulsions, gels, sols, pastes, and foams. Colloids are often classified as reversible or irreversible, depending on whether their components can be separated. Dyes, detergents, polymers, proteins, and many other important substances exhibit colloidal behaviour.
Collor de Mello Vko-'lor-do-'me-luX, Fernando (Affonso) (b. Aug. 12, 1949, Rio de Janeiro, Braz.) President of Brazil (1990-92). Bom to wealth, he became governor of the small state of Alagoas in 1987. Prom¬ ising to promote economic growth and combat corruption and inefficiency, he defeated the leftist Luiz Silva in 1989 to become Brazil’s first popularly elected president in nearly 30 years. The country’s economic decline, fueled by a staggering foreign debt and hyperinflation, failed to improve, and he resigned in 1992 as his trial for corruption was about to begin.
Colman, Ronald (Charles) (b. Feb. 9, 1891, Richmond, Surrey, Eng.—d. May 19, 1958, Santa Barbara, Calif., U.S.) British-U.S. film actor. He began a stage and film career in England then moved in 1920 to the U.S., where he first won notice in The White Sister (1923). A romantic leading man, he appeared in other silent films such as Beau Geste (1926), and he easily made the transition to sound movies with his cultivated, expressive voice. His most notable films include Arrowsmith (1931), A Tale of Two Cities (1935), Lost Horizon (1937), If I Were King (1938), Random Harvest (1942), and A Double Life (1947, Academy Award).