Using tenets of political psychology, this article analyzes educational implications of contemporary Hollywood partisan political film through two critically acclaimed films released in 2018, "Vice" and "On the Basis of Sex." I argue that these films appeal to confirmation bias and motivated reasoning through the use of…

This article describes a research study on the appropriateness for social studies classrooms of "CNN Student News," a free online news program specifically aimed at middle and high school students. The author conducted a content analysis of "CNN Student News" during October 2012 and evaluated the program's content for…

In the United States courses on civics or government are often marginalized in most states' social studies curricula in favor of courses in United States or world history. The origins of this history-dominated approach have roots in the debates between the American Historical Association and the National Education Association at the turn of the…

The authors make a case for using "The West Wing," a political drama that aired on NBC from 1999 to 2006, as an instructional tool in high school civics and government classes. The show offers a realistic portrayal of life in the White House through the eyes of Democratic President Josiah Bartlet and his senior staff that can further students'…

Latino students, in particular, often feel alienated from politics, especially at the federal level, and this political disengagement often correlates with the immigrant status of students or their families. However, recent research suggests that the amount and quality of social studies coursework taken by immigrant students can reverse these…