The purpose of these guidelines is to help the reader organize and lead a study circle--a participatory, democratic discussion group that focuses on a social or political issue. It provides detailed instructions on how to organize and lead a successful study circle. Following the introduction, section 2 focuses on the role of the organizer and…

This program guide provides the information a study circle will need to discuss the death penalty. It offers a balanced, nonpartisan presentation of a spectrum of views. The four positions and the supporting material are designed for use in a single-session program of approximately 2 hours. The four positions are as follows: (1) the death penalty…

Justice, Economic Dignity and Independence for Women (JEDI for Women) is an activist organization made up of low-income women and their allies that addresses public policy issues which impact low-income women and their families. The organization surveyed child care providers to better understand the issues of low-income parents making the…

This publication explores the need for child care, particularly for low income families, and the social importance of high quality child care. These factors are the impetus for the Campaign for Child Care NOW! organized by the Children's Defense Fund. This advocacy program is urging Congress to approve legislation that will guarantee funds to help…

In this booklet, essays and poems, presented both in English and in Spanish, portray the feelings, conditions, and economic plight of migrant and seasonal farmworkers in North and South Carolina, often in their own words. A preface describes Student Action with Farmworkers summer internships in which college students spend 10 weeks working with…

A Boston pageant, "Cave Life to City Life," created in 1920 as part of a city-wide reform effort, called "Boston-1915," is discussed. This pageant, typical of hundreds produced during the Progressive Era, was meant as an artistic and teaching vehicle for the community to address serious social problems. Social workers, civic…

Rural people in their environment have the necessary attributes to successfully endure and survive those trials that would lead to urban decline. As societal problems require increased investment in existing institutions, the growing complexity eventually yields a lower level of benefits or returns. Urban problems such as hunger, homelessness, and…

This volume presents the research findings of numerous scholars on the theme, The Ghetto Underclass: Social Science Perspectives. The following 13 articles are included: (1) "The Cost of Racial and Class Exclusion in the Inner City" (L. Wacquant and W. Wilson); (2) "Urban Industrial Transition and the Underclass" (J. Kasarda); (3) "Absent Fathers…

All nine articles in this periodical issue focus on the theme of the war against illegal drug use, approaching the topic from a variety of perspectives. The articles are: "The Drug War: Meeting the Challenge" (Stanley E. Morris); "Ways to Fight Drug Abuse" (Bruce A. Feldman); "Treatment Key to Fighting Drugs" (Stan…

The global situation of children is reported in light of the U.N. General Assembly's November, 1989 adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, an international treaty for the protection of children. The report is divided into three parts, the first of which includes an overview of the U.N. Convention, and essays on the…

A study used data on African American children in foster care collected by the National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI) to compare whether there are differences in the characteristics, needs, services, and outcomes for children depending on whether or not parental drug abuse was a contributing factor in their foster care placements. The…

These lesson plans are designed to help fifth- through eighth-grade students learn about recycling, and to help them understand that recycling is one important environmental action citizens can take. The lesson plans are composed of objectives, homework assignments, main activities, and enrichment activities. (DB)

Noting the deteriorating quality of life for children in America, this book suggests ways adults can help improve the lives of children. The major portion of the book provides chapters elaborating on each of 31 suggestions: (1) "Turn Off the Tube"; (2) "Champion Public Education"; (3) "Have Fun with a Kid"; (4) "Adopt a Child-Care Center"; (5)…

The causes of bigotry, prejudice, and hatred and what can be done about them are discussed by the authors represented in this collection. Most of the book provides general discussions of these issues, but Part 2, "Universities and the 'Politically Correct' Response to Hatred and Prejudice," contains some specific examinations of these…

Linking schools and social services has become a national and international movement. This linking usually involves making a wide variety of services available to all family members, community development, cooperation among services, and systemwide change. This book provides a framework for discussing this issue. It examines the values behind…