This paper argues that the social studies curriculum should extend the concept of critical thinking to social criticism. The purpose of social criticism is to foster a society that is characterized by community, freedom, and equality. In essence, it raises the question of how to live. The social critic looks beyond the symptoms of a social problem…

The document contains papers presented at a conference on global population trends. Conference participants, who represented international agencies and governments in developing nations, investigated social determinants of population trends, population policy, and population program assistance. Eleven papers are presented. Topics discussed include…

An account of the upheavals that have taken place at Fresno State College since the mid-60s are discussed by a professor who witnessed the course of events. Troubled with the same tensions and polarities of other campuses across the country due to such factors as the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam war, Fresno State fell victim to its…

Prepared for social work students and social service providers, this text is designed to help non-Indians expand their understanding of Indian customs, cultures, and life styles with the purpose of achieving greater transcultural appreciation and, consequently, more effective social work practices appropriate to Indian communities. Information is…

This study guide is one of several supplementary materials for a 15-week newspaper course about crime and justice in America. Course objectives are to help students understand the complexity of crime in America, the relationship between crime and the social system, uses and misuses of official statistics, competing philosophies of criminal…

By focusing on controversial social/political issues in high school American history and social studies courses, classroom teachers can help students develop critical thinking skills. Contemporary issues of a controversial nature are particularly good topics for high school because students are generally familiar with the issues through exposure…

The research investigated the relationship of a person's sex to his or her public policy preferences, with particular regard to women's issues. Women's issues are reflected in public policy which directly affects women's lives. Examples are day care facilities, sex bias of educational materials, and abortion facilities. The study was conducted to…

The economic crisis of the mid-1970's is a symptom of a major social transition caused by the shift of the major industrial societies to postindustrial societies. The postindustrial society is one in which the dominant labor activity is information processing rather than industrial production. This shift has great significance for the resolution…

Two government documents, "Goals for Americans" and "Toward Balanced Growth: Quantity with Quality" (ED 055 009), together with previous documents, serve as the information source and basis of this guide. The "Goals for Americans" report, initiated by President Eisenhower's Commission in 1960, identified social…

Provides an historical survey of efforts by social groups to monitor and influence classroom instruction that treats the ethics of political and social practices, beginning with the rediscovery, after World War I, of the importance of ethical communication practices in democratic politics. (NKA)

The Citizenship Education Longitudinal Study, conducted by the National Foundation for Education Research (NFER) on behalf of the Department for Education and Skills (DfES), aims to identify, measure and evaluate the extent to which effective practice in citizenship education develops in schools so that such practice can be promoted widely. The…

Schools are very sensitive to the rapid social, economic, and demographic changes that the United States is presently undergoing. They are at a disadvantage compared to most other social institutions because, in serving a younger population, they have less lead time to prepare for changes in the complexion of society. Young people in today's world…

Characterizes the New Deal public works program as combining the short-term goal of unemployment relief with the long-term goal of regional economic development. Discusses the planning, implementation, and political opposition of the New Deal's many public works programs including the Tennessee Valley Authority and the Works Progress…

Reports on a national study of the extracurricular cultural life and the impact of the mass media on Chinese middle school students. Finds a strong influence of recreational reading, television, music, and videos on middle school students. Presents a four-part course of action designed to strengthen ethical instruction in the schools. (CFR)

Maintains that the "tried and true" strategies for teaching about the early Cold War years highlight the U.S. response to Soviet expansionism. Identifies four other focus themes: (1) debates over mass culture and youth culture; (2) gender and sexuality; (3) the civil rights era; and (4) rethinking the cold war itself. (CFR)