Examines the impact of teacher unions in two centralized educational systems--France and Israel--on school reforms. Document analysis and interview data suggest that, since 1970, teacher unions in both countries have been demanding and receiving more say in educational policy reforms. Despite similarities in tactics, French unions are more…

A discussion of appropriateness of merit pay for college and university personnel looks at institutional and political obstacles to establishing and maintaining such a system and conditions for success. It is concluded that, for a number of reasons, a totally merit-based pay plan is unsuitable for faculty or most staff. (MSE)

Multiculturalism is an attitude that encourages self-questioning. In higher education, it demands that individuals be less critical and more reflective. In this sense, multiculturalism encourages silence, including knowing when to speak and when not to speak, and giving others a turn to express different thoughts. (MSE)

Attempts to show how political, social, and economic factors have played a role in shaping the modern day Quiche identity and how that identity has been variously symbolized in orthography decisions that have resulted in the transition from Quiche to Ki-che to K'iche. (28 references) (VWL)

Discusses social changes brought about in the United States as a result of the women's suffrage movement. Explains that groups marginalized by existing institutions must create alternative organizations if they are to be successful. Describes political innovations used by women's groups in the struggle for voting rights. (CFR)

This summary of an international conference on child abuse stresses the importance of the partnership between the state, as expressed by its various systems and structures, and parents in securing that all children have adequate and loving care and developmental opportunities. The paper cites statistics, notes public policy, and describes programs…

Discusses global economic, political, and social trends affecting the workplace, families, education, and gender roles. Depicts current career development programs and practices with children and young, midlife, and older adults. Presents current issues in schools, adult education, and business/industry for career development. (SK)

By permitting alternative certification, West Virginia is relaxing standards for principal preparation. Few business managers will trade less demanding, better paying jobs for principalships. Collegiality will erode, as teachers vie for administrative positions. Practitioners lacking professional training might accept top-down edicts and…

The continuum of cross-cultural activity spans ignorance, education, education plus interaction, and "going native." Continuing education is the fulcrum balancing the prevailing and contradictory cultural forces of spreading democracy and global competitiveness. (SK)

Ideally, those working for the United Nations would be politically neutral, recruited on merit, and subject to uniform employment standards. In reality, the international civil service, like its national counterparts, is subject to the political conditions of its environment. (Author/SK)

Discusses the factors that led to the rise of the Arabic-Islamic libraries during the seventh through fourteenth centuries. The most famous libraries are identified, the management and organization of these libraries are described, and the factors behind the destruction of the Arabic-Islamic libraries are discussed. (30 references) (CLB)

Discusses liberal and conservative foreign policy contributions to the end of the Cold War, as marked by the rapid liberalization of Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. Emphasizes that the collapse of the Soviet empire occurred at the end of a decade of sustained conservative government in every major country of the Western world. (FMW)

Proposes that Congressperson Patricia Schroeder's discourse, which emphasizes cooperation, context, and personal experience, reflects "a gendered approach" to policymaking. Proposes that Schroeder's voice, as it reflects women's culture, provides direction for vital transformations in political decision making. (NH)

Analyzes Herbert C. Hoover's translation of the "De Re Metallica" in the context of the 1922 Mine Strikes. Claims Hoover's interest in Agricola's "intellectual achievements" may have been more than technical. Demonstrates how technical documents reflect political ideologies. (NH)

A review of public demand for accountability uncovers three types of educational assessment problems: demand for valid reading measures, need for a broader range of assessments, and value of assessments for various audiences. Integration of the various types of assessments is recommended. (SK)