Traces the historical origins of the controversy surrounding Afrocentric education versus education based on the traditional canon of the Western world to W. H. Ferris' work and his 1913 study "The African abroad or His Evolution in Western Civilization, Tracing His Development under Caucasian Milieu," which has relevance today. (SLD)

Reviews data on child poverty worldwide, providing statistics on 20 poverty-related problems. Examines effects of economic factors (i.e., unemployment, wage stagnation, inflation, and internal migration) and political policies (i.e., military spending over health and education) on child well-being, arguing that families and children themselves…

Contends that the sociology of U.S. organized religion is undergoing a period of ferment. Discusses the development of an open market in the historiography and sociology of U.S. religion studies. Concludes with suggestions for further research. (CFR)

Discusses the role of teachers in terms of the changing social patterns in which that role occurs. Describes social problems in Canada today and resulting youth alienation and disconnectedness. Suggests that the role of teachers must include initiatives to link schools, students, families, and community agencies. (LP)

Discusses the potential of design and technology as an environment for collaborative problem solving based on experiences in England and Wales with the National Curriculum. Topics include sociocultural approaches to learning and planning, situated learning, authenticity, interpersonal aspects, peer interaction, cognitive strategies and social…

Looks at the phenomenon of teachers' status in light of frequent claims that it has declined sharply. Finds that although a loss of prestige has occurred in comparison with other professions, the status issue is not as clear as is sometimes implied. Discusses confounding indicators and the contemporary image of teachers. (DSK)

Describes two models of cross-cultural communication within the context of Papua New Guinean society, which does not encourage the discussion of cultural and racial differences. Constructs a framework in which staff from a higher education institution could discuss the ways in which different cultural groups interact with their institution's…

Considers how child care and early education in Italy reflect the convergence of cultural values and practices of the larger cultural region but also the immediate community's local traditions. Focuses on educational practices of Reggio Emilia preschools, and how they demonstrate the relationship between children's social competencies and…

Analysis of data on approximately 14,000 individuals in 43 Mexican villages examined how gender relations and expectations differentiate male and female patterns of Mexico-to-U.S. migration. Education and migration were related positively for women but negatively for men. Age, marital status, and social networks also had differential effects on…

Describes a graduate-level public administration course on valuing diversity, which provided opportunities to examine in detail the ethical dilemmas, public attitudes and values, and social consequences of compelling diversity issues. Reports on a content analysis of students' final papers, identifying common themes in students' development of…

A young woman educated in North America who came to Chile to teach experiential environmental education realized that she would have to reconcile her educational ideals with the reality of Chilean culture, which does not support questioning, critical thinking, gender equality, democratic participation, or self-directed learning--the underpinnings…

Uses a graphical analysis to determine the importance of quantity for consumer welfare and to examine the manner in which private and social welfare diverge in a monopoly. Criticizes the opinion that technology adoption by a monopoly always assumes a uniformly downward shift in the marginal cost curve. (MJP)

Discusses the large-scale reemergence of homelessness within the last 20 years. Examines the characteristics of the newly and chronic homeless. Considers a number of economic and public-policy factors contributing to this situation. Outlines a classroom presentation using graphs, statistics, and discussion questions to illustrate this information.…

Reviews recent research on relationships between young maternal age and incidence of low-birth-weight infants. Different lines of research attribute low birth weight to biological and sociocultural factors. Both factors, plus lifestyle choices made by adolescents, combine to raise or lower the risk of delivering a low-birth-weight infant.…

Explored the influence of demographic, sociocultural, and risk proneness indicators on age at first intercourse, number of lifetime sexual partners, and number of pregnancies among Latina adolescents. Found gender role orientation delays first intercourse, but following that, acculturation and substance experimentation are more important…