This historical paper is an introduction to curriculum thinking in Japan. It discusses contested value frameworks that have exercised professional educators in the light of two "Western" interventions: (1) the modernization initiatives of the Meiji government of the nineteenth century; and (2) the policies that followed Japan's defeat in…

Although inter-religious conflicts have not yet surfaced as major social problems in Japan, religious education for peace and tolerance is needed in the country as much as in other countries. This article aims to disclose that, in light of political contexts, supposedly neutral "teaching about religion" can be as problematic as history…

Literati differ markedly on whether satire is persuasive. Accordingly, a study tested whether partisans of a political candidate would fail to perceive the thesis of satire ridiculing their candidate; further, it tested whether they would perceive the thesis of satire ridiculing an opposing candidate. Subjects, students at the University of…

This research study used citizen profile data from the National Election Study surveys for the presidential elections years from 1980 through 1992. By crossing internal efficacy and trust indicators, the researchers hypothesized citizens would fit into four types: (1) the "Wary Monitors" have high internal efficacy and low trust with the highest…

This paper describes an election simulation developed at Rutgers University (New Jersey) using Multimedia Toolbook. Toolbook has features which enable an information flow to be presented which mimics the flow of a campaign, using both text and video. Subjects are presented with textual information that flows across the screen, representing the…

Seventeen people from various parts of South Africa gathered at the Workshop for Gender Trainers to enhance their training and to focus on the gender and development approach. Sessions 1-2 on the second day dealt with gender training nightmares. During session 3, participants discussed what could have been done either to avoid the problems that…

Multicultural education is a relatively new field that has faced a struggle for legitimacy. This book argues that multicultural education can be understood as a form of resistance to dominant modes of schooling, and particularly to white supremacy. Radical criticisms or tacit dismissals of it fragment progressive educational advocates and…

The mass communication and society section of the Proceedings contains the following 17 papers: "Deviance in News Coverage of On-Line Communications: A Print Media Comparison" (Lisa M. Weidman); "Political Tolerance of Environmental Protest: The Roles of Generalized and Specialized Information" (Catherine A. Steele and Carol M.…

This textbook describes the process of sociocultural evolution, whereby human experience in major areas of life such as societies, cultures and human relationships have become increasingly complex. Societies are classified as hunting and gathering, horticultural, agricultural, industrial, and post industrial, according to their level of cultural…

The passage of California's Proposition 187 has mandated political and cultural debate in composition curriculum thus exploding the de-politicized composition classroom myth. As this anti-immigration initiative of 1994 applied to education, it most directly affected K-12, but it also represented a huge financial impact to higher education. It made…

This paper reports findings from a qualitative study of the nature of teachers' connections with their African American students. It is based on three rounds of interviews with six African American women teachers who had used the social justice curriculum "Facing History and Ourselves." The teachers ranged in age from the mid-twenties to…

This study of student activism as a campus phenomenon analyzed over 200 major incidents of college student activism. Most of the incidents were associated with racial struggle, women's concerns or gay liberation activities. These represent what have been called "cultural wars,""campus wars,""identity wars," or "multicultural unrest." Five cases…

Most contemporary social and political discourse in the United States takes place within a particular framework of assumptions. The rise of mass media, mass politics, and massive government means that an elite group of articulate people have great leverage in determining the course of the whole society. This book examines the vision of the…

During February-March 1991, 1,518 randomly selected Pennsylvania adults with listed telephone numbers were surveyed on political, educational, and health issues. With regard to education, respondents: (1) strongly favored limiting class size to 15 students in grades K-3, and funding public education through the state income tax (not local taxes);…

"Politically correct" is a pejorative label applied to activities that in some way question, subvert, or threaten the dominant power structure. In discussing how best to educate students, some composition professionals assume that the composition classroom can be made apolitical. Freshman English, like all classes, is politicized…