Background: At the heart of this polemic lies the view that contemporary research in PE and Health (PEH) has largely overlooked one of the key determinants of social behaviour, social class and its expression in and outside schools; an omission that has quite serious consequences for how we (researchers and teachers) think about and conceptualise…

Explores racial stereotyping through the caricaturization of Jim, the slave, in Twain's novel, "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." Holds that Twain's portrayal of Jim was actually a White man's perception of what Blacks were like. Suggests ways that literature teachers can help their students to understand the novel's sociohistorical…

Researcher Patricia Seed has noted the difficulty undergraduates have in understanding concepts of other cultures. Differences in vocabulary sometimes underscore differences in culture. Seed has suggested that cross- or multi-cultural education cannot proceed from a position of ignorance or arrogance. It is possible to move from cultural…

There are two perspectives from which the academic performance of children from high or low socioeconomic backgrounds can be viewed. The non-environmental perspective specifies a direct relationship between performance and innate ability; environmental deficits may be correlated with poor performances but perhaps are not causally related. The…

Discusses the problem of violence against women in Canada. Argues that recent government efforts to address the problem deal with the symptoms only. Cites findings indicating that child and sexual abuse are among the foremost fears of Canadian girls. Concludes that society pays too little attention to violence against women. (DK)

Teachers can approach U.S. history since 1945 in two time periods. The first is "Postwar America" (1945-1973), the playing out of the economic, cultural, social, cultural/intellectual, and foreign policy thrusts and attitudes that grew out of the Great Depression and World War II. The second era, "Recent America"…

Discusses the nature of social studies. Suggests that the National Council for the Social Studies seems dysfunctional because it aspires to be apolitical in a field that is inherently political. Concludes that social education will continue to reflect the structure of society and the values of people who control the educational process. (DK)

Presents interviews with a female college graduate and a male factory director concerning women graduates' opportunities in China's labor force. Suggests that Chinese managers fear that women will abandon job obligations in favor of family concerns. Lists four reasons that the factory director gave for failing to hire female workers. (SG)

The articles in this journal issue explore the use of literature in instruction and, particularly, the characterization of women in literature. The titles of the articles and their authors are as follows: (1) "George Orwell and the Politics of Misogyny" (Robert Keith Miller); (2) "Women and Huckleberry Finn: A Literary Criticism" (Linda Roehrig…

One's conceptions define what is worth learning about war and peace and why. Educators must make important choices of content. Three conceptions of peace education are discussed: those that focus on information, those that center on issues, and those dealing with attitudes. (RM)

Discusses former Soviet schools' inadequacy in promoting students' political involvement. Reports that students can be grouped according to their social attitudes as (1) conformists; (2) negativists or nihilists; and (3) those with critical, creative attitudes toward majority opinion. Argues that schools can promote independent thinking by…

Discusses the issue of society-controlled science. Analyzes the present state of science with respect to society, including moral issues, attitude differences between nineteenth century scientists and contemporary ones, risk management, and reductionism. (YP)

Argues that social justice is a legitimate goal of schooling and should be included in the curriculum. Discusses aspects of social justice including distributive justice and equality of educational opportunity. Maintains that Western educational systems have many possibilities for achieving social justice through the curriculum. (CFR)

Presents a message to young people from Nelson Mandela, president of South Africa. Calls for a bridge between the youth of Africa and the United States. Asserts that racial divisions in the United States are major social issues that must be solved. (CFR)

Reports on a year-long effort by one teacher to raise the global consciousness of students in a Canadian secondary school. Describes activities related to peace education, environmental education, and refugees. Asserts that the impact of the effort on the school persisted even after the participating students graduated. (CFR)