This timely book examines how fascist ideology has taken hold among certain segments of American society and how this can be addressed in curriculum and instruction. Vavrus presents middle, secondary, and college educators and their students with a conceptual framework for enacting a critical multicultural pedagogy by analyzing discriminatory…

In this article, we advocate for integrating select graphic novels into curricula for English language learners and emergent bilinguals to push against the dominant and harmful narratives that tend to be found in traditional history texts and curricula. We use "Vietnamerica" by Tran and "Escape from Syria" by Kullab et al. as…

As it becomes increasingly essential to include China in the social studies curriculum, teachers are faced with the challenges of finding appropriate, high-quality resources, and, more fundamentally, of engaging students with a culture and a place far removed from their own. Film and video can address both issues, and there is a wealth of…

Research studies aimed at exploring how secondary school students engage in doing history, develop historical reasoning and understanding often times neglected the theoretical frameworks that historians of different orientations use to study the past. As a result of this oversight, some historical concepts are sometimes weakly defined, ambiguously…

Defends the Bradley Commission on History in Schools' and the National Commission on Social Studies' recommendations that history should be the basis of social studies instruction. Discusses claims that such an approach is ideologically conservative and unsupported by research. Addresses the suggestion that the study of social problems is the…

Offers an interpretation of Jean-Jacques Rousseau's "Discourse on the Origin and Foundations of Inequality" and provides examples of classroom exercises designed to make Rousseau's ideas and writings accessible to undergraduates. Stresses Rousseau's philosophy on natural man, language, ethics, and society. Includes interpretive…

Discusses a study of teacher conceptions of the meaning of history. Concludes that history teachers tend fall into five broad categories: (1) storyteller; (2) scientific historian; (3) relativist/reformer; (4) cosmic philosopher; and (5) eclectic. Suggests that teaching should be grounded in an explicit educational philosophy that is developed in…

Suggests themes in Russian history that can be integrated into existing history, social studies, civics, or religion classes. Expounds on the following themes: agriculture and collectivization, police force and legality, Jews and dissidence, plurality and ideology, and the arms race. Provides bibliographic sources. (RW)

Critiques current views of multiculturalism. Reveals results of a student survey concerning a Canadian history curriculum. Indicates that students express concern for Eurocentrism, insensitivity to Native peoples, and sex bias uniformly, but ignore other minorities. Explores multiculturalism's ideological bases. Identifies the movement with…

Asserts that terrorism, in its domestic and international forms, is a subject worthy of attention in social studies. Provides a list of causes of terrorism, a list of reasons why the United States is often a terrorist target, and three application lesson ideas. (CFR)

Stresses the importance of teaching values in U.S. history classes. Reviews current literature on values development. Presents a lesson plan on John Adams and his decision-making role in the Boston Massacre incident. Asks students to examine the parallels between Adams' decision to defend the British soldiers and their own lives. (RW)

Contends that the commonly held notion that non-European peoples have had no experience with democratic practices is not supported by the evidence. Maintains that aspects of self-government have appeared in many non-European societies throughout history. Urges historians to recognize these examples and include them in their teaching. (CFR)

Criticizes the National Commission on Social Studies in the Schools' report, "Charting a Course: Social Studies for the 21st Century," for its contradictions, traditionalist views, positivistic approach to social science, and failure to identify ways to teach democratic values. Suggests that the report qualifies as an updated version of…

Investigates how secondary history teachers' conceptions of history (typology) influences classroom practices. Interviews five teachers, representing five typologies, and their students, and observes classroom techniques. Suggests impact of teacher conceptions varies, finding only one of five typologies profoundly influencing students. Sees…

Reviews nine U.S. history textbooks, evaluating their analyses of the Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, and the Cold War. Documents their failure to link U.S. foreign policy to economic interests. Criticizes the texts' lack of an historical framework. Concludes students are taught neither historical truth nor critical analysis skills. (CH)