Briefly discusses the role that rites of passage play in traditional cultures and considers the possibilities inherent in incorporating this social concept into middle school art projects. Defines middle school as a transitional stage in adolescent development characterized by institutional and personal separation that lends itself to these…

Argues that political equality and democracy are attainable only through the distribution of access to political resources and the willingness to use them. Discusses the broad philosophical and sociological components that contribute to a system marked by advantage and inequalities, as well as opportunities for opposition and resistance. (MJP)

Contends that teacher's decisions regarding textbook use can be understood through public choice theory. This theory claims decisions are made balancing competing interests of scarcity, time, costs, benefits, and incentives. Teachers use textbooks because of their efficacy in organizing and providing instructional material. (MJP)

Traces the development of, and responses to, the sex/race analogy as a rhetorical strategy of the Women's Liberation Movement (WLM). Although originally conceived as a legitimating strategy, the analogy had serious flaws, especially for women of color. Nonetheless, the analogy remains popular, albeit, in a somewhat restructured form. (MJP)

Discusses the character and contributions of Thomas Jesse Jones, an early 20th-century educator and a pioneer in social studies and black education. Jones's inconsistent philosophy (he supported limited black education but believed in white supremacy) grew out of an unlikely combination of progressive Christianity and deep conservatism. (MJP)

Early childhood professionals are often required to work with children and families from a range of diverse backgrounds. This book goes beyond simplistic definitions of diversity, encouraging a much broader understanding and helping early childhood educators develop a critical disposition towards assumptions about children and childhood in…

Formulates a pedagogical position that articulates religious experience as complementary to formal-rational thought. Recent postmodernist criticism has located secular thinking as a coequal position to subjective religious experience on the now-leveled philosophical playing field. Explores what this newfound (academic) respectability means for…

Describes an assignment where students chart the development of a film or literary character's racial identity according to theoretical models of identity development. Students found the exercise thought-provoking, intriguing, and informative. Includes outlines of the racial identity model and an examination of the issues raised during discussion.…

Replicates a classic psychology laboratory experiment where students either endorsed or refuted personal statements and estimated how other people would respond. Students always overestimated an affirmative response on the statements they endorsed, thus illustrating the false consensus effect. Includes a list of the statements and statistical…

Criticizes some of the basic principles expounded in John Locke's "Second Treatise on Government." Argues that Locke's ideas on private property, capital investment, and social good are inherently contradictory. Asserts that the market theory of property inevitably leads to endemic economic exploitation and oppression. (MJP)

Illustrates how, using introductory-level microeconomic models, an instructor can show various economic theorists' explanations of short run employment and output fluctuations. Identifies the competing schools of thought as old Keynesian, new Keynesian, and new Classical (which includes real business cycle theorists). Includes illustrative graphs…

Maintains that most graduate-level economics textbooks rarely mention the need for consumers to be above their minimum wealth position as a condition for market equilibrium. Argues that this omission leaves students with a mistaken sense about the range of circumstances under which market equilibria can exist. (MJP)

Examines social studies in the twenty-first century from a critical theory perspective. Traces critical reflection's origins from Marxist educational theories to Jurgen Habermas's critical theory. Highlights Fred Newmann's curricular model, "Education for Citizen Action," for developing competent action in public affairs. Advocates…

Critiques 20 years of moral education research, briefly commenting on major developments and theories. Discusses the link between cognitive distortion and antisocial behavior in adolescents. Includes a list of theoretical suggestions for future research. (MJP)

Argues that, far from being a dangerous and destructive break with the past, various factions of postmodernism actually parallel modernist beliefs. Both movements share groups whose creative revisionists approach seeks a constructive accommodation. Similar parallel destructive approaches also exist. (MJP)