Divided into seven sections, the presentations contained in these proceedings give an international perspective on the growth of democracy in the world, and the many obstacles that might inhibit it. The first section, on Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union contains papers from four East Block scholars who discuss the rise of democracy in communist…

The imperatives and complexities of introducing human rights principles at primary and secondary school levels in postcommunist societies are presented, focusing on presentation of concepts of individualism, democracy, and human rights in textbooks; teaching practices that reinforce learner-centered approaches; and consideration of a national…

Portrays the changed context of adult education in Central and Eastern Europe; social and individual learning needs such as training, retraining, upgrading, education for responsible citizenship, and adult educator training; and assistance needed from abroad. (SK)

Summarizing the incomplete results of the United Nations Educational and Scientific Organization (UNESCO) program "Good Practice in Promoting Gender Equality in Higher Education," the author asks that any assessment of the progress made in the area of gender-sensitive education take regional specificities into account. The regional…

The article reports on efforts of scholars (including historians, political scientists, economists, and sociologists) to study the economic and political transformation taking place in Eastern Europe. Noted are analogies with Latin American development, difficulties of privatization, and contradictions between democracy and economic reform. (DB)

Discussion of higher education reform in Central and Eastern Europe since 1989 draws on writings in previous issues of this journal and extends the discussion to develop a conceptual framework for examining the reform process and identify key forces that either initiated and facilitated reform or hindered it. Attention is given to the unusual…

The authors contend that the impact of the Cold War on multilateral organizations (especially UNESCO) as well as on the academic programs in Comparative and International Education or Development Studies in Education has been largely understudied. Both world-systems (USA and its allies, Soviet Union and its allies) laid claim on the project of…

The issue contains the second group of four studies exploring current relations between trade unions and political parties in Western Europe; all eight studies were originally prepared for a 1973 symposium at Cornell University. In an overview of the studies, the author cites a widening gap between unions and parties. (Author/AJ)

Presents how and why programs embodying family policy in Western Europe and the United States differ. By indicating current changes in these programs and how political decisions affect them, fruitful areas for family policy research are suggested. Family policy meeting needs of pragmatically defined parent-child units will be most successful.…

Calls for educational reforms are an important part of the new political agenda in eastern and central Europe, with reforms concerning higher education particularly profound. One of the greatest departures from tradition is the deideologization of social science and research, and a search for a postsocialist model of higher education. (MSE)

The system of services to blind persons in two republics (Russia and Byelorussia) of the Soviet Union is described as a system in which employment and rehabilitation services revolve around factory operations and consumer-driven umbrella organizations. Also discussed are political changes occurring in Eastern Bloc countries and possible impact on…

Food production in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe is described; the opportunities and limitations of the region's land resources for agriculture are examined; and the evolution of the institutional structures of agriculture are discussed. Recent developments to improve the food supply are outlined. (RM)

This paper contends that former Eastern bloc countries, which have rejected centralized, authoritarian political systems, are emulating a United Kingdom school development model which itself is authoritarian, centralized, and coercive. The paper characterizes that authoritarianism and suggests an alternative educational model of centralized…

The economic transformation of eastern Europe raises issues in the collection and interpretation of national statistics on output measures, price measures, labor force, household income, and private enterprise. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is assisting eastern European statistical agencies in rebuilding their systems. (SK)

The relationship between the television broadcast industry and the film industry in the European Economic Community is primarily characterized by the commissioning or coproducing of films by the television organization. This relationship is discussed in light of the Treaty of Rome and decisions of the European Court of Justice in Luxemburg. (JMF)