The varied aspects of drugs, their source, abuse, chemical composition, and physical, personal, and social effects are explored. Seven units cover the following areas: (1) an overview on drug use, a brief history of drugs and discussion of social implications; (2) the human nervous system and the actions of drugs; (3) "nondrug drugs" such as…

The document presents a collection of selected reflections by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on India's youth, their opportunities, and their future. Titles for the selections include: (1) Youth and Common Aspirations; (2) Youth and the Future; (3) Youth and Freedom; (4) Youth and the Questing Spirit; (5) Youth and Modernization; (6) Youth and…

This book suggests new approaches to the role played by communication in social conflict situations. In "A Transactional Paradigm of Verbalized Social Conflict," C. David Mortensen calls for a transactional approach to the study of communication and conflict. Fred Jandt's "Communication and the Simulation of Social Conflict" stresses the…

Grounded in the premise that students can learn about the world, nurture the impulse to care about others, and still meet required educational standards, this book outlines a middle school curriculum in which students can learn to identify with, investigate, and then act on social issues. It offers teachers the following resources: an extended…

Based on multi-disciplinary academic research and professional practice, this book is a response to the current political and policy debates in Britain that maintain that "childhood" is in a state of "crisis"; that there is a breakdown in discipline, professional, or parental guidance; and that young people lack any sense of…

Intended for those involved in American social service and educational communities, this book addresses the widespread problem of illiteracy in the United States and the social consequences of this problem. Following an introduction, the chapters in the first section of the book discuss the growing crisis of illiterate America, specifically, the…

Written to discuss questions often raised about common (public) schooling in the United States, this book examines issues surrounding the founding of the Department of Education, encompassing a period from the 1830s to the present and focusing on the 1860s. At that time, the common school movement promised that education would be a means for…

The situation for "street children" has degenerated over the past two decades following the economic and political transitions in much of Latin America. Drawing on scholarly materials, interviews with child rights advocates, and the words of the children themselves, this book explores the abuse, limited choices, despair, loyalty, and…

This book presents the ideas of several authors who share the viewpoint that social values play an important role in determining financial policies in public schools. The first section reviews the historic and social context of school financing, summarizing U.S. school finance policy from 1955 to 1980 and describing the political environment of…

This book provides a framework for examining violence as a social issue in contemporary society. Discussion is limited to violence as it occurs in the United States. The book can be used as a teacher resource or a secondary-level reader on violence, giving an historical background and a discussion of violence as a social phenomenon. The framework…

Five studies focus on the cultural components of population issues in Thailand, Jamaica, Korea, Kenya, and Indonesia. The reports explore the influence of cultural factors on contraceptive practice, family planning, abortion, and education. Recommendations are made for policymakers in areas that impinge on population growth. "Birth Control…

U.S. families are undergoing disconcerting changes. This book offers an explanation of the causes and consequences of today's family trends. The book demonstrates why a historically informed perspective on changing family roles and arrangements can be helpful in sorting through many family dilemmas and the conflicting messages given by political…

The pessimists' view is that the U.S. family is collapsing; on the other hand, optimists view it is as merely diversifying. Too often, both camps begin with an ahistorical, static notion of what the family was like before the contemporary period. Noting that the actual complexity of our history gets buried under the weight of an idealized image,…

Claiming that politicians, private interests, and the media unfairly blame adolescents for America's social problems, this book explodes various myths about teen pregnancy, violence, and risk behaviors. The chapters are: (1) "Impounding the Future," examining trends in various social indicators such as rising rates of child poverty…

The American educational system increasingly shapes individuals to fit a production-consumption system. Most educators believe that education should provide career training and the basis for economic advancement, rather than reflect on past events. The questions--who we are, why we are here, and where we are going--are seldom discussed in public…