In this article, the authors review the state of civic education in schools. They point out that students typically "take only one semester-long course on American government"--unlike the situation in the 1960s, when it was common "for students to take multiple courses in civics covering not only the structure of American government, but also the…

Several studies indicate that adolescents in the United States think about political issues that have relevance to their lives in ways that differ from their thinking about issues that do not have such relevance. Proposes (1) a model of moral or social reasoning; and (2) two categories of reasoning: instrumental and symbolic. (BC)

Proposes that educators abandon the Educational Psychology Paradigm which regards human behavior as phenomena without purpose and explore the Social Paradigm which studies people as human beings. Four basic features of the Social Paradigm are explored and, their meaning for an ethical approach to an educator's professional life are appraised. (RM)

This paper reviews trends in political education in China and examines implications of the new market emphasis on political education in institutions of higher education. Trends toward increased academic openness and cross fertilization among academic fields after the Cultural Revolution are identified. Reforms during this period are seen to have…

Reviews research on children's knowledge of politics. Covers research on authority figures, national symbols, national identity and geographic location, international politics, and peace and war. Three theoretical frameworks for understanding children's political thinking are discussed. Lists 39 references. (RJC)

A reverse causality model treating mass media use for public affairs information as a result rather than as a cause of political behavior was tested utilizing surveys of 190 Mexican-American, 176 black, and 225 white adults. The criterion variable used in each sample was frequency of television and newspaper use for public affairs information. The…

Social theorists arguing that economic development is a process of modernization claim that traditional societies will follow the patterns of transformation already followed by modern societies, and that literacy can help instill the necessary values. An alternative theory, developed primarily in Latin America, argues that the relationships of…

Described are two longitudinal studies, one British, the other American, which examined the influences of varied socializing agents--e.g., family, school, peer groups--on voting behavior. The studies emphasized the hitherto unappreciated importance of the political, social, and economic climate of society and its changes on socialization. (CS)

As exporters of oil in the Middle East and throughout the world, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) must address the following challenges in the area of development and economic growth: (1) an increasingly integrated world economy in which technology and knowledge will be paramount; (2) the need to diversify its economy from a natural resource-based…

The evolution of cadre (political elite and bureaucratic functionaries) education in China from 1949 to the present was evaluated in terms of leadership development and the underlying interests of the Chinese Communist Party as it integrates more fully into the world economy. Historic achievements include: (1) increased knowledge about market…