During the Constitutional Convention of 1890, one delegate characterized the history of county formation in Kentucky as a process whereby "fifteen or thirty or forty people" created "outrageous special legislation" to make laws that "were not for the benefit of the people at large, but only for the benefit of people who…

The Curriculum Research & Development Group (CRDG) is a research unit of the College of Education at the University of Hawai'i. Part of its mission is to develop curriculum materials for students in grades K-12. The social studies section of CRDG has been developing curriculum materials on Asia since the early 1990s. As part of a project…

Presents a geopolitical history of the African continent. Its geography, mineral resources, regional industrial development, and international role are discussed. The impact of African foreign policies on the struggle between China and Taiwan is examined. (AM)

Columbus sighted Jamaica during his second voyage and was marooned there for more than a year during his fourth. The succession of early maps of Jamaica betrays its slow development and its unimportance to early colonizers. Modern tourism is the elusive "gold" which the Spanish fortune hunters did not find. (CS)

International studies give the broad background needed for a truly global education. Area studies complement this approach by offering specificity to the issues and providing perspectives that break ehtnocentric and nationalistic molds, giving students the world picture as seen through the eyes of other peoples. (BW)

For the purpose of increasing knowledge among geographers and other interested people about Micronesia, the article discusses Micronesian history, location, political importance, and culture. (DB)

Describes a one-semester course on modern German civilization given at St. Bonaventure University and open to both German majors and others interested in fulfilling general education requirements. Discusses course's topics which include political, social, and economic issues; artistic achievements; and a contrastive analysis of German and American…

Discusses the organization of trips to Russia that are more open than current college programs. A description is given of the types and cost of trips, the use of advertising to attract students, and the tour group composition. Suggested itineraries and a warning about possible problems in Russia are given. (PJM)

This article details the work of Michael Neubert from the Library of Congress. It briefly discusses his interest in Russian studies and how it originated. It then discusses that when he received his M.A. in Soviet Studies he was not sure how he would make a living--until he read about the job opportunities for area studies librarians.

Examines past and present reasons for the study of foreign literatures in institutions of higher education, concluding that the trend is to interdisciplinary approaches to foreign literature instruction. (AM)

Reviews the historical development of Canadian studies in United States textbooks and other instructional material. Notes common shortcomings and misconceptions of early materials. Describes how an expanded and more even treatment of Canada would improve social studies instruction in the United States. (JDH)

Advocates the use of foreign students as resource persons in area studies units. Identifies programs in Michigan which promote cross cultural education via the use of foreign students as classroom speakers. (JDH)

Whenever a class begins to study a new part of the world, teachers must deal with students' preexisting ideas about the area. Activities which will challenge elementary students' initial impressions of Australia and encourage them to learn more about the country are described. (RM)

The policies of Syria in the wake of Israel's invasion of Lebanon are examined. Speculations about the future of this volatile area are made. (RM)

Reviews articles in the 1976 Journal of Counseling Psychology concerned with causal questions without broad consideration for the context or history of the variables under investigation. Notions of Brunswick and Snow regarding distal, proximal, and central regions for research concerned with ecology are presented with adaptation for counseling.…