In this paper, the subject of bias in historical materials is examined. Three articles and two reviews are presented. The articles are: (1) "How Multicultural Educational Materials Affect Children," by Neil J. Kressel and James W. Loewen; (2) "Pluralist History and Public Relations History," by James W. Loewen; and (3) "Televised History and Race…

Criticizes attitudes and prescriptions of the Council on Interracial Books for Children as expressed in its "Guidelines for Selecting Bias Free Textbooks and Storybooks" and teaching materials developed through Project EMBER (Equity Models for Basal Readers). Holds that the Council holds political biases while purporting to be neutral.…

Textbooks treat Afro-American history with a general unevenness, with little attention to Afro-American thoughts and activities. A theme that runs consistently throughout American history is the exclusion of Afro-Americans from the concept of American "people." There should be a two-pronged approach to examining this theme in the classroom. (AM)

Some educational materials produced by industry are among the best available. (DS)

This article is the world history counterpart to a previous paper on American history textbooks, "How Much of the Sky? Women in American History High School Textbooks from the 1960s, 1980s and 1990s," Social Education, January/February 2004. The authors of this article examined six books from each decade, the 1960s, 1980s, and 1990s. The analysis…

Discusses steps taken to eliminate bias and misrepresentation from history textbooks and examines how descriptions of historical events can be affected. Describes how groups can question textbook material and states that, if the goal of textbook writing is to offend no one, then history will cease to exist in the schools. (GEA)

Presents the concerns and ideological agenda of Accuracy in Academia (AIA). Argues that there is a real threat that professors' rights to textbook selection are endangered by such groups. (MS)

Many things are wrong with college level economics textbooks. For example, they are too ahistorical, too particularist, or unsystematically eclectic. The requirements of a good college economics textbook are examined. (RM)

Surveys selected British schoolbooks for controversial racial and multicultural content (checklist provided at end of article). Notes customary procedure for textbook production and suggests ways to bring about changes. (JDH)

Notes that boys continue to be portrayed in reading materials in activities stereotypically associated with males, such as sports, adventure, and leadership; suggests that reading materials are needed that show boys in nurturing and expressive roles as well. (MKM)

Ironically, introductory textbooks for sociology present a distorted characterization of reality, ignoring race, class, and gender and generalizing from the experience of society's dominant group. New textbooks should have four themes: vital role of sociologists as social critics; diversity as socially constructed; people's role in shaping their…

Argues that the first step in reassessing whether the values brought to the Americas by Christopher Columbus are desirable is to examine and dispel the myths surrounding Columbus and his deeds. Includes myths involving the purpose, financing, and manning of the voyage, and Columbus's own beliefs and fate. Suggests sources for locating accurate…

Psychological theories continue to dominate the study of interpersonal communication, as is evident from dozens of introductory interpersonal communication textbooks. The perspectives most consistently missing from interpersonal textbooks are sociopolitical analyses of relational communication patterns, analyses that locate relational…

Describes two recent international incidents which tell a great deal about the Japanese "world view." The incidents regard the content of a new Japanese history textbook (protested by South Korea), and alleged racist remarks of Prime Minister Nakasone. Claims the two are related and provide lessons for our own version of history and conduct. (JDH)

The textbooks of a nation are generally a reflection of the values, goals, and essential priorities of that particular society. Therefore, teachers, parents, administrators, school boards, and publishers must ensure that the best thinking of various groups and of textbook critics is incorporated in the development of more effective textbooks.…