In this interview social scientist and professor, Seymour Martin Lipset discusses those aspects of U.S. culture and character that make it unique. Considers a broad range of influences and phenomena, including divine providence, social stratification, the absence of radicalism, and shifting ideological positions. (MJP)

Articulates an ethical and theological basis for ethnographic research in faith communities. Interviews with nine ethnographers reveal that both research and researcher are changed by the research act. Argues that ethnography is an opportunity for ministry that is empowering and educational. (MJP)

Argues that too often liturgy and religious education posit an idyllic notion of the reign of God and fail to address the injustice, oppression, and violence endemic to much of modern life. This amounts to a dichotomy between the sacred and the secular. Proposes several corrective measures. (MJP)

Examines and defines the world of play for children and considers what lessons and applications this might have for adults and their spirituality. Particularly notes that the "what-if" and "as-if" dimensions of play can be used as energizing and liberating aspects of a more active adult spirituality. (MJP)

Summarizes and comments on a series of interviews with Chinese students in the United States regarding conflicts with landlords, professors, and merchants. Discusses the dichotomy between their desire to assert themselves and their feelings of apprehension dealing with unfamiliar relationships and power structures. Considers this experience in…

Reviews the background and consequences of the most violent and effective textbook confrontations in U.S. history, summarizing the objectives of religious fundamentals to a K-12 language arts curriculum. Decries the individual and societal operation of agnosis (not wanting to know). Condemns the publishing industry for self-censorship based on…

Stresses that despite their commitment to aesthetic objectivity in the reading and evaluation of literature, teachers should actively explore and discuss with students the racist and ethnic stereotyping which is characteristic of many literary classics. (RAE)

Liberal education and liberal society are both being transformed into their opposites as the utopian project of diversity, multiculturalism, and group equality continues apace. Taking Allan Bloom as a guide, Carol Iannone explains the way in which American democracy was meant to work and how education was meant to function within it. Iannone…

To explicate the relevance of cultural context to educational administration practices, this paper contrasts United States cultural attitudes and administrative practices with those of Latin America. Drawing on Leslie A. White's definition of culture, the author presents the Weberian model of administration as exemplary for the United States,…

A study to obtain data concerning values for child behavior from a sample of Mexican adults from Guadalajara (Jalisco, Mexico), and to compare and contrast these data with those obtained in previous research with subjects from the United States, used a sample consisting of 40 males (mean age 31.1 years) and 40 females (mean age 20.1). The subjects…

This paper speculates on difficulties in making American formal education an active force for conscious cultural change rather than a passive force for unconscious cultural stasis. Two questions central to discussing any educational system which purports to be a conscious force for cultural change are posed: Can a society conscious of its own…

In this monograph, student protests and disturbances are viewed within a broad and well-informed framework, which includes: (1) the growing importance of youth and college students in American society; (2) the changing social position of youth and the rise of a generalized youth subculture; and (3) perspectives on cooperative subcultures, deviant…

The similarities and differences in value systems between Americans and Vietnamese are investigated in this study. A national sample of 1,427 Americans was given Rockeach's (1969) value survey. The scale was then translated into Vietnamese and given to a randomly selected group of 349 Vietnamese living in South Vietnam shortly before the fall of…

Examines the need for teacher reflection as schools involve teachers in management and governance, describing efforts at social self-reflection in preservice and inservice education. Includes a case study where social self-reflection highlights a successful match between a new teacher's personal integrity and her professional setting. Considers…

Examines the ways in which African Americans link personal stories with biblical and heritage stories to decide future life directions. Maintains that these activities help people develop a spirituality of hope and restore relational contexts for storytelling and story listening in an age where these contexts have disappeared. (MJP)