Examines ethnocentrism, focusing on the presentation of the USSR in English history textbooks. Four sections define ethnocentrism and the framework of analysis used, exemplify the framework, relate differences between the text and changes in the projected classroom context-of-use, and discuss theoretical and methodological problems raised by the…

The first essay in this publication reports on an assessment of the way Asian culture is portrayed in nearly 300 textbooks in common use in the United States. The assessment revealed that the texts fail to represent Asia fairly; the most serious problems are the underlying, purely Western yardsticks with which the majority of the texts approach…

Asserts that most representations of non-Western cultures are inherently tainted with Eurocentric and colonialist precepts. Argues for, and describes, a variety of strategies to deconstruct these perceptions. Maintains that issues of ethnicity, inclusion, and difference are more complex than normally thought. (MJP)

Discusses ways to prevent explicit racists from becoming teachers; explains how racism affects student teachers and how to test for it using measures of ethnocentrism to screen prospective students; discusses implications of misleading analyses of racism in some contemporary literature, criticizing the approach to racism in the Swann Report…

Examines the contribution of William Prescott's historical writing and the influence that it still exerts over Spanish historical scholarship in the United States. Prescott posited Spain as decadent, aristocratic, and consumed by social stratification and religious dogma, the antithesis of a vigorous and democratic United States. (MJP)

Compares and contrasts the representation of World War II era Germans in English textbooks and academic histories. Finds the academic histories to be more varied and in-depth. Discusses the strategies used by the textbooks to create portrait of mindless aggression. Considers educational and policy implications. (MJP)

A course on the intercultural training of teachers, organized by the Portuguese authorities, was a result of a Franco-Portuguese pilot project concerned with the development of intercultural training courses and teaching materials. Purposes of the course were to present the material prepared by the joint Franco-Portuguese team; to test and…

Reporting on a pilot study of urban junior high students, this report examines the way young people acquire perceptions of their own and other nations and attempts to identify the sources of those ideas. This action research approach used a survey research instrument with a 20-item semantic differential form to measure students' knowledge of and…

Discusses growing concern about negative attitudes toward Japan and Japanese people among secondary school and college students. Describes the use of quality control circles to bridge the cultural divide. Reports on the success of the program and argues that teachers have a responsibility to promote cultural understanding and diversity. (CFR)

Contends that, since the mid-1980s, many British schools in predominantly white areas have taken active steps to counter racism and ethnocentrism. Examines the ethical issues of researching such initiatives at the primary school level. Looks at curriculum development work in antiracist and multicultural education in "all white" schools.…

Contends that computers and television have contributed to a sense of global connectedness. Presents reviews of a computer software program and two videotape series that focus on global issues and children in other cultures. Asserts that instructional materials such as these can help reduce ethnocentrism among students. (CFR)

Recent advertising research has suggested that to gain initial entry into and retain continual success with a targeted audience of consumers, it is wise to mirror the attitudes and desires of those consumers. This has proven effective in the United States, where companies such as Chevrolet, Levi Strauss, and Coca-Cola have successfully catered to…

Investigates the connection between racism in the public school art curriculum and the ethnocentric ideas of George Zerffi. Zerffi lectured widely and taught art history to future art teachers in England, between 1868 and 1892. Although occasionally brilliant, his views reflected the ethnocentric ideology of Victorian England. (MJP)