Conservative trends across western schooling contexts are signalling an explicit devaluing of social and moral learning within their official curriculum mandates. These mandates are increasingly privileging the "academic rigour" of traditional subject disciplines. This paper draws on interview and observation data from a case study of a…

The French education system was created as a means to uphold the republican principles emanating from the Revolution. The first Article of the 1958 French Constitution says the Republic assures equality before the law of all citizens without distinction of origin or race. Theoretically at least, it is not only forbidden to discriminate, but to…

Reviews two books on the political socialization which occurs in secondary schools. Also looks at several other research studies on this topic. Concludes there is a lack of progress in developing an effective citizenship education program in the United States and Canada. (RKM)

This document describes the ways in which Japan and the German nations have taught the history of World War II. According to the document, the former German Democratic Republic (GDR) took a pro-communist and anti-fascist approach to the subject. At the same time, the Western Allies pressured the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) to institute a…

Describes the ideological and political education structure in middle schools in Beijing, China. Suggestions are made on ways to improve education for middle-school students. (GG)

Finds that the rate of reproduction of parents' political outlook in their adolescent children does not vary significantly in Israel among four types of family communication patterns but that family communication patterns relate to political participation and political ideologies, with the pluralist family most likely to induce political…

Summarizes findings of a recent Norwegian study of the contents of civics textbooks approved for use in grades seven, eight, and nine in schools throughout Norway. Findings indicated that only one of the nine textbooks analyzed recommended that its readers take a critical view of the civic education-related contents. (Author/DB)

Describes Cuba's unique approach to indoctrinating high school students in communist beliefs. It places urban students in work-study schools in the countryside to separate them from (1) urban elitism and (2) family influence which conditions attitudes toward career goals. As a result, young adults are more willing to be sent wherever they are…

Observes the general use of history instruction in political socialization and presents a case study of the state-directed history program in the primary and secondary schools of the Soviet Union. Concludes that history in the Soviet Union is a partisan and dogmatic discipline, which is utilized by the government to enhance its authority and to…

The view that poverty and riches are caused by two distinct personality traits is perpetuated through educational materials. Examples drawn from secondary social studies texts and adult education programs in India illustrate how an educational system is a medium of cultural dissemination and political control. (AM)

Unlike in England, no overt culture clash was found in Ontario, Canada, secondary schools between "school" music and "student's" music. However, in both countries the form and content of school music convey a dominant ideology. (Author/RM)

Examines the attitudes of Irish secondary school students toward political parties and the influence of the parties on the students. Results showed high student awareness of party differences, parental disposition to be an important influence, and party attitude to be an important influence on certain issues. (Author/CK)

Describes how six case study institutions were selected by the Political Education Research Unit, outlines some of the questions which the research team attempted to answer, and describes the approaches adopted to these questions. (Author/CK)

Points out dominance of political as opposed to other types of history in General Certificate of Education (GCE) and Scottish Certificate of Education (SCE) papers, considers alternative approaches to the content of those papers, and suggests means of implementing the suggested changes. (CM)

Traces the emergence and tenuous survival of social studies as a school subject in Hong Kong, 1971-present. Begun by the colonial government for political socialization purposes, social studies was reoriented to prepare students for their future as Chinese citizens. However, adoption of social studies and how it is taught has varied widely in Hong…