This document describes the development of theater in Africa, over the last 20 years, from a medium of entertainment for the colonial elite to an African theatre, after independence. It describes various approaches to the use of theater as a medium of education and development. Nine chapters in the book concern: (l) background to African drama;…

Explores which styles, genres, and trends in contemporary music are most popular among 15 year-old high school students in the German Democratic Republic. Contends that such information is important for helping teachers improve planning and instruction in music education classes. (RKM)

The formation of and purposes served by stereotypes, to define and redefine a culture as it changes, are examined through contemporary French storytelling. Traditional stereotypes and stereotypes derived from connotation are distinguished, and the stereotype is characterized as the point at which language and culture are in symbiosis. (MSE)

This paper examines the influences on Garifuna (also known as Caribs) youth education through the voices of Garifuna educators and youths. The paper emphasizes, in both its content and methodology, that discussion of education in the Caribbean and specifically Belize cannot be separated from the educators' experiences and the adolescents'…

This paper gives an overview of censorship in Germany. The paper recognizes that between the human right and constitutional law of freedom of speech, art, and press on the one side and the social life of man which must be ensured on the other side, the right of free expression can clash with human dignity. It discusses which books, films, records,…

This thematic section includes "Community Education in the Cook Islands" (Brian Terrence Hagan); "Developing the Grassroots: A Community Education Program in Fiji" (Joseph Veramu); "Literacy in the Community: The Papua New Guinea Experience" (Vincent Manukayasi); "Young Aborigine People Learn about Life through…

Examines popular culture in terms of its position in social structures of power, looking at the Ivoirien music made popular by state television in Cote d'Ivoire. Focuses on Cote d'Ivoire's international singing star, Alpha Blondy, and how this singer and others negotiate the relationship between state television and the Ivoirien popular singer.…

Images can be and have been used in various ways, and by their man-made nature they cannot be considered independent of their providers' intentions. Yet, identifying such intentions is complex, and requires a critical look supported by relevant information on what is being represented, how, and why. In this article, the author illustrates some of…

The winning of an artist representing the lowest level of Finnish musical taste during the 2006 Eurovision song contest marks not only the rebellious attitude towards the over-sanitized contest, but it was the result of a new practice--voting by text message. Recently, music-biased schools that were once selective of the music they teach are now…

This article describes the difficulty of teaching about the construction of regions in regional geography courses, which are themselves built on a metageography that often goes unquestioned. The author advocates the use of popular culture to make this very complex issue palpable for undergraduates. Thus, the construction of Eastern Europe within a…

The musical preference of most Malaysian young people, their knowledge of music in general and popular music in particular are shaped through informal music education. Factors that contribute to this include the wide dissemination of popular music, the status of music in the school curriculum, and the perception of most Malaysians towards music.…

The author reviews the relationship between "literature" and pop culture, arguing that both are part of an intellectual continuum, and that to attempt to extol one and demonise the other is not only based on false and simplistic premises, it is exclusive and destructive. She reminds us that "All education is based on assumptions…

Noting that in the Europe of 1500 few people could read and write but that by 1800 the era of mass literacy had arrived, this book documents that momentous critical change and its implications. Using as a base a wide-range analytical survey, the book explores the place of literacy and education in social structures and social change in Europe…

This collection of papers is part of a growing scholarly literature dealing with puppetry and other forms of expressive culture which involve people looking at and reframing themselves and their social lives. The collection is intended to contribute to an understanding of the significance of puppetry as a form of popular culture and an…

What is currently happening in China is similar to what happened in the United States in the 1950s and the Soviet Union in the 1970s--television is quickly becoming a mainstay of popular entertainment and news. The Chinese government has made substantial efforts to provide television service to all regions of the country, with importance attached…