Presents statistical data from a survey of Russian culture courses taught at institutions that offer Russian language instruction. Includes data on total number, length, and language of instruction, which, while substantiating the widespread assumption of a culture course explosion, point to the large proportion of courses that are taught in…

Discusses two key problems that plague intermediate French courses, particularly the overemphasis on the formal study of grammar and the neglect of content. Suggests that emphasis be shifted to a coherent presentation of contemporary culture, and that grammar be relegated to its proper place as the vehicle of effective communication. (MES)

University-based review of international research centers, especially area studies centers, is encouraged. The issues are: What are the objectives of area research? According to insiders, what have been the main achievements? And what are some of the main problems and opportunities facing the centers now? (MSE)

Questions in what language and by what means social science knowledge should be diffused in African countries. Aspects of the African situation discussed include the teachers' role, oral history, educational objectives, and availability of instructional aids. Journal available from The Editor, International Social Science Journal, UNESCO, 7 Place…

Suggests ways in which teachers of African area studies on the college level can incorporate films on Africa into the curriculum. Methods include showing longer films outside regular classroom hours, introducing students to perspectives other than those of the teacher, and discussing film-related issues to draw out and reinforce understandings and…

Major approaches to teaching African politics on the college level are reviewed, the state of the art of teaching African politics is evaluated, and major problems facing teachers of African politics are highlighted. Problems include the size and variety of African nations, ineptness of western pedagogy in describing Africa, and problems of…

Proposes an adaptation of the quiz-show format for classroom use, discussing a set of rules and sample questions designed for beginning and intermediate German students. Presents questions based on German life and culture which are especially selected to encourage participation from students majoring in subjects other than German. (MES)

Focuses on activities that took place in courses on contemporary French society. In these courses, students and instructor attempted to develop a series of analytical tools from a systematic body of visual, oral, and textual materials in order to increase cultural understanding and speech styles of French-speaking communities or social groups.…

Discusses the evolution of comparative literature as a discipline in the 20th century and how comparative analysis has affected other academic disciplines, focusing on the impact of comparative literature and analysis on Russian and East European studies. (Contains 11 references.) (MDM)

Utilizing an anthropological approach, this paper provides an intense and unified description of the dominant geographic, economic, political, historic, and social trends prevalent in Cape Verde. It serves as a quasi-explicit and exceptionally objective emphasis of the island's background, and the outgrowths evident in the status quo. The…

This paper analyzes the issues regarding current expansion of NATO membership to include Romania and Bulgaria. The perspective given is that of the United States and places the Romanian and Bulgarian cases within the context of those issues. Sections of the paper include: (1) "The Road to Madrid: Expansion of NATO"; (2) "No Easy…

This annotated bibliography of library materials on South Asia covers Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The materials are organized into three sections: (1) references sources; (2) regional bibliography; and (3) subject bibliography. While the guide is specific to materials housed in a particular library, it can be…

Future teachers are not getting enough education in area studies nor in practical use of the foreign language. They should be able to converse fulently about the foreign country. This necessitates thorough revision of university curricula, including required language courses throughout the course of study. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)

This excursion guide describes the Zuyder Zee project which dammed and partially drained a low coastal area of the northern Netherlands. The guide also provides itineraries and other practical information for visitors to the area. It is one of a series of publications developed by the Information and Documentation Center for the Geography of the…

The purpose of this guide is to introduce students and researchers to reference resources in the McGill University Library of Montreal, Canada. The guide deals with the language, history, literature, and civilization of China. Listed are encyclopedias and handbooks; biographical sources; atlases, gazetteers, and maps; dictionaries; and…