The New Research on Gender in Political Psychology Conference brought together new and experienced teachers with interests in gender politics. The conference session "Teaching Gender throughout the Curriculum" generated a great deal of discussion concerning the pedagogical practice of gender mainstreaming. Gender mainstreaming--the integration of…

Civic engagement is increasingly recognized as a significant function of public universities. The university provides a variety of opportunities for civic engagement, including co-curricular activities, service learning opportunities, and specific majors and minors. This article reviews the attempt to embed civic engagement and civic education…

Argues that the rise of Islamic fundamentalism since the Iranian Revolution has generated a number of issues of analytical significance for political science. Describes three main models in teaching and research on Islamic fundamentalism: Islamic exceptionalism, comparative fundamentalisms, and class analysis. Discusses the construction of a…

Examines the learning profiles of students in political science courses at a private liberal arts college. Using the Kolb Learning Style Model, demonstrates that students in political science courses use a variety of learning styles. Suggests that instructors expand their teaching methods to address a broader number of learning styles. (DSK)

Describes an approach to teaching politics that employs actions, scenes, agents, agency, and purpose to encourage students to experience and analyze political behavior. Argues that students participate more in class when they assume a role that is clearly "not themselves." Uses a course about the U.S. presidency as an example. (DSK)

Reports results of task force survey. States that the goal of a political science degree program is to maximize students' capacity to analyze and interpret the significance and dynamics of political events and governmental processes. Offers recommendations in subject matter content, methodology, teaching, and skills. Concludes that the major…

Examines the dichotomy between area studies and the more traditional discipline of political science. Discusses those areas of political science that relate to area studies and suggests several reasons for an intransigence to change within the more traditional discipline. Recommends a cooperative and interdisciplinary effort between both camps.…

Asserts that increased attention to marginalized groups in college political science courses is long overdue. Introduces a series of six brief articles describing how to incorporate these groups into the curriculum. Includes articles on gender, race, and sexual orientation issues. (CFR)

Maintains that participatory classroom exercises can enrich students' perception of the importance of gender as a concept in political science. Describes three exercises that integrate the concept of gender into the examination of electoral systems, social movements, and German unification. Discusses student response to this approach. (MJP)

Offers a comparative case study that deals with the impact of party politics on the representation of women. Specifically examines political parties and their legislative agendas developed in Great Britain and West Germany during the 1980s. Demonstrates how a careful teacher can synthesize feminist and non-feminist approaches to material. (MJP)

Criticizes the traditional approach to teaching U.S. government as being de-contextualized, piecemeal, incoherent, and ineffective. Summarizes an alternative approach that follows historical development but emphasizes the emerging character of the U.S. political system due to the interaction between values, context, and institutions. Text readings…

Argues that the fundamental problem with introducing gender-related concepts into international studies is that the scholarship itself remains poorly integrated. Identifies feminist and non-feminist approaches to work on European politics. Briefly discusses feminist critiques of the welfare state and the liberal state, as well as, comparative…

Argues that while gender and political research are not necessarily done by individuals with feminist goals, their application in the classroom potentially helps answer the question of how to make democracy more accessible and "safe" for women. Places the specific act of mainstreaming gender into the broader perspective of theory. (MJP)

Recommends that undergraduate journalism and communications majors receive more thorough training in local and public affairs education. Changes in communications technology have raised the importance and accessibility of local news for national candidates, often without a corresponding rise in sophistication of coverage. (MJP)

Demonstrates that the literature on the Scandinavian welfare state incorporates gender as a central concept for both measurement and evaluation. Argues that the Scandinavian case lends itself to a variety of European and non-European comparative courses. Provides several specific suggestions for integrating this material into broader courses. (MJP)