In the United States courses on civics or government are often marginalized in most states' social studies curricula in favor of courses in United States or world history. The origins of this history-dominated approach have roots in the debates between the American Historical Association and the National Education Association at the turn of the…

What are the key contents related to democratic life in the curricula of civic and citizenship education in Latin American countries? What values and dimensions are most emphasized? This document summarizes the results of a comparative analysis of civic/citizenship curricula for primary and secondary education in six Latin American countries…

The emergence of the SuperPACs in American politics is a major issue in the current election. SuperPACs, and the media campaigns they fund, also present a major challenge for media and democratic education. This article explores the issues surrounding SuperPACs and the rise of media in elections and politics in general, and presents some starting…

In August 2006, Australia's conservative prime minister John Howard convened a history summit in Canberra. The purported goal of the summit was the framing of a nationally-acceptable curriculum in Australian history. However, as this article suggests, Howard's hidden intention was to use the summit as a device for introducing a narrowly…

This case study provides perspectives on the War in Iraq with information collected from Sabah, Malaysia, educators. The author has analyzed input from Sabahan teachers regarding their discussions of United States-led war efforts in Iraq. The implications for discourse in Sabahan classrooms are described. The author then argues that Sabahan…

Discussion of the impact of popular music on studying historical and contemporary experiences of U.S. life focuses on the use of music to help social studies teachers convey the controversial nature of the Vietnam War. Songs with related themes are listed, and views of social studies education in popular music are also discussed. (LRW)

Many educators in high schools and colleges have taught about European history and politics in the context of the Cold War and the division of Europe into two blocs. The revolutionary changes in 1989 and the collapse of the Soviet Union have made obsolete the superpower spheres of influence that divided Europe. This curriculum project contributes…

The theoretical and practical issues involved in teaching peace studies are debated and modes of action suggested for the classroom teacher. (Author/KM)

Three ways to develop curriculum materials dealing with controversial political issues are described. Currently the two most popular approaches are the general theoretical discussion of important concepts and case studies. Whereas the theoretical approach may be too abstract and the case study approach too brief, a third approach combines the…

Discusses Canadian national unity and the social studies curriculum. Suggests regarding Canada as a political whole composed of many cultures. A new K-12 social studies curriculum, which includes a comprehensive program in Canadian citizenship, is needed. The elementary, middle, and secondary students would study citizenship, Canadian political…

Discusses episodes from the history of the Sioux Indians in North and South Dakota and suggests ways in which this information can be incorporated into social studies classroom activities. Information is taken from primary source material in the Educational Division of the National Archives. (Author/DB)

Education about national security has always been part of the social studies curriculum in U.S. high schools. But its focus has been simply chronological and episodic with major attention given to war, particularly the decision to enter it and the conduct of U.S. military forces. Little attention has been given to the evolution and structural…

Provides a teacher's personal reminiscences of the Jewish holocaust during World War II. Recommends that social studies teachers teach about the holocaust for the benefit of students who have no personal experience with it. (Author/DB)

Liberal democracies depend on the knowledge, character, and imagination of their citizens. Three assumptions underlie this collection of essays on democracy and education: (1) democracy is morally superior to autocracy, whether religious or secular, utopian or mundane; (2) democracies are rare historically and inherently fragile; and (3) there can…