Although "A Nation at Risk" identifies many legitimate problems, the report misconstrues their causes and proposes inappropriate solutions. By blaming schools for America's economic, military, and moral shortcomings, it deflects criticism from education's social, economic, and political context, which we must analyze if we seek a more…

Asserts that, in the urban classrooms of the early 20th century, women teachers faced two contradictory images: (1) the idealized view of the gentle, nurturing teacher; and (2) the reality of the harsh working conditions in city schools. Concludes that administrators were content to let classroom teachers deal with disciplinary issues. (CFR)

Maintains that sociology must reconceptualize the meaning of multiethnic societies and regions and also advance theories about how such social organizations came into being and transform themselves through conflicting and peaceful processes. Briefly reviews traditional approaches and outlines new areas of study. (MJP)

Compares and contrasts the recent years of ethnic conflict in Somali and Fiji. The widely divergent reactions of both populations dispels the belief that ethnic pluralism is both a necessary and sufficient condition for violent conflict in a society. Provides succinct portraits of both societies and their cultures. (MJP)

Reports on a study of how engenderment (socialization to gender) operates in both male and female single-sex and coeducational independent schools. Finds that teachers initiated most of the incidents in six categories of sex discrimination. Asserts that schools with active gender equity policies were the least likely sites of sexism. (CFR)

Asserts that Russian society and Russian schools are going through a profound crisis. Maintains that the best approach to solving social and educational problems is to restore and develop national principles and group cohesion. Criticizes the United States and Japanese educational systems and calls for Russia to follow its own path. (CFR)

Maintains that people have multiple identities and discusses how these differential identities were realigned in Latvia during and after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Survey data suggests current ethnopolitical identity incorporates multiple dimensions and a strong contextual component. Includes graphs and tables of statistical data. (MJP)

Although education and other quasi-public services are financed by the government in both Holland and Sweden, the public/private division of finance and provision of these services that exists in Holland has no counterpart in Sweden, where provision of services is delegated to local governments and the private nonprofit sector is negligible.…

Identifies and defines four models of internal ethnic conflict and discusses those conflicts within various African nations. The corresponding models and countries include Integration Model: Botswana and Somalia; Managed Diversity Model: Ghana, Cote d'Ivorie, Kenya, and Nigeria; Ambivalent Accommodation Model: Ethiopia and Djibouti; and Acute…