In reforming curricula to achieve a multicultural perspective, the goal is not to emphasize the contributions of various groups but rather to understand how we all emerged from complex syntheses and intergroup relations. The new emphasis on multiculturalism and minority and gender studies is enhancing U.S. education. (SLD)

Latvians are among the ethnic groups dispersed to many parts of the world. The history of the Latvian diaspora is traced, and the maintenance of Latvian ethnic identity is explored, including the status of Latvian libraries. Latvian independence is expected to have an impact on Latvian culture abroad. (SLD)

Discussion of public libraries' information and referral services for culturally diverse communities focuses on a study conducted in southern California that examined the information seeking behavior of ethnolinguistic gatekeepers in minority communities. Topics addressed include information and referral models; information sources; the perception…

Designing school-linked services that take into account the growing diversity of the nation's population requires individuals and organizations to address several difficult issues, beginning with understanding language and culture. Building trust is perhaps the biggest challenge to developing effective collaboration. (SLD)

Examined self-report cross-sectional and longitudinal data on associations between drug use, suicide ideation, and attempts among seventh-and eighth-grade males. African Americans had highest prevalence of six-month ideation; Haitians had highest attempts. For total sample, tranquilizers had highest odds ratio for ideation. Psychoactive drug use…

Traditional rhymes and folktales can offer understanding of our customs and culture but also contain elements that can raise obstacles to the academic and social development of young children, especially those from other cultures. Consider the following when evaluating traditional literature: meaningful language, unintentional promotion of…

The extent to which the Joint Committee "Standards" for evaluation might be used to develop culturally relevant standards for use in other countries and how they might be modified for use in cross-cultural settings were explored using Malta and India as examples. Substantial modifications are probably necessary. (SLD)

Review of 44 studies exploring Latino students' psychological adjustment to postsecondary education revealed that, compared to Anglos, Latino students scored higher on academic and financial stress measures and valuing of education. Recommends ethnic classification for further studies be based on psychological indices of ethnicity, and not…

About two-thirds of all psychiatry residents are foreign-born medical graduates. Discusses the operation, content, focus, challenges, and benefits of a training group experience for the psychiatry residents at Bronx Lebanon Hospital. The goals are to aid acculturation, improve group psychotherapeutic skills, encourage self-awareness, and promote…

The Japanese educational reform movement is concentrating on increased individuality, lifelong learning, and the need to cope with societal changes, notably internationalization and the spread of information media. The American education system is admirable for experimenting with dropout programs, awards for improved student performance, magnet…

We cannot continue to define academic quality using standards set from a limited perspective and expect students from diverse backgrounds and cultures to meet them. To increase minority participation in graduate schools, institutions should better understand minority standardized test performance and better prepare minority undergraduates for…

Examines the concept of political socialization and the sources of distinctiveness in Canadian political life. Focuses on relations between French and English Canada, regional differences, governmental machinery, civic education, and media influences. (DB)

Harold Stevenson, author of "The Learning Gap," describes differences between schools in the United States, which he feels are in crisis, and those in Asia. The article includes important differences in staff development and in the working conditions of teachers in those countries. (SM)

Six brief vignettes illustrate the potential for misunderstandings arising from differences in Asian and Asian-American cultures and the majority culture in the United States. What is good manners in one culture is not necessarily so in another. (SLD)

Two films, the fictional "Thunderheart" and the documentary "Incident at Oglala," demonstrate that Hollywood can sometimes portray the ethnic conflicts of Native Americans accurately. Both explain the ambivalent relationship with the dominant society that Native Americans have chosen through their refusal to be patronized. (SLD)