Looks at Merici, a 16th-century activist and feminist, from the perspective of those who are interested in integrating action with contemplation, in promoting the dignity and self-esteem of women through education and in attracting people of all social groups to work together for the benefit of society as a whole. (BF)

Examines an approach used to promote multicultural self-development for preservice teachers. The authors describe the developmental process and the teaching and research settings and approaches. A brief summary and discussion of the implications for teacher education conclude the article. (GR)

Presents, as a supplement to social studies textbooks, a summary of recent Soviet Union developments. Begins with the rise of Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and traces events through the dissolution of the USSR. Provides a Soviet history timeline, a vocabulary list, and a reproducible map of eastern Europe and central Asia. (SG)

Discussion of Chicago's Hull House centers on the physical and social environments, types of child care offered, learning experiences and environment in the day nursery and kindergarten, and professional education. Implications of Hull House for contemporary child care are described. (BG)

A major goal of a curriculum that fosters multicultural literacy should be to help students know, care, and act in ways that will develop a democratic and just society where all groups experience cultural democracy and empowerment. (SK)

Discussion of political activism in Africa considers whether educational institutions will become arenas of social struggle as other avenues of dissent close. Social and economic context, the cycle of student action and predictable government reaction, rising violence in student demonstrations, and emerging solidarity between students and social…

The recommendations of Scotland's 1975 Alexander Report for increasing adult education participation and Tom Lovett's development of a social action model with working class adults in Liverpool and Ireland are used as background to an examination of Scottish projects that use a community work approach to involve nonparticipating adults in…

Describes student work in collecting data about the Fresh Kills landfill in Staten Island and how their research contributed to the decision to close the landfill. Includes discussion of research into other trash alternatives for the area. (DDR)

Observes that writing is a process of learning and that students learn best when the writing process is well-organized. Outlines a process for writing, named DRAFT (Design, Role, Audience, Format, and Topic), that bridges social studies with critical thinking and problem solving, and allows writing projects to be easily transformed into models…

Presents an active learning project for use in teaching social activism and social movements. Discusses students' backgrounds, the course outline, the context of the assignment, the project itself, measures of the effectiveness of the assignment, and limits and problems with it. Notes other topics for which the assignment could be adapted. (DSK)

Presents an overview of women in the Progressive Era, providing a glimpse at how women attempted to reform society and simultaneously change ideas about the role of women at the turn of the 20th century. Reviews the various roles of these women, such as suffragettes, individual freedom activists, and labor organizers. (CMK)

Provides two examples of how teachers have developed a critical and caring classroom culture. Believes that to foster this culture it is necessary to infuse the ideas of civic justice and morality into classroom activities throughout the school year. Describes how to create a classroom with a critical and caring culture. (CMK)

Highlights the life of Elizabeth Ross Haynes, an African American social welfare reformer, politician, and "race woman." Describes how Haynes's work focused on services for women and African Americans during the early 1900s and her dedication to women's labor issues. Discusses the implications of Haynes's womanist consciousness on social…

Contributes to rhetorical theory and to an understanding of social movements and countermovements by examining the journal of a Massachusetts anti-suffrage organization. Finds that it was principally reactive, that its basic themes illustrated the ideology of the anti-suffrage movement, and that this ideology was reflected in the organizational…

Discusses hosting a Dia de Los Muertos, or a Day of the Dead, procession and festival to remember victims of school or community violence. Traditionally, the festival is a means for life embracing death and of honoring the dead. Describes the procession and festival and addresses the making of altars. (CMK)