Youth organizations as educational settings were examined in a series of small-scale studies describing what happens to young people who participate in such organizations. The project, an overview of which is given in the introductory chapter of this report was organized into three components. The initial, exploratory study examined what scouting…

New ground has been broken in what is labeled as "anthropological diplomacy"--a study of the theory and practice of peace promotion and/or conflict resolution between/among micro-units (e.g., tribes) or macro-units (e.g., nation-states) based on sound knowledge of a society's fundamental cultural premises. There are six papers. The first…

One debate in the field of development communications research focuses on the type of science that ought to be practiced: empirical or critical. The issues involved are many, but epistemological analysis can shed light on a number of them. Traditional empiricism as embodied in the "classical" development communications work is deserving…

If social workers are to serve Native Americans effectively, they must understand their distinctive characteristics, cultural norms and value systems. The authors discuss and describe the latter and suggest that social workers and family counselors vary their techniques as well as approach according to the needs of Native American culture. (SE)

A study is being done, to be reported on subsequently, on the infiltrations of English into the languages of Europe. Objectives of the project, some problems encountered, and planned results and products are discussed. See FL 508 197 for availability. (RM)

The major objective of this study is to discuss the effects of television on children and adolescents. Our children are spending many hours in front of the television. This study examined the viewing habits and personal opinions of Turkish Cypriot children. The participants were 250 children and adolescents whose ages varied between 4-17. This…

There is available a large body of oral Native American literature valuable both as an alternate American literary tradition and for the light it throws on white American pioneers. (JH)

Bias based on race, ethnicity, sex, color, class, or other characteristics is a problem nationally and internationally. Both overt and covert incidences occur in educational settings where most educators begin to work with little or no practical experience with the cultural groups they encounter in the student population. Thus the behaviors of…

A fourth-grade teacher designed and implemented a practicum study for the purpose of increasing parent participation in a culturally diverse, rural, upper elementary school. The central aim was to involve parents in the education of their children. To attain the objective, unique communication strategies were used to meet the needs of the…

In 1978, the U.S. Congress established the Pinelands National Reserve on a million-acre landscape of New Jersey woodlands, farms, marshes, suburbs, towns, rivers, and bays. The reserve was to protect not only the region's great natural beauty and scientific value, but also the cultural life of its people, which is largely undocumented. In 1983,…

Thais and U.S. citizens have a number of striking cultural similarities. Both prize the freedoms they enjoy, both are quite pragmatic and individualistic, and both disdain pomposity and arrogance. These traits form a kind of common core that helps Thais and U.S. citizens connect in cross-cultural interactions. Nevertheless, there are also…

The findings of a survey on freshmen attitudes in four areas: interest in cultural diversity, racism, ethnocentrism, and cross-cultural beliefs and values, are presented. The 81-item survey was given to 234 students at Virginia Commonwealth University. Results indicated: most freshmen express an interest in learning more about other cultures, and…

This guide provides information and resources for Asian Pacific American Heritage Week, May 6-13, 1989. It is intended to support the Portland (OR) Public Schools' multicultural goal of increasing students' understanding and appreciation of the history, culture, and contributions of different geocultural groups. The document contains seven…

One of the problems one encounters in attempting to learn about another culture is the possible distortion brought about by one's own cultural biases. The overall purpose of this unit is to help students understand perceptions: how they can differ and how cultural biases are acquired and transmitted. Indian culture is an appropriate vehicle for…

A comparison of German and American advertising reveals differences in technique and structures. Persuasion is central in both, but the grammatical structures and illocutionary devices available in each language vary. The culture is also reflected in the type and degree to which each language uses techniques of persuasive language. The findings…