The new superintendent of Montgomery Township (New Jersey) Schools was confronted with multiple crises ranging from labor disputes and a defeated budget to poor staff and community relations. A nurturing, problem-solving ambience was needed. This article discusses theoretical bases for participant involvement in decision making and the methodology…

Critiques self-defense courses. Many of these courses ignore the fact that most violence against women occurs at home. Questions whether self-defense courses are genuinely empowering for women. States that programs may make individuals safer, but they do not reduce endemic violence in our communities. (CC)

The purpose of the Lincoln (Nebraska) Alliance is (1) to establish a community coalition to bring about change; (2) to empower people on the personal level; (3) to envision a new reality or alternative future; and (4) to challenge the idea that citizens are not capable of understanding the issues or making decisions that determine their future.…

True faculty empowerment involves decision participation, authority over issues concerning professional life, and opportunities to acquire knowledge necessary to warrant such activity. This paper describes selected experiences of four schools implementing a shared governance model, identifying factors facilitating meaningful involvement and…

Three case examples in health education and one in literacy illustrate the process of participatory materials development based on Freire's principles. Materials that reflect the people and language of the community can provide a powerful model. (SK)

Two factors are discussed that should influence the planning and development of rehabilitation services for visually impaired people: social perceptions/expectations (media influence, leisure, health, quality of life, and equality of opportunity) and external environmental influences (demographic, economic, social, political, and physical).…

Notes growth in number of self-help groups/agencies for mental health clients. Examines self-help perspective in relation to problems with traditional mental health services and need for client-run services. Goal of article is not to endorse self-help perspective but to use it as basis for raising research questions that will further mental health…

Provides set of research strategies that would help bridge gap between research concerning care and treatment of people with severe mental illness and consumer empowerment. Argues that research should attend to context of research, vantage point, process of formulating research questions, selection of interventions tested, selection of outcomes…

Although adult education is committed to democratic values, its knowledge base reproduces the structures and values of larger academic culture, which excludes many. Although the field speaks of empowerment for others, it has yet to realize such empowerment for itself. (Author/SK)

Outlines two models for working with families living in at-risk environments: the empowerment model and the expert model, with particular emphasis on the role of paraprofessionals. (Author)

Discusses and gives a view of the categories of native Hawaiian epistemology: (1) spirituality and knowing; (2) the cultural nature of the senses and expanding notions of empiricism; (3) relationship and knowledge; (4) utility and knowledge; (5) words and knowledge; and (6) the body/mind question. Educational implications are discussed. (SLD)

Offers suggestions for reducing and counteracting children's exposure to violence. Emphasizes negotiating and listening as well as instilling the values of forgiveness, self-esteem, playing, caring, and courage to socialize children to nonviolence. (YKH)

Discusses the Black consciousness psychology or philosophy of Steve Biko, the political activist who died in police detention in the 1970s in South Africa. Aspects relating to empowerment, self-concept development, internalization of racism, and racial identity theory of Black people are examined. Suggests that the "frank talk" method is…

Study outlines processes involved in adolescent girls' responding to sexual harassment. Grounded theory methodology is used to create a theory of these processes. "Learning about the self" was the core category elicited from interviews. Processes represent girls' movement from seeing themselves as "objects" of others'…

This regular feature of "Reaching Today's Youth" provides information designed to enable individuals to facilitate one- to two-hour training sessions appropriate for teachers, other professionals, and parents who want to increase their understanding of working effectively with students with challenging behaviors. This volume focuses on specific…