Improvisation implies a relative freedom to choose elements within stylistic norms of rules proper to a given culture. Improvisatory processes for music from several cultures are described. These cultures are: Indian, Spanish, African, and Afro-Cuban (rumba). A few resources focusing on improvisation in Latin American music are presented. (KC)

Cites negative stereotypes and cultural differences as barriers to unity among Black Americans and immigrants from the Caribbean islands. Calls for political unity of the two groups, based on the fact that they are perceived and discriminated against as one by the dominant White majority. (GC)

Concludes that Jewish culture in the Soviet Union is almost extinct--in spite of the fact that approximately two million Jews still live there. (FL)

Describes the Cultural Crossroads Educational Center, a hands-on museum designed to build understanding and appreciation of cultural diversity among intermediate-grade students in the Dallas (Texas) schools. (Author/IRT)

Explores the problems facing library education in less developed countries as a result of the rapid transfer of advanced technology and the adoption of curriculums of developed countries in emerging nations. (FM)

Examines the origins of law, compares the British and French legal systems, discusses implications of this dual heritage for Canadian law, and discusses the relationship between the lawyer and the translator. (AM)

The Kahn Intelligence Test, Experimental Form and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children were administered to three groups of Spanish surname children of varying language dominance to determine if the Kahn test is freer of cultural bias. Results suggest that the tests are not different in their cultural bias. (Author/JKS)

Outlines the positive and negative aspects of ethnocentrism, discusses its role in the educational setting, and suggests ways that ethnocentrism can be reduced. (IRT)

Piaget's and Marx's cognitive theories of development are briefly compared and contrasted. This provides background for a critical look at Buck-Morss' interpretation of cross-cultural differences in performance on Piagetian abstract formal reasoning tests. (MS)

Notes that relatively little has been developed in the area of minority counseling in Canada. (Author/AM)

Discusses the policy of silence (and its complex reasons) that often rules when it comes to teaching and learning about race, religion, ethnicity, and sexuality. Discusses briefly five books and articles that deal with breaking this silence, and offers observations about effective multiculturalism in the classroom. (SR)

Summarizes observations of Chinese society, discusses the social background of career counseling, and addresses issues related to professional development. Notes that, as the Chinese attempt to learn from western models, western counselors must understand cultural value differences in order to help. (Author/JOW)

Excerpts from "Counseling in Pacific Rim Countries" edited by William Evraiff include information on career counseling and development in Canada, privatization of vocational guidance in New Zealand, reconciling western and Asian philosophies in Singapore, and the future of counseling in the United States. (JOW)

A Chicana ethnographer working in a Latino community describes her multiple identities and ways that she as a "native" researcher was co-opted by the dominant culture. She challenges researchers from dominant, as well as marginalized cultures, to recognize their own complicity and form new identities as citizens-scholars-activists rooted…

The Self Directed Search-Easy and a version back translated from Spanish to English were completed by 145 undergraduates. Back-translation scale scores were a significantly better fit for Holland's model. The model fit the scores of men better than women. (SK)