Controversial Material Research Articles

Women and Men Teaching "Men, Women, and Work"

We used a student-centered teaching method and a mixed-sex teaching team to implement the major concepts offeminist and postmodernist pedagogy in a course on men, women, and work. Defining the concept of classroom diversity as including the number of voices heard, we examine the contributions of our method to creating an educational environment in which diversity is recognized and valued. We also describe students' responses to the model of work interaction provided by thefemale-malefaculty team. Our experience, reviewed and evaluated through anonymous student surveys at midterm and by afocus group at the end of the term, suggests that many problems associated with teaching nontraditional and controversial material can be mitigated by use of our student-led discussion method and a team-teaching approach.

Virginia Tech sets policy on controversial materials

Virginia Tech sets policy on controversial materials

The Pacific Region.

Population education in the Pacific region is summarized in terms of awareness and commitment curriculum and instructional materials development integration into the school curricula training programs and evaluation research. Several population education issues of current concern relate to the increase in chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension that are associated with life styles and diet and the rising incidence of AIDS and teenage pregnancy. In the Pacific region many countries have advanced population programs and policies while some still do not even have a population policy. The issue of balancing population and resources is a topic that has not been sufficiently addressed in resource-poor countries. There is wide variance in awareness and commitment to population education in the Pacific region. Commitment and continuous support are crucial to population education projects. Lack of support is sometimes due to changing government personnel and lack of awareness of policy makers. Population education is not the same as family planning or sex education and traditionally is spread through seminars and workshops by part time project personnel unconnected to the entire educational apparatus. Presently only 8 population projects are functioning in the region with 2-3 in the planning stages. Materials development in the Pacific region has been devoted to the secondary school level yet awareness is increasing that sexuality family health and the environment should be introduced at the primary level. A popular strategy is to integrate population issues into the existing curriculum such as in Fiji the Marshall Islands and Kiribati which also have teacher training curriculum. In most countries sex education is still a controversial topic and materials are developed by teacher committees working after school rather in a curriculum development unit. AIDS has pushed this topic into the public sector. A chart is provided for each country and curriculum with population education and the level of schooling for formal and informal education. Training programs tend to be orientation workshops materials development workshops or teacher training workshops. Evaluation research in population education has been weak due to an emphasis on program implementation curriculum development and limited resources and expertise.

War in the Hebrew Bible: A Study in the Ethics of Violence

Texts about war pervade the Hebrew Bible, raising challenging questions in religious and political ethics. Among the most disquieting war passages are those in which God demands the total annihilation of the enemy without regard to gender, age, or military status. The ideology of the ban, however, is only one among a range of attitudes towards war preserved in the ancient Israelite literary tradition. Applying insights from anthropology, comparative literature, and feminist studies, Niditch considers a wide spectrum of war ideologies in the Hebrew Bible, seeking in each case to discover why and how these views might have made sense to biblical writers, who themselves can be seen to wrestle with the ethics of violence. Niditch thus challenges the stereotype of the violent Old Testament - of law versus gospel, justice versus mercy, and judgment versus love. To understand attitudes about war in the Hebrew Bible, Niditch argues, is to understand war in general: the motivations, justifications, and rationalizations of those who wage it. In addition, this exploration reveals much about the social and cultural history of Israel, as war texts are found to map the world views of biblical writers from various periods and settings. Reviewing ways in which modern scholars have interpreted this controversial material, Niditch sheds further light on the normative assumptions that shape our understanding of ancient Israel. More widely, this work explores how human beings attempt to justify killing and violence. Niditch's unique study will be of particular interest to students of Judaism, the Bible, and religion, as well as ethicists and historians concerned with relating classical sources tocontemporary issues.

Extortion in the Name of Art in Elizabethan England: The Impressment of Thomas Clifton for the Queen's Chapel Boys

In 1599–1600, after a lapse of almost ten years, the children's acting companies reappeared in London. The Paul's Children seem to have been the first to resume playing, quietly and modestly, no doubt testing the waters. After all, the boys' companies had one after another been officially suppressed between 1584 and 1590 because of their penchant for controversial material and the continual litigation among investors in the various earlier companies. Seeing the growing success of Paul's Boys, one of these earlier investors, Henry Evans, a Welsh scrivener, worked to reconstitute a company of boy actors at Blackfriars, seeking to make good on his aborted first attempt as a theatrical entrepreneur.

Land use planning made plain

Land Use Planning Made Plain is a practical guide for planners, administrators, politicians, developers, property owners, and the general public on how to make and implement land use decisions. It seeks to develop a set of coherent planning principles by drawing out useful and generally applicable elements from various systems and approaches. Hok-Lin Leung's focus is on planning at the city level, and he has organized the text according to the logical sequence of plan-making: justifications for making a land use plan, a plan for plan-making, planning goals, information, analysis, synthesis, and implementation. He addresses major debates in land planning today, including controversial material, and concludes with suggestions on the qualifications and qualities of a land use planner. By encouraging a shared understanding of the purpose, analytic skills and substantive considerations of plan-making - as well as the ways and means of plan-implementation - this book helps the planner to become more responsible and responsive to the many issues surrounding land use and its important role in addressing human needs.

The Bundy “confession” and attitudes toward legal restriction of controversial materials

This study examined whether knowledge of mass murderer Theodore Bundy's claims that sexually violent media content contributed to his crimes covaried with greater advocacy of legal restriction of controversial materials. Data analyses suggested that such knowledge was associated with more‐restrictive opinions toward visual, sexual media content and less‐restrictive opinions toward racist and sexist language. Possible theoretical interpretations of the findings are discussed.

Seismicity of the East Pacific Rise: Correlations With the Southern Oscillation Index?

The following article is being published with our recognition that it presents controversial material. The controversy lies not in the data or the statistical analyses, but stems rather from the lack of a well‐identified physical mechanism linking seismicity on the East Pacific Rise with El Nino events. Even the possibility of a physical linkage here should be of interest to both geophysicists and oceanographers, and it is hoped that this publication will result in a continuing and rewarding dialogue.

Perceived effectiveness of international AIDS campaigns

In order to establish guidelines as to the effectiveness or noneffectiveness of AIDS education strategies on television this study investigates the responses of high and low risk viewers to 21 public service announcements on AIDS. The 21 films prepared in Canada Denmark Norway Sweden the UK and the US were videotaped and shown to an audience of 57 Canadian viewers. The audience was composed of high risk (male homosexual) and low risk (heterosexual) viewers. Using the electronic push-button apparatus of the Program Evaluation Analysis Computer system the viewers recorded their moment by moment perceptions of the material presented as good or poor on a scale of 1-5. The films were to be rated on 2 measures of effectiveness: whether they were convincing and persuasive from 1 moment to the next and whether they would be useful in educating people about AIDS. 5 of the films were ranked highly on both measures of perceived effectiveness. These included 2 Norwegian 2 US and 1 British film. Features that made a film effective were simple and straightforward presentation of hard facts sincerity and humor. Features that caused a film to be rated ineffective were emotionality preachiness eye-catching padding and wooden acting. Unfortunately due to disagreements on the part of governments or broadcasters or both as to the kinds of controversial materials that should be shown on television 3 of the 5 most effective films have never been sanctioned for general broadcast use and the films perceived as least effective have been frequently broadcast in their countries.

Rohm and Haas: History of a Chemical Company by Sheldon Hochheiser

156 Book Reviews TECHNOLOGY AND CULTURE Rohm and Haas: History of a Chemical Company. By Sheldon Hochheiser . Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1986. Pp. xiv+231; illustrations, notes, appendixes, bibliography, index. $19.95; £19.95. A company history like Sheldon Hochheiser’s Rohm and Haas— written by an employee of the firm for the express purpose of cele­ brating the organization’s 75th anniversary—is almost invariably viewed with suspicion by the scholarly community. How can a study possess integrity if management has the last word on publication? Is this book nothing more than vanity press disguised beneath a uni­ versity press book jacket? Rest assured that in the case of Rohm and Haas these frequently in­ voked criticisms have no real merit. The author has produced a most remarkable study, for which both Hochheiser and the com­ pany should be commended. This work is extremely sound in the se­ lection and analysis of printed and manuscript materials as well as in the careful use of information from numerous oral histories. Hochheiser interprets the firm’s history within a historiographical context not typically found in this genre. In reconstructing the past from his unique perspective, he has filled a void in the historical liter­ ature by tracing the growth of a 20th-century leader in sciencebased industry. With headquarters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and manufactur­ ing operations scattered throughout the United States, Europe, and South America, the Rohm and Haas Company is at present one of the largest chemical companies in the world. Its products have touched all of our lives, but in an invisible manner since the com­ pany manufactures industrial rather than consumer goods. Watersoluble latex paints, ion-exchange resins, Plexiglas, and chemicals used in the electronics industry are all the consequence of Rohm and Haas innovations that have been introduced to the marketplace and have contributed to the shaping of today’s synthetic world. Hochheiser’s story traces the evolution of this most important organi­ zation and highlights the people and ideas that were so crucial to its development. Initially the joint venture of Otto Rohm and Otto Haas, the com­ pany was established before World War I in Philadelphia with the purpose of selling Rohm’s improved substance for the tanning of leather. Haas, a shrewd businessman and entrepreneur, took his part­ ner’s scientific ideas, including those dealing with acrylic polymers, and gradually carved out an industrial empire between 1909 and World War II. One of Rohm’s most fruitful ideas led to the develop­ ment of Plexiglas, an “organic glass” that was used almost univer­ sally by the aircraft industry during World War II. This product transformed the company’s scale of operations and product strat­ egy. After 1945, Rohm and Haas rapidly evolved into a public com­ TECHNOLOGY AND CULTURE Book Reviews 157 pany, multinational in scope and increasingly directed by professional managers rather than the Haas family. In response to setbacks it suffered during the recessions ofthe 1970s and early 1980s, as well as a number of poor product choices, Rohm and Haas has reorganized and has emerged in the mid-1980s as one of the most profitable of all American chemical manufacturers. Hochheiser’s main thesis—one that unifies the study and that should interest those engaged either in business or the history of business—is that the company was, and still to some degree re­ mains, a reflection of its founder in terms of principles and strate­ gies. Haas possessed experience in the German dye industry and adopted and consistently applied ideas closely associated with that trade, such as a reliance on scientific knowledge in the development of new products, customer service by salesmen thoroughly trained in science and engineering, and an avoidance of consumer goods. Thus, Rohm and Haas was shaped to an extraordinary degree by the personality of its founder and leader. The firm’s spectacular suc­ cesses and its unpublicized reversals in agricultural chemicals and fi­ bers can be best understood within this context. Although Hochheiser’s interpretive analysis and critical insights do much to strengthen his study, it is his inclusion of controversial material that separates Rohm and Haas from other companysponsored histories. The author’s discussion...

Controversial Materials in the Judaica Library, Holocaust denial

Controversial Materials in the Judaica Library, Holocaust denial

Teaching Controversial Materials

Article published in Teaching History by Wall.

Vascular Surgery: A Comprehensive Review

Nothing rivets the attention like a specialty board In November, 1983, several hundred vascular surgeons in designated centers throughout the country sat for a three-hour examination given by the American Board of Surgery determine whether they deserved the Certificate of Special Competence in General Vascular Surgery. Undoubtedly, many of these surgeons (this reviewer included) read this book in preparation for this They were rewarded for their efforts. Dr Wesley S. Moore, his five associate editors from the University of California School of Medicine, Los Angeles, and 57 additional authors have prepared a fine textbook. It was intended to provide a comprehensive review of vascular surgery... [and to] accompany a post graduate course designed help candidates prepare for the examination. The emphasis was be on core material, with an attempt separate generally accepted concepts from new or controversial material. This was not an easy task.

Methodological, Ideological, and Conceptual-Theoretical Criticisms of the Field of Collective Behavior: A Critical Evaluation and Implications for Future Study

Abstract Criticisms of the field of collective behavior can be categorized as either methodological, ideological, or conceptual-theoretical. For methodological problems we examine the views that research on collective behavior is hampered because collective behavior is unpredictable, transitory, fluid, diffuse, complex, and uncontrolled. For ideological problems we look at the claims that the unsatisfactory state of the field of collective behavior is the result of its controversial material and lack of objectivity, defense of the status quo, trivialization of politics, and attributions of social pathology. For methodological and ideological criticisms, we conclude they are generally invalid or incorrect. A better strategy for improving collective behavior theory and research and advancing it closer to mainstream sociology is to focus on the conceptual-theoretical criticisms, for this tactic would have a greater pay off for sociology generally and collective behavior specifically.

Asbestos — availability and applications of a controversial raw material

Asbestos — availability and applications of a controversial raw material

How Much Is Enough?

Several readers have written expressing their concern over what they consider to be the excessive length of some of our review articles. Some readers have also complained about the complexity of the articles and have suggested that the articles be restricted to what is known and agreed upon knowledge, leaving out controversial material. On many days I share this view. However, the world is not always simple and perhaps it is best for all of us to understand when things are not as clearcut as we might like.In this issue the article by Maisels,

Indexing long-term financial contracts

This paper has two functions: first, in part 1, to present briefly the results of some recent investigations into the behaviour of a price index (in the United Kingdom) in order to gain some insight into the possible future progress of inflation; secondly, in parts 2–4, to present the arguments in favour of the linking to a price index of financial instruments, in particular government stocks, life assurance contracts and pension fund benefits. Part 1 is heavily statistical, and those who prefer the controversial material can go straight to part 2, noting only the conclusion to part 1,viz.: that it is not easy to forecast inflation over any lengthy period. Parts 2–4 are controversial, and I expect will still be topical when the paper is presented. I make no pretence to be impartial; I am convinced that widespread index-linking oflong-termcontracts would have a beneficial effect on the conduct of our financial affairs. It is up to those who disagree with me to put their case in the discussion; but I hope my supporters will express their views too.

A Reviewer's Story

A reviewer looks at selection, description, and criticism of the children's books which she must decide to recommend or not recommend for library purchase. Woven throughout the discussion is a personalized account of experiences that force the reviewer to consider the whole range of possible reactions to controversial material from viewpoints of children, parents, librarians, educators, publishers, authors, and artists. In addition to the nature of the book and the prospective reader, the reviewer needs to take into account her own preparation and experience for evaluating and reviewing each book.

At What Age Freedom?

At what age should children and teenagers have access to certain subject materials and/or the adult collection in libraries? Parents, school teachers and administrators, organized and unorganized religious, politicians, and the judiciary are among those willing to expound on their firm conviction that certain materials and subjects are harmful to the young. There are also those who, although uncertain about the effect of certain materials and subjects, are willing to opt for restricting access for the young and to demand that librarians be responsible for policing such action. Librarians generally share these ambivalent feelings about library materials and access for children and young adults. Aware of the possible adverse reaction of adults if alleged controversial materials are placed either in the children's or the young adult collection, librarians often choose not to select such materials. A recent letter to American Libraries suggested that librarians place controversial children's or young adult material into adult collections only, thus avoiding confrontations with those adults concerned about “harmful” matter reaching minors. The writer stated that everyone would win; the material would be available, but objections based on access to the material by the young would be thwarted. The writer did not seem to anticipate problems in determining at what age the young person would be allowed access to the adult collection containing this material, nor was a method proposed for defining either controversial or noncontroversial material. However, the “way out” proposed is actually used by some public libraries in the U.S., although a cursory look at library problems over objections to library materials for the young reveals titles and subjects that would be classified as noncontroversial by many.

The Military and the Dynamics of the Cuban Revolutionary Process

Introduction During the fifteen years since the Cuban Revolution, a series of infraand superstructural changes have been slowly and painfully effected in that country. These lead us to question our current theories. In addition, they pose special problems of analysis and interpretation. One of the most conspicuous aspects of the revolutionary process in Cuba has been the increasing use of the military as an instrument of sociopolitical mobilization, and the imposition of the military organizational model on important sectors of the society. Apart from the studies by Rene Dumont and K. S. Karol,1 who offer somewhat controversial material on the subject, the role of the military sector has received little attention. This is regrettable, given the vital importance of the subject for a proper understanding of the course and dynamics of the Cuban revolutionary process. This article attempts to explore the subject more extensively. The scanty and fragmentary published materials on the Cuban military sector may explain the exploratory character of the study, the sometimes high level of generalization of the analysis, and the tentativeness of the conclusions drawn. An analysis of the role of the military sector on two levels will be presented.2 On the micro level, an investigation will be made of the military sector in a more narrow sense, utilizing a series of variables that will allow us to define a social portrait of the Cuban military.3 On the macro level, the military sector within the society at large will be considered. We should focus on three problems: (1) the development of the new military organization and the extent to which elements specific to the Latin American variant of military organization and other models of military organization have been intertwined; (2) the phenomenon of professionalism, its combination with personalistic orientations, and its relationship to political control and the requirements of the ideology; and (3) the definition of a new formula governing the relationship between the armed forces and the state, which conceives of extensive military functions, in particular in the economic and sociopolitical sectors, and which has led to the formation of a very idiosyncratic political system.