| July 2005
Education - Schools | Education
- Academic | Ethnic Groups | Immigration
| Media | Multiculturalism/Multicultural
Society | Religion | Senior
Citizens | Youth Culture
E-Journal Feature
 American
Teenagers. An Electronic Journal of
the U.S. Department of State, July 2005.
First Lady Laura Bush introduces this compilation of articles,
photographs and multimedia features about teenagers in the U.S..
It includes descriptions writtten by both American teens and exchange
students about their lives and activities, an interview with the
National Teacher of the Year, and other features that provide
a wide variety of perspectives on teenage life today in the United
States. Fulltext
E1 - What I Did on My Summer Vacation
Michael Wenk.
English Journal. (High school edition), July 2005., v94, #6,
p42-, 7p
"In the United States, five million students attend school
each summer, with this number expected to rise over the next decade
as the demand for extra services grows. Because most schools still
have schedules that revolve around the old agrarian calendar,
providing a long break in the summer during which students no
longer need to work on family farms, many schools look to summer
as a time to meet more rigorous academic standards and to counteract
learning deficiencies that stem from evolving family structures."
"Believing that traditional summer school programs are largely
ineffective, Michael Wenk and his colleagues developed a summer
academy for high school students. With a two-week session and
small class sizes, the academy provided an environment for teachers
to address standards while promoting lasting change in students'
approach to their education." Fulltext
Education - Universities & Colleges
E2 - Measuring Internationalization at Comprehensive
Universities
Green, Madeleine
American Council on Education Report. June 2005, 31p
The report examines how comprehensive universities are internationalizing
their curricula and student experiences. It discusses common strategies
among institutions that have actively pursued internationalization.
The 'internationalization index' presented in the article distinguishes
"high activity" institutions from other and measures
six key dimensions, including: articulated commitment, academic
offerings, organizational infrastructure, external funding, institutional
investment in faculty, and international exchange programs. Fulltext
E3 - 2003-04 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study
- Undergraduate Financial Aid Estimates for 2003-04 by Type of
Institution
National Center for Education Statistics. June 24, 2005, 74p
This comprehensive survey examines how U.S. students and their
families pay for undergraduate postsecondary education. It provides
information on average tuition and fees, total price of attendance,
and the percentages of undergraduates receiving financial aid.
"The results show that 63 percent of all undergraduates enrolled
in 2003-04 received some type of financial aid. About one-half
(51 percent) of undergraduates received grants and about one-third
(35 percent) took out student loans. The average amount of grants
received was $4,000, and the average amount borrowed by undergraduates
in 2003-04 was $5,800." Fulltext
Ethnic Groups
E4 -
The New African American Inequality
Michael B. Katz, Mark J. Stern, and Jamie J. Fader
Journal of American History, June 2005, pp 75–108
In this article, the authors rely primarily on census data to
examine the controversial topic of black inequality. Their answer
to the questions the data pose does not support either the optimistic
or the pessimistic version of African American history. Rather,
it recasts the issue by arguing that after World War II the nature
of black inequality altered fundamentally. The authors are affiliated
with the University of Pennsylvania. Michael B. Katz is Walter
H. Annenberg Professor of History; Mark J. Stern is professor
of social welfare and history; Jamie J. Fader is a doctoral student
in sociology.
Order article
E6 - Births to Immigrants in America, 1970-2002
Camarota, Steven A.
Center for Immigration Studies, Backgrounder, July 2005, 32p.
"While many advocates of high immigration argue that today's
immigration is no different from the previous great wave a century
ago, the data tell a different story. A new analysis of birth
records from the Center for Immigration Studies shows that immigrants
(legal & illegal) accounted for a larger share of births in
2002 than in 1910, during the peak of the last great wave of immigration.
The children born to immigrants are arguably the most important
long-term legacy of immigration and are a key measure of its magnitude.
The new report provides detailed information on births to immigrants
for every state and many counties, including estimates for births
to illegal aliens." Steven Camarota is the Director of
Research at the Center for Immigration Studies. Fulltext
E7 - Immigration Issues in Trade Agreements
Wasem, Ruth Ellen
The Library of Congress, Congressional Research Service, CRS
Report for Congress, RL32982, July 8, 2005, 27p.
”This report opens with an overview of the specific elements of
immigration law and policy that are germane to trade-related immigration
and follows with a summary of the recent FTAs [free trade agreements]
that include changes to U.S. immigration law. An analysis of research
on the interaction between trade and migration is discussed, with
caveats on the limitations of such analysis. The report concludes
with a set of immigration policy questions that arise in the context
of FTAs.” Ruth Ellen Wasem is specialist in immigration policy,
Domestic Social Policy Division. Order
article
E8 - U.S. Immigration Policy on Permanent Admissions
Wasem, Ruth Ellen
The Library of Congress, Congressional Research Service, CRS
Report for Congress, RL32235, July 1, 2005, 24p.
"Four major principles underlie U.S. policy on legal permanent
immigration: the reunification of families, the admission of immigrants
with needed skills, the protection of refugees, and the diversity
of admissions by country of origin. These principles are embodied
in federal law, the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) first
codified in 1952. The Immigration Amendments of 1965 replaced
the national origins quota system (enacted after World War I)
with per-country ceilings, and the statutory provisions regulating
permanent immigration to the United States were last revised significantly
by the Immigration Act of 1990." Ruth Ellen Wasem is
specialist in immigration policy, Domestic Social Policy Division.
Fulltext
E9 - No Way In: U.S. Immigration Policy
Leaves Few Legal Options for Mexican Workers
Paral, Rob
American Immigration Law Foundation, Immigration Policy in
Focus, July 2005, v4, #5
This article reports findings on current immigration policies
whicg, according to the author, are completely out of sync with
the U.S. economy's demand for workers who fill less-skilled jobs.
While U.S. immigration policies present a wide array of avenues
for immigrants to enter the United States, very few of these avenues
are tailored to workers in less-skilled occupations, thereby creating
incentives for undocumented immigration, primarily from Mexico,
in response to actual labor demand." This report provides
details the background. Rob Paral is a Research Fellow with
the American Immigration Law Foundation. Fulltext
E10 - Embracing Illegals
Grow, Brian
Business Week, July 18, 2005, #3943, pp56-64
In this cover story, the author explores the economic impact of
illegal immigrants. He claims. "The number of undocumented
workers and their families in the U.S. is at 11 million and growing.
Hiring illegals may be against the law, but selling to them isn't.
That's why Big Business is turning this fast-growing consumer
pool into a powerful engine of growth. Banks, mortgage, companies,
Credit-card issuers, and big consumer outfits all see a hot new
market." Brian Grow is an Atlanta correspondent for Business
Week. Fulltext
E11 - A Source of Encouragement
Smolkin, Rachel
American Journalism Review, June/July 2005
A new First Amendment Center/AJR survey finds that 69 percent
of the public thinks journalists should be allowed to keep a news
source confidential. Media types desperate for a sliver of encouraging
news about public support can grasp it in the latest State of
the First Amendment survey's findings about unnamed sources. The
2005 edition of the poll, commissioned by the First Amendment
Center in collaboration with AJR, found that 69 percent of Americans
agree with the statement: "Journalists should be allowed
to keep a news source confidential." Rachel Smolkin is
an AJR senior writer. Fulltext
E12 - The Crowded Theater
McCollam, Douglas
Columbia Journalism Review, July/August 2005
"Objective journalism is nurtured by the assumption of shared
values. It was the common burdens of depression and war (world
and cold) in the last century that reinforced the idea of an objective
press, a high-minded model adopted in response to excesses of
the earlier “yellow” journalism. That societal consensus was put
to the test, needless to say, during the Vietnam and Watergate
eras. Since then, the notion of consensus itself has come under
increasing pressure both in and out of journalism, and many of
those who’ve tried to stay in the middle of the road have gotten
squashed — on the bench, in the media, and in Congress. From the
founding, the American press was meant to be oppositional. There
is a reason Thomas Jefferson, no stranger to bad press coverage,
said that if forced to choose, he’d rather have newspapers and
no government than government and no newspapers." Douglas
McCollam is a contributing editor to CJR. Fulltext
E13 - 2005 State of First Amendment Survey
First Amendment Center, July 11, 2005, 13p
The 2005 State of the First Amendment survey shows that 70% of
Americans would OK the posting the Ten Commandments in government
buildings, and that 85% would approve if the commandments are
included as "one document among many historical documents"
when displayed in public buildings, the First Amendment Center
said. The First Amendment Center, in cooperation with American
Journalism Review magazine, commissioned New England Survey Research
Associates, to conduct the general public survey of attitudes
about the First Amendment. Fulltext
E14 - Blogs and the New Politics of Listening
Stephen Coleman.
The Political Quarterly. London: Apr-Jun 2005, v 76, #2, pp273-282
"A relentless desire to reconnect with the public has become
a contemporary preoccupation of the political elite. Here, Coleman
looks at the rise of the political blogs that are fast becoming
sophisticated listening posts of modern democracy." StephenColeman
is the Cisco Visiting Professor in e-Democracy at the Oxford Internet
Institute (OII). Fulltext
E15 - Public More Critical of Press, But Goodwill Persists
Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, Released
June 26, 2005
Public attitudes toward the press, which have been on a downward
track for years, have become more negative in several key areas.
Growing numbers of people question the news media's patriotism
and fairness. Perceptions of political bias also have risen over
the past two years. Yet despite these criticisms, most Americans
continue to say that they like mainstream news outlets. By wide
margins, more Americans give favorable than unfavorable ratings
to their daily newspaper (80%-20%), local TV news (79%-21%), and
cable TV news networks (79%-21%), among those able to rate these
organizations. The margin is only slightly smaller for network
TV news (75%-25%). Fulltext
E16 - Hispanics and the 2004 Election: Population, Electorate
and Voters
Suro, Roberto; Fry, Richard; Passel, Jeffrey
Pew Hispanic Center, June 27, 2005, 26p
"Hispanics accounted for half of the population growth in
the United States between the elections of 2000 and 2004 but only
one-tenth of the increase in the total votes cast, according to
a Pew Hispanic Center analysis of new data from the U.S. Census
Bureau. This gap between the very substantial growth of the Hispanic
population and much more modest growth in Hispanic electoral clout
has been developing for a generation but has widened considerably
in recent years." The report contains information about the
characteristics of the Hispanic population and electorate. Fulltext
E17 - Led to the Liberal Arts
Roach, Ronald
Black Issues in Higher Education, June 16, 2005, v22, #9,
p24, 4p
Roach discusses how South Asia's growing political and cultural
influence has helped open the doors of higher education in the
United States to increasing numbers of humanities and social science
scholars of South Asian descent.. Fulltext
E18 - The 30 Best Companies for Diversity
Alleyne, Sonia; Edmond, Alfred A.
Black Enterprise, July 2005, v35, #12, p112, 5p and p122,
5p
Black Enterprise compiled a list of "30 Best Companies for
Diversity" . Dversity programs were evaluated, consulted
with diversity experts and corporate diversity officers, and conducted
an extensive survey of 1,000 ofAmerica's largest publicly traded
companies and 50 leading global companies with significant U.S.
operations." To be chosen for the list, companies had to
demonstrate significant representation ofAfrican Americans and
other ethnic minorities in four key areas: corporate procurement,
corporate boards, senior management, and the total number of employees.
Fulltext
E19 - Religion and the West
Berger, Peter L
The National Interest, Summer 2005, #80, pp112-120
"It is often said that modernity brings about a decline of
religion, a notion dignified by the term "secularization
theory." Most sociologists of religion now agree that this
theory has been empirically falsified...Much has been written
to the effect that religion is a part of "American exceptionalism."
But in reality, most of the world, not just the United States,
is characterized by an explosion of passionate religious movements."
In this article, the author expounds the role of religion in the
context of Western European and American culture, especially in
the current state of pluralism, modernity, and secularization.
Peter Berger is director of the Institute on Culture, Religion
and World Affairs at Boston University. Much of the thinking expressed
in this article has come out of a research project on "Eurosecularity"
undertaken by the institute under a grant from the Pew Charitable
Trusts. Fulltext
E20 - How to Think About the Crusades
Johnson, Daniel
Commentary, Jul/Aug 2005.Vol.120, # 1; pp. 46-52
"If there is one thing that everybody knows about the Crusades,
it is that they were a Bad Thing. Condemnation of the Crusades
is based on the premise that they were a barbaric, unprovoked
war of extermination and conquest, waged against a superior and
incomparably more tolerant civilization-in brief, an archetype
of Western imperialism. Today, when the very idea of a holy war
is utterly alien to Western sensibilities, it is the United States
that is identified by its critics, especially in Europe, with
the religious fanaticism and military rapacity of the crusaders."
Ever since al Qaeda declared war on the West, the Crusades have
been forced back into our consciousness as part of a longer historical
narrative weighted heavily in favor of Islam. Here, Johnson looks
at the condemnation of Christian holy war as the latest substitute
for opposing Islamic jihad." Daniel Johnson, formerly
a senior editor and columnist for the London Times and Daily Telegraph,
is now a columnist for the New York Sun. Fulltext
Senior Citizens
E21 - Perspectives on Productive Aging
Urban Institute, July 2005, online edition
Three new Urban Institute reports document the value of engagement
among older adults and highlight the best ways for society and
policymakers to support their full participation:
1)Older Adults' Engagement Should Be Recognized and Encouraged
Zedlewski, Sheila; Schaner, Simone
Urban Institute, July 2005, 6p, online edition
While many engage in paid work, many others move from career jobs
into unpaid activities that contribute to the public good. Sheila
R. Zedlewski is the director and Simone G. Schaner is a research
assistant for the Urban Institute’s Income and Benefits Policy
Center.
2)Satisfaction and Engagement in Retirement
Butrica, Barbara; Schaner, Simone
Urban Institute, July 2005, 6p, online edition
"Older adults' ability to pursue their retirement dreams
can affect their satisfaction with retirement.” Barbara A.
Butrica is a senior research associate and Simone G. Schaner is
a research assistant for
the Urban Institute’s Income and Benefits Policy Center.
3) Many Older Americans Engage in Caregiving Activities
Johnson,Richard W.; Schaner, Simone G.
Urban Institute, July 2005, 6p, online edition
"Many older Americans provide care to young children and
frail adults. Although few caregivers are paid for their work,
the services they provide to family members and friends are crucial.”Richard
W. Johnson is a principal research associate and Simone G. Schaner
is a research assistant for the Urban Institute’s Income and Benefits
Policy Center. Fulltext
youth culture
E22 - Undergraduate Students and Credit Cards in 2004:
An Analysis of Usage Rates and Trends
Nellie Mae, May 2005, 15p., online edition
Nellie Mae’s 2004 credit card usage study is the fourth in a series
conducted since 1998. The survey serves as a benchmark for future
analysis and reveals relevant information that should interest
professionals concerned about credit behavior. The majority of
undergraduate students between the ages of 18 and 24 hold credit
cards. However, the sharp increases previously reported are beginning
to level off, with possession in 2004 showing a decline from the
highest level reported in 2001.
Since 1982, Nellie Mae has focused exclusively on providing education
financing for undergraduate and graduate students and families.
Fulltext
E23 - Teenagers and Their Plastic, the Rites of Passage
Alsever, Jennifer
New York Times, June 25, 2005, pC.5
The article discusses teenagers’ use of debit cards and prepaid
cards. Although credit card-ownership among young people has slightly
decreased in the last years, “…[T]hese days, their wallets are
full of other cards, including debit cards, which draw money from
banking accounts, and a wealth of prepaid cards that store a certain
cash value that can be tapped with a swipe of the card.” Order
article
E24 - Japan, the U.S. and the Globalization of Children’s
Consumer Culture
Cross, Gary; Smits, Gregory
Journal of Social History, Summer 2005, v38, #4, p873, 19p
“This essay explores the linkage between modern children's consumer
culture and the globalization of the design and manufacture of
playthings. … Playthings have long roots in local folk cultures
and crafts, and regional and national traditions of toy and doll
making have long reinforced ethnic and local identities in children.
But the construction of modern childhood over the past century
especially has paralleled the decline of these craft traditions
and the emergence of a global children's commercial culture.”
Both authors teach at Pennsylvania State University: Gary
Cross is Distinguished Professor of Modern History at, Gregory
Smits is Associate Professor of East Asian History. Fulltext
E25 - I Want My Hyphenated-Identity MTV
Sontag, Deborah
New York Times , June 19, 2005, p2.1
“MTV World is counting on as it introduces three new channels
focusing on the growing population of young, acculturated Asian-Americans:
first, MTV Desi, which will go on the air in late July; then MTV
Chi, for Chinese-Americans, by the end of the year; and MTV K
for Korean-Americans next year. The channels will not be merely
tweaked reproductions of MTV India, MTV China or MTV Korea, three
of MTV's 42 channels abroad. Rather, they will, like their target
audiences, be hybrids, blending here and there and grappling with
identity issues, mostly in English.” Order
article
|
U.S.
Society