In two decades of Ba'thist rule, Syria has evolved into a centralized, one-party, secular, authoritarian nation-state, which may be destabilized in the 1980s as a result of the conflict in Lebanon and internal Islamic opposition. (RM)

Most popular fictional plots involving the Middle East--adventure stories, espionage, and themes of Western dependency on Arab oil--portray the Israelies as the good guys and the Arabs as the villians. People must be made aware that fictional literature is prejudiced and racially biased against Arabs. (RM)

In trying to understand the complexities of today's problems, it is essential to know about the series of events that led to the formation of the Palestine Liberation Organization and to the rise of Yasir Arafat as the organization's principal leader and spokesman. (RM)

In 1975 more than 1.6 million workers in the Middle East and North Africa found jobs outside their home countries in the seven major labor-importing states within the region. By 1985 the number is expected to swell to 4.3 million. Social and economic consequences are examined. (RM)

The roots of Cyprus' ethnic antagonisms and the issues in the currently stalemated negotiations are described. (RM)

The news media constantly uses words and references that require specific knowledge and understanding if the public is to grasp the substance and implications of events and developments concerning the Islamic religion. Most frequently encountered Islamic terms and ideas are explained. (RM)

Students should study the culture of a nation like Afghanistan because it is intrinsically significant and will help them understand human nature and experience. Teaching approaches and materials are discussed. (RM)

Most elementary teachers are inadequately prepared to teach about the Middle East. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that elementary texts dehumanize Middle Eastern peoples by reducing them to mere caricatures. Needed are the involvement of Middle Eastern studies experts in writing textbooks and the improvement of teacher's manuals. (RM)

National Merit scholars from Indiana were surveyed to determine where they went to college and how they paid for their education. Many respondents expressed bitterness because, although among the best and the brightest, they had received no financial aid due to family income. Corporations should provide scholarships for this group. (RM)

One of the reasons that social studies has developed slowly in the K-12 schools of Nigeria is that both teachers and examiners doubt that adequate evaluation devices can be employed to fairly assess learning outcomes. Some social studies evaluation tools are defined, and possible ways for teachers to use them are discussed. (RM)

Described is a Yalta simulation and other units in a course designed to have high school students think through, from the perspective of participants and historians, important decisions made by Americans during the past 39 years. The course will prepare students to make intelligent decisions about political and social questions. (RM)

Student interest in the important economic, diplomatic, and ideological underpinnings of the world in the period 1919-1939 might be engendered through art, music, and literature. For example, Pablo Picasso's painting, Guernica, is important for the study of both the Spanish Civil War and the events leading to World War II. (RM)

This review of current German history textbooks shows that the documentation of anti-Semitism, Jewish persecution, and the Holocaust has improved since the 1960s. However, there are still weak areas. Necessary additions to all books should include documentation on medical experiments and ghettos and improved discussion concerning activities of…

Islamic fundamentalist groups are demanding political power and posing stiff changes to Middle Eastern regimes. The attainment of political independence, modernization, the incorporation of millions of newcomers as active participants in the political process, and the inability to deal effectively with Israel have contributed to conditions…

Presents the results of a survey of 11 high school world history textbooks published between 1983 and 1985. The analysis showed that the texts generally ignored human biological origins and provided an extremely unequal treatment of the world's cultural regions. Includes recommendations for teachers who seek to overcome such weaknesses. (JDH)