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Many educators in high schools and colleges have taught about European history and politics in the context of the Cold War and the division of Europe into two blocs. The revolutionary changes in 1989 and the collapse of the Soviet Union have made obsolete the superpower spheres of influence that divided Europe. This curriculum project contributes to a refocusing on a reunited Europe as it has emerged since 1989. The project focuses on two central European nations, Hungary and Poland, and identifies important aspects about these countries for students as they begin to explore central Europe. It provides background information about central Europe in a curriculum review and poses the following question: "What's different about Central Europe?" The project outlines five key differences between western and central Europe to guide student understanding of the history and politics of this area. It concentrates on Hungary and Poland in a comparative historical perspective. This project cites the following considerations in analyzing democratic transitions in Hungary and Poland: (1) undermining and opening the authoritarian regime; (2) legacy of the past; (3) cycle of mobilization; (4) defusing and managing the military or party apparatus; (5) negotiation; and (6) settling past accounts. The paper notes sources for teaching contemporary politics in Hungary and Poland. (Contains 14 references.) (BT)

Written for students participating in the Close Up government studies program, a week-long field experience in Washington, D.C., the readings in this booklet may be incorporated into social studies units on government, political science, or current events. Following an introduction to members of the Reagan Administration and the Supreme Court and to the key issues of the 98th Congress and the 1983 budget, the booklet is divided into 2 sections. Section 1, focusing on domestic policy issues, includes readings on the economy, environment, education, social welfare, civil rights, energy, urban problems, crime, transportation, agriculture, and immigration. Readings in section 2, foreign policy issues, cover the Soviet Union, defense, nuclear proliferation, international trade, world poverty and U.S. foreign aid, Western Europe, Central America and the Caribbean, China, the Arab-Israeli conflict, South Africa, and Namibia. Each reading selection includes the following components: an introduction to the issue; a list of key questions to focus reading; background, current issues, and future outlook on the issue; and a brief debate on the pros and cons of one key question raised in the reading. (LP)