US/USSR Textbook Study Project, Interim Report.

This interim report, intended to help textbook authors and publishers, describes the results of a project in which American schools critiqued Soviet textbooks and Soviet scholars critiqued American textbooks. Secondary level history and geography texts were the focus of the study. There are five chapters to the report: Background to the Study; American Criticisms of Soviet Textbooks; Soviet Criticisms of American Textbooks; Recommendations for the Revision of American and Soviet Textbooks; and Conclusions and Recommendations. The report's conclusions state that there are a few ways in which books in the two nations can be judged similarly deficient. Both American and Soviet textbooks tend to: glorify the accomplishments of their own nation and to denigrate the contributions of others; feature the least attractive aspects of life in the other nation; emphasize political affairs and devote scant attention to social and cultural life in the other country; and to be written from a Cold War perspective. Recommendations made include the following. When treating a topic involving a dispute between the United States and the USSR, authors should include information about how the issue is interpreted in the other country. Authors should strive to use the most accurate up-to-date information. When discusssing disputes that have arisen over violations of treaties and other agreements, textbook authors should provide the texts of the relevant portions of agreements in the texts so that students can judge for themselves the extent of violations that have occurred. Emotional and pejorative language should be avoided. Respect for the national traditions and customs of the other country should be encouraged. (Author/RM)