Current Issues. 1983/84 Edition.

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)