Making Good Citizens Education and Civil Society |
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Editor:
| Ravitch, Diane Viteritti, Joseph P. |
ISBN: | 978-0-300-09917-1 |
Publication Date: | Aug 2003 |
Publisher: | Yale University Press
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Book Format: | Paperback |
List Price: | AUD $51.95 |
Book Description:
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Americans have reason to be concerned about the condition of American democracy at the start of the twenty-first century. Surveys show that civic participation has declined, cynicism about government has increased, and young people have a weak grasp of the principles that underlie our constitutional system. Crucial questions must be answered: How serious is the situation? What role do schools play in shaping civic behavior? Are current education reform initiatives--such as...
More DescriptionAmericans have reason to be concerned about the condition of American democracy at the start of the twenty-first century. Surveys show that civic participation has declined, cynicism about government has increased, and young people have a weak grasp of the principles that underlie our constitutional system. Crucial questions must be answered: How serious is the situation? What role do schools play in shaping civic behavior? Are current education reform initiatives--such as multiculturalism and school choice--counterproductive? How can schools contribute toward reversing the trend?
This volume brings together leading thinkers from a variety of disciplines to probe the relation between a healthy democracy and education. Their original and provocative discussions cut across a range of important topics: the cultivation of democratic values, the formation of social capital in schools and communities, political conflict in a pluralist society, the place of religion in public life, the enduring problems of racial inequality. Gathering together the most current research and thinking on education and civil society, this is a book that deserves the attention of everyone who cares about the quality and future of American democracy.