Rediscovering the Democratic Purposes of Education. Studies in Government and Public Policy.

Overview & Synopsis

This volume of essays, spanning philosophy, history, sociology, and political science seeks to demonstrate that the democratic purposes of education are not outmoded but can continue to be driving forces in public education. Nine original articles examine how those democratic purposes might be redefined and revived. The volume both establishes the intellectual foundation for revitalizing U.S. schools and offers concrete ideas for how the educational process can be made more democratic. The collection is divided into three broad parts: "Part 1: The Philosophy and Practice of Civic Education"; "Part 2: Approaches to Studying the Politics of Education"; and "Part 3: Focusing on Democratic Purposes: Implications for Education Policy." The following essays are in the collection: (1)"Defining Democratic Purposes" (Lorraine M. McDonnell); (2) "What the American Founders Have To Teach Us about Schooling for Democratic Citizenship" (Lorraine Smith Pangle; Thomas L. Pangle); (3) "Toward a Political Economy of Citizenship: Historical Perspectives on the Purposes of Common Schools" (Carl F. Kaestle); (4) "Why Should Schools Care about Civic Education?" (Amy Gutmann); (5) "A Political Socialization Perspective" (Pamela Johnston Conover; Donald D. Searing); (6) "The Two Democratic Purposes of Public Education" (Terry M. Moe); (7) "Democracy and Schooling: An Institutional Perspective" (James G. March; Johan P. Olsen); (8) "Seeking a New Politics of Education" (Lorraine M. McDonnell; M. Stephen Weatherford); and (9) "Democratic Education and the American Dream" (Jennifer L. Hochschild; Nathan Scovronick). Each essay includes notes. (Contains a very extensive selected bibliography.) (BT)