Making Good Citizens: Education and Civil Society

Description

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 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. Contents Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1. Education and Democracy Chapter 2. Education and Democratic Citizenship Chapter 3. Community-Based Social Capital and Educational Performance Chapter 4. Fluctuations of Social Capital in an Urban Neighborhood Chapter 5. To Not Fade Away: Restoring Civil Identity Among the Young Chapter 6. Moral Disagreement, Moral Education, Common Ground Chapter 7. Some Problems in Acknowledging Diversity Chapter 8. Education and Citizenship in an Age of Pluralism Chapter 9. Common Education and the Democratic Ideal Chapter 10 Once More into the Breach: Reflections on Jefferson, Madison, and the Religion Problem Chapter 11. Civil Society, Religion, and the Formation of Citizens Chapter 12. Schooling and Religious Pluralism Chapter 13. Religion and Education: American Exceptionalism? Chapter 14. Risking Choice, Redressing Inequality Contributors Index