Making Good Citizens: Education and Civil Society

By: Diane Ravitch

Book Overview

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.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0300099177
• ISBN13: 9780300099171
• Release Date: August 2003
• Publisher: Yale University Press
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.0" x 9.3"