Making Good Citizens: Education and Civil Society [Hardcover]

Diane Ravitch (Editor), Professor Joseph P. Viteritti (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2001

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 behaviour? 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 recent 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.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

In this timely book, Ravitch and Viteritti, professors at New York University and coeditors of New Schools for a New Century, explore the link between education and citizenship through a series of essays by contributors from a broad spectrum of educational institutions. Some of the essays are research-oriented, filled with charts and data from various studies, while others are less technical. All consider some aspect of the role of education in shaping students for civic responsibility. For example, is it wrong to stress patriotism to American students? Should our top priority be teaching students the importance of being a U.S. citizen, or should we instead stress that they are citizens of the globe? If the number of Americans who volunteer for civic and political causes is decreasing, is U.S. education to blame? And how can teachers instill values such as honesty when students see that in politics and entertainment corruption often is rewarded? There's something here for everyone, from the academic interested in data to the common citizen wondering what, if anything, is wrong with American education. The essays are well written and thought-provoking. For most collections. Terry Christner, Hutchinson P.L., KS
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Several contributions offer trenchant insights on the relation among education, religion, and civic involvement ... [and another] adds an invaluable international perspective to what is too often an insular debate about educational policies."

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Yale University Press (September 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0300088787
• ISBN-13: 978-0300088786
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #627,634 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)