Philosophers of education have long contemplated how the normative charge of education might include disruption of the status quo. Thinking about our work as being in battle with the status quo, though, is problematic. Partly, the author agrees with thinkers like George S. Counts that education can be a vehicle for social reconstruction. But he is…

The day-to-day appraisal of the state of the nation is understandably dominated by the stories in the headlines. In "Coming Apart" (Murray, 2012), the author attempted to step back from today's headlines and take a longer view of where the nation is heading. Murray's conclusion was that we face a much more ominous long-term problem than…

Asking hard questions is just that--hard. But if we are truly committed to teaching for social justice, we need to encourage our children to find as many points of view as they can, and to ask questions we may never be able to answer, knowing that education for citizenship lies in the process of thinking critically about the many sides of a…

A key contributor to the 1948 New Education Fellowship "The Teacher and World Peace" submission to UNESCO, Alex Bloom is one of the most remarkable pioneers of radical democratic education of the twentieth century. In many important respects, Bloom's internationally renowned work from 1945-55 at St George-in-the-East Secondary Modern…

In this study, we explore the global effect of the Internet on democracy over the period of 1992 to 2002 by observing the relationships between measures related to democracy and Internet prevalence. Our findings suggest that while Internet usage was not a very powerful predictor of democracy when examining full panel data from 1992 to 2002, it was…

Drawing from some of the insights on the democratic condition made by Alexis de Tocqueville, this article examines critically the reasons given for inclusive education and the motives behind its growing popularity in western industrialised countries. In particular, we consider the supposed benefits of democratisation and equality that proponents…

The humanist tradition in Western education systems is increasingly coming under critical scrutiny by posthumanist scholars, arguing that Enlightenment humanism accommodates a number of serious shortcomings such as being essentialist, exclusive, and unable to meet its own criteria of value pluralism, tolerance, and equity for all. This article…

Although theorists and policy makers agree that schooling should be democratic, what this exactly means often varies. This article establishes a conceptual model for analyzing education policy in democratic societies, based on the key concepts of equality, diversity, participation, choice, and cohesion. The model facilitates the design,…

Volunteering is one of the strongest elements of shaping democratic change within the society. It is also an essential element in citizenship development and in re-establishing a sense of community. Volunteering empowers individuals, builds solidarity, encourages participation and protects vulnerable groups against social and economic…

Author urges educators to be guardians and promulgators of the basic social verities. Parity in education must take the place of elitism. (Editor)

This book is a collection of essays by 50 eminent experts/analysts representing a broad range of ideological perspectives and interest groups. Its aim is to contribute to the process of democratic nation-building and the creation of a culture of tolerance by educating South Africans about the intricacies of community reconciliation and…

The future of higher education is more uncertain now than it has ever been and it is interesting to examine and speculate as to causes and possible results. Values and sanctions that have previously motivated unquestioned acceptance of the legitimacy of higher education are, like many other values and sanctions in our society, presently undergoing…

Dewey's emphasis on the individual as the determiner for moral judgments and his consideration of the general welfare as the standard is the focus for argument against the interpretation that his ethical theory supports the possibility of the manipulation of the masses by liberal reformers. (JN)

This article examines the curricular constructions that influence our perceptions of learner "ability" within games education. Games education has both inherent and intrinsic value for learners, and within this context, teachers make important choices about what they believe will be of most value and interest for students. This in turn impacts the…

This paper argues for a dramatic shift in thinking in the counseling profession and society at large. The argument is divided into three major themes or integrative concepts: (1) Partnerships; (2) Inclusivity; and (3) Connectedness. The themes are prefaced by a brief survey of global trends, national and international events, and crises caused by…