Until the last 10 to 15 years, Canadian public education cohered around the concept of citizenship. Now students are seen not as citizens but as workers. Instead of citizenship, economic success in the global economy is valued. Citizenship and "democratic virtues" must be brought back to the heart of educational policy making. (CDS)

When the nation-state was the dominant political and economic entity, the university was an institution of culture, essential for forming the national identity. In this era of globalization, universities teach economic liberalism and serve the interests of supranational corporations with little regard for democratic principles. Academics must…

In the last few years, the issue of values has become increasingly important in Canada, especially in schools. Students hold values which they build from their social experiences and families, and educators must decide how to resolve the daily conflict in values that crop up in their schools, in the context of globalization and a greater openness…

The goals of citizenship education can conflict with values of cultural pluralism. The Canadian government's policy is one of official neutrality and tolerance with respect to cultural differences. The true function of this policy is to ensure that all Canadians can integrate into a shared set of political and civic institutions despite…

The Citizenship Education Research Network, a group of Canadian researchers, decision makers, and practitioners, is committed to the development of educational policy and practice concerning the relationship between common values and the stability of society; the impact of citizen participation upon social cohesion; and the relationship between…

To minimize the effect of partisan politics on curriculum development and change, we must encourage broad involvement of educators and citizens in discussions about such curricular issues as the balance of subjects, social and intellectual skills to be emphasized, standards to be set, and how to develop the personal characteristics important to…

Democracy in education has many facets: mass access to education, democratic governance of schools, education about citizenship, and education for citizenship. The skills and dispositions necessary for effective democracy can only be learned by practicing them, yet most secondary students have neither political rights nor a political role. Student…

A close relationship exists between German society, the political system, and public schools. Following reunification, the school systems in former East Germany have undergone dramatic changes to accommodate the philosophy of democracy. The state of Saxony's changes include parent and student participation in school governance, emphasis on…