In this Book
- Democracy's Education: Public Work, Citizenship, and the Future of Colleges and Universities
- Book
- 2015
- Published by: Vanderbilt University Press
Democracy's Education grows from the American Commonwealth Partnership, a year-long project to revitalize the democratic narrative of higher education that began with an invitation to Harry Boyte from the White House to put together a coalition aimed at strengthening higher education as a public good. The project was launched at the beginning of 2012 to mark the 150th anniversary of the Morrill Act, which created land grant colleges.
Beginning with an essay by Harry C. Boyte, "Reinventing Citizenship as Public Work," which challenges educators and their partners to claim their power to shape the story of higher education and the civic careers of students, the collection brings world-famous scholars, senior government officials, and university presidents together with faculty, students, staff, community organizers, and intellectuals from across the United States and South Africa and Japan. Contributors describe many constructive responses to change already taking place in different kinds of institutions, and present cutting-edge ideas like "civic science," "civic studies," "citizen professionalism," and "citizen alumni." Authors detail practical approaches to making change, from new faculty and student roles to changes in curriculum and student life and strategies for everyday citizen empowerment. Overall, the work develops a democratic story of education urgently needed to address today's challenges, from climate change to growing inequality.
Table of Contents
- Acknowledgments
- pp. xi-xii
- I. Democratic Narratives
- 2. A Democracy's College Tradition
- pp. 44-52
- II. Policy Makers and Presidents as Architects of Change
- III. The Faculty Experience and Faculty as Agents of Change
- 12. The Emerging Citizenry of Academe
- pp. 131-138
- IV. From Citizen-Student to Citizen-Alumni: Students and Alumni as Agents of Change
- 13. Becoming a Civic Artist
- pp. 141-146
- 16. The Civic Creativity of Alumni
- pp. 161-172
- V. Community Organizers Consider the Challenges
- 18. "On Tap," Not "On Top"
- pp. 185-189
- VI. Possible Futures
- 20. Illiberal Education
- pp. 199-203
- 22. Reflections of a Civic Scientist
- pp. 211-220
- 24. The Promise of Black Consciousness
- pp. 226-234
- 25. Teaching as Public Work
- pp. 235-244
- VII. Summing Up
- Contributors
- pp. 267-274