Edu Politics: Equity Issues

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

Formal education has long been an arena of political contestation. Because education is a valued resource for both individual advancement and a democratic institution, schools have been the battleground for struggles for political and social rights. Schools face constant pressure over curriculum, organizational structure, and resources. This course analyzes the politics of education policy in the United States using key historical and contemporary case studies. We explore the role of key institutions, actors, and contextual influences as they have shaped U.S. education, challenged social inequalities more broadly, and how shifting technology and new social movement groups and strategies are transforming the current educational landscape.