Democracy Education

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

This course explores the relationship between democracy and education by examining four questions: How should our educational system advance the interests and activities of democratic politics? In what ways do schools advance or inhibit the civic engagement of youth? Should we conceive of democratic politics as educative? What does a democratic education look like? We will explore these questions by reading examine normative and and empirical work that explores the interrelationship between political action and knowledge. In part, the class will model democratic education by entrusting students with the task of developing and leading class discussions based on the week’s readings, as well as collectively determining the nature of the final assessment. This course will have a Community Based Learning component. For Education, Inquiry and Justice minors who wish to use this course to satisfy the Praxis II requirement, the CBL component is mandatory. For non-EDIJ students the CBL component is optional, although encouraged. Although plans are not yet finalized, the mandatory CBL component for EDIJ minors will involve curriculum development for civic engagement workshops with the After School Kids program (ASK) at Georgetown. In addition to short papers, reactions to readings and presentations, the course will culminate in a major project to be determined by students.