Title education for democratic citizenship and peace

Abstract

Embedded in political scientists' research findings are three propositions for educators: (1) democracy needs democrats; (2) democrats are created through citizenship education programs emphasizing conflict resolution skills, respect for human rights, good neighborliness and respect for pluralism; and (3) there appears to be a correlation between the teaching of democratic values and peaceful co-existence of citizens of democratic societies. This paper examines the significance of the three propositions.The paper suggests that in some form, citizenship education has always been an essential component of the U.S. public school curricula inculcating patriotism, nationalism, and U.S. exceptionalism. In the meantime, however, a systematic effort toward preparing a peace-loving citizenry has been lacking in curricula, often viewed as extraneous to the public school mission. It contends that, considering the post-Cold War turbulence and growing U.S. involvement in global geopolitics, this is a propitious moment for K-12 educators to consider a more useful and sophisticated definition of citizenship, one that is germane to the educational needs of adolescents growing up in an interdependent world, and that transcends the prevailing juridical and legalistic boundaries. The paper discusses tradition and liberalism in citizenship education, citizens and international conflicts, participatory democracy and civil society, and education for democratic citizenship and peace. It concludes that citizenship education programs should teach democratic values, democratic disposition (which refers to personal attributes such as caring for the weak in society, speaking truth to power, and respecting cultural differences), civic participation skills, and peace education skills. (Contains 20 references.) (BT)