Leaders of nascent democracies, such as Lithuania, quickly understood that effective civic education is indispensable to the establishment, maintenance, and improvement of their institutions of government and civil society. They readily turned to civic educators in the United States, the world's oldest democracy, for advice about how to prepare…

In May 1990, the Republic of Latvia declared the restoration of its independence from the Soviet Union. After that declaration, many Latvians began to reform their schools' curricula and teaching methods. They replaced Soviet-era citizenship courses with new teaching materials and methods appropriate for educating the young citizens of a…

This package includes a guide for formation and implementation of community study circles on cultural diversity, an abridged version of the same text entitled "A Busy Citizen's Discussion Guide", for study circle participants, and a 23-minute videotape recording. The main guide begins with a section on the need for community conversations, based…

This learning packet is divided into two parts with eleven chapters. Part 1 provides background information retracing Alexis de Tocqueville's 1831-32 tour of North America which led to the publication of "Democracy in America." Part 2 contains a short description of the seven primary themes emphasized by de Tocqueville with issues more…

This book analyzes attempts by governments and international development agencies to neutralize the school as an independent and democratizing institution. The volume contains four chapters and a conclusion. Chapter 1, "The Diminished School," highlights the trend away from the liberal and professionally led systems characteristic of the…

In this paper the author considers some themes connected with demands for democratization and certain conceptual confusions associated with those themes. (Author/RK)

The political attitude of schools was considered and the conflict of democracy and autocracy in the classroom was evaluated. (RK)

Critique of the format, general philosophy, and some specific components of the Worth report of Alberta's (Canada) Commission on Educational Planning. (Author/JH)

It is suggested that the basic awareness of justice and injustice be extended into institutions where courts and lawyers rarely wander (public schools, hospitals, mental institutions, governmental bureaucracies, unions, corporations)--and that change should begin with our system of legal education. (Author/JB)

The Great Awakening (a period of intense religious revivalism between 1730 and 1745) is analyzed as a mechanism of social change." (Author/SE)

Questions considered are: What are the modal political beliefs and attitudes of junior high school students? What are their capabilities for political learning and what suggestions for improving instruction can be derived from studies of their political learning? (Author/VW)

Indicates that potential contenders for public office are likely to be more knowledgeable, interested, and libertarian than the average citizen. Concludes that these differences exist before leaders are elected and that this discrimination is functional in a democracy. (MB)

Social participation, one of the four components of social studies education, means social studies teachers must teach how our social system works, and how to become thoughtful, informed social critics, participate in democratic processes, become involved, be activists and demonstrate responsible concern for improving the system. (Author/VW)

The development of democratic values as preparation for citizenship is liberal education's true function. Values education should include these forms of inquiry: values analysis, awareness, assessment, alteration, and affirmation. Students can test values against the criteria of consistency, coherence, duration, adequacy, comprehensiveness,…

The study of the nuclear weapons culture and of disarmament must be made central to the curriculum in the humanities, the sciences, and other subject areas. After discussing the contradictions of the nuclear age, the author suggests using consciousness-raising techniques, readings, films, and student research projects as means of reaching…