Is there a specific level of education that you're looking at? I feel like the program I am in at Arizona State does that. It is the first of it's kind in the U.S. Through the School of Social Transformation, ASU offers both a certificate and an MA in Social and Cultural Pedagogy.

Hi Dana, I know Daniel Schugurensky, who, I believe, is in the program you're referring to. I am interested in the elementary and secondary school level, the formal education system. I am aware of many excellent initiatives at the postsecondary level but the situation appears to be much more nebulous at the elementary and secondary levels. My concern is that most school systems, regardless of geographical context, pay hommage to building a good citizenry and supporting democracy but there seems to be little concrete evidence.  For example, service-learning and voluntary experience is often disconnected from the formal curricular, evaluation and learning experience, and testing, outcomes, expectations, etc. usually have little connection to democracy, citizenship and social justice. I am concerned about bone fide democratic learning and engagement being imbued in cooptation but am also concerned with there is little meaningful commitment. I do believe that many educators want to do something but are constrained within institutional environments. I look forward to any other comments you might have. Best regards, Paul.

In general, I belive that education for the democracy and shool systems are associated with the discourse of neoliberal knowledge production.that afirm pragmatic and expert knowledge. Some aspects of these issues has already been analyzed in many books and articles, as for example in the following:

- Martha C. Nussbaum "Not For Profit: Why Democracy Needs the Humanities"

- Konrad Paul Liessmann "The Theory of Miseducation"

Of course, it is very difficult to talk about the school systems in general. And when I talk about education and school systems, I have on my mind countries in transition and education system(s) in Bosnia and Hercegovina. For example, we can talk about development and implementation of educational programs for Democracy and Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina. But we have to place the issue of education for democracy in the discussion of current socio-political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina (unusual organisation of the state, decentralyzed system of education, 14 ministries in charge of education in Bosnia, "two schools under one roof", etc.).

Best regards, Amila

Hi Amila,

Thanks for your response.

I am equally concerned with the concept of democracy being hijacked by neoliberal interests that seek to implement ant-democratic programs. My own research indicates that many educators/teachers in several countries where I have surveyed folks have, themselves, had a very "thin" democratic experience in their own education, and many are reticent to not engage in critical, meaningful and "thick" democracy activities and approaches in schools. When this is added to the hegemonic programs, policies, testing regimes, curriculum, pedagogy, etc., it makes schools, as Bourdieu and others, such as Giroux, have suggested, sites of re-production. However, public education remains a fundamental part of any democracy, or any society wishing to cultivate democracy. Should we count on the formal for change? I don't think so but I believe that the formal can and should function in a way that does not mitigate and diminish the informal. There are many good folks doing good works, and often it is within the margins of public, formal locations.

Best regards

Paul

I believe that we have in the United States an education system that has struggled over the years to maintain its quality and appears to be losing ground partly because of the infusion of the digital revolution and the associated accoutrements but also more importantly is the complex series of laws and regulations forced upon the American Educational system by a misdirected legal system.

While many Americans have the misconception that we are the best at everything, it is the tireless efforts of countless teachers in the math and sciences that allow students to take that knowledge to new levels that were never thought possible including the skills that many girls and women have shown exceptional abilities and they deserve a round of accolades.

Perhaps, as a society should focus on what should not be done in a democratic society; as demonstrated by the failure of so many programs?

Many students seem to have lost respect not only for themselves but also for everyone else including authority and seemed to have adopted a thought process of just eking by, dropping out of school and then letting the government give them a monthly stipend, food stamps, rent subsidies, health care and a whole litany of other things that they do not have to work for.

I know countless teachers that go to work every day and try to give 100 percent and in some areas they succeed but in others they almost cower because of the threat of a law suit or some agency telling them they “have too” even if it means other students suffer.

Hi Gerry, Thanks for your comment. I agree that, ironically, despite the tremendous rhetoric to the contrary, public education seems to be designed to be anti-democratic. Those actually doing solid social justice work with a political literacy focus, and that also seeks some form of transformative engagement, are often marginalized, pushed out or start to believe that they must too closely confirm to neoliberal whims to actually respond to the needs of the population. One of my most serious concerns is the lack of meaningful and critical pedagogy, curriculum and educational policy related to peace, peace education and anti-militarization. It seems that, inevitably, everything is connected to democracy (whether we have it not), and peace would seem to be among the most tangible components, not to mention social justice education. Cheers. Paul

The US public education system is hardly democratic, let alone teach or talk about democracy in the classroom.  Especially in urban areas, those in poor communities do not really have the opportunity for an education.  Rather than general funding from a common source, it is all based on property taxes, so where there's  money, there is good education.  Many students Do indeed drop out because they are sick of toilets that do not work, teachers who belittle them, paint chipping in the classroom, old or no books, etc. etc. etc.  And yes, there are those who come from bad homes and "bad" parents, as I'm sure this is next.

Mary-Helen, Thanks for your response. One of my great fascinations is how the disconnection between bone fide, meaningful democracy aimed at social change, social justice and the like could be so distant from tangible actions in the formal electoralist arena. Obama's amazing speeches are perhaps the best example but the discourse within formal education circles seems to take for granted that Americans are naturally blessed with a functioning democracy, obfuscating the need to actually be democratic in terms of decision-making, processes and outcomes. Of course, elections are no times to discuss education, and the discussion between elections is primarily focused on funding and laying blame. At the same time, so much interesting and compelling stuff is happening everywhere, and there is ample room to make the formal experience more engaging and meaningful. Best regards. Paul

You might want to look at some of the work of Brian Schultz.  He wrote an interesting book called, "Spectacular Things Happen Along the Way."  Although it is not a systematic project, it does haVe possibilities.

I am interested in the education of medical students, and particularly in the democratic development of their critical consciousness for social justice in health. The expanding knowledge of social determinants of health, and a number of crises resulting from neoliberal poiitics, climate change, new infections and antibiotic resistance underlines the need for greater consciousness raising of our students for a range of inequalities in societies globally that have negative impacts on health and life expectancy. For medical students, the transformative learning that achieves this is authentic engagement and reflection on 'service learning projects' in disadvantaged communities. Indications suggest that the current generation of students are prosocial, global in outlook, and want to engage in humanitarian concerns.

Hi Kingsley, It's a pleasure to read your message as I believe that one of the central societal problems we encounter in education is the compartamentalization of knowledge, ideas, approaches, etc.. Should the sciences be concerned with the social context? Should qualitative and other non-quantitative approaches to research be more fully integrated into all spheres of learning and research? How can any field or discipline be understood without interrogating inequitable power relations? These are some of the questions that I believe need to be considered to address the fundamental issue of how to build a more decent society. What is most interesting to me is that there are so many wonderful people and initiatives that seek to make for a more decent society, and yet they seem to be outliers within the formal system, notwithstanding many good efforts by many diverse individuals. What do you think of Cuba's approach to public health, the training of doctors around the world with a social commitment, and the possibility to more fully integrate medicine and health within the community sphere? I'm not saying that Cuba is the one and only model but I believe that they have done some very interesting and important things with very limited resources. Neoliberalism, health, education and social reality and inequalities collide when we consider what type of access we have to basic needs, and how economics often rules the day. For example, I heard a report yesterday that the US has 4000 military doctors who can not be used, at all, for the ebola crisis but will continue to work on war-related matters whereas Cuba is sending 65 doctors and 100 nurses to the region in Africa most affected. Of course, there are many ways to contribute but more focus on the political and economic sides of health care and health education would seem quite helpful. Best regards, Paul

Dear Paul,

As a (young) scholar who has been studying Citizenship education curricula of some countries, I am of the opinion that education for democracy is not only the "task" of certain school subjects/programs but should be promoted across the curriculum (This idea has already been  expressed in much of your research!). However, in my experience, some programs in formal education that specifically aim for education for democracy in a critical way can be those that incorporate components of "Service learning" (or community engaged learning). I strongly believe that only by nurturing the spirit of community engagement (broad sense) in students, can educators help empower marginalized students and effectively address social inequalities themselves.

Warm regards,

There are crosscutting perspectives in educational public policies in Brazil. This means that the prospect of a competent citizen action happens not by objectively programmed causality , but the direct participation of relevant and sensitive actors to the institutionalized policy management processes in Brazil after 80 with the Federal Constitution of 1988, and different formal and non- formal channels of participation and social control. There are a tradition in Brazil on the impact assessment, there is a common statement in dissertations and theses which highlights the low effectiveness of public policies and programs because of patrimonial political culture of low institutional trust.

On the other hand, there are public policies for access and maintenance to higher education that has led to a significant change in the share capital of the subjects. This is a matter for now .