Dubnick, Melvin, “The Challenges of Civic Education,” in APSA LEGISLATIVE STUDIES SECTION NEWSLETTER, 23, no. 2 (July, 2000) [in EXTENSION OF REMARKS section].
AI-Generated Summary:
The document discusses the challenges and approaches of civic education within political science, emphasizing pedagogical differences and historical shifts.
Reemergence of Civic Education in Political Science
- Civic education has gained renewed importance on the discipline’s agenda after decades of marginalization.
- Historically, civic education was central to political science, aimed at promoting better citizenship.
- Over time, the focus shifted toward producing knowledge and research rather than civic engagement.
- This shift created tensions between promoting civic life and advancing social science research.
Historical Shifts in Civic Education Focus
- Early 20th-century leaders criticized traditional civic education for fostering nationalism and conflict.
- Charles Merriam argued for focusing on political research instead of civic instruction.
- The discipline’s indifference to civic promotion grew as social science prioritized knowledge production.
- The renewed interest challenges this indifference by highlighting civic engagement’s importance.
Pedagogical Approaches to Civic Education
- Four main approaches differ on whether to emphasize community stability, individual autonomy, ends, or means.
- These approaches include patriotic, moralistic, deliberative, and critical models.
- Each approach reflects different goals: fostering support, personal fulfillment, active participation, or critical thinking.
- In practice, curricula often blend these approaches, though philosophical differences remain.
Challenges for Effective Civic Education
- Moving civic education forward requires balancing diverse pedagogical methods.
- The field must allow instructors to choose approaches suited to their context.
- Achieving a comprehensive, unified approach is unlikely due to fundamental differences.
- The focus is on promoting civic education while respecting pedagogical diversity.