Citizenship and Education in Liberal–Democratic Societies: Teaching for Cosmopolitan Values and Collective Identities

Abstract

Citizenship and Education in Liberal–Democratic Societies: Teaching for Cosmopolitan Values and Collective Identities. Edited by Kevin McDonough and Walter Feinberg. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003. 464p. $60.00.What is the purpose of public education in liberal-democratic societies? Is it to promote a national identity, to champion certain values, or to encourage a respect for difference? Are such goals suitable to the increasing cultural diversification of nations and the ongoing globalization of the world? And how should liberals respond when parents demand that children be exempt from classes that conflict with their beliefs or fight for state-supported religious education on the basis of group rights? These are just some of the questions taken up in this rich collection of essays. Citizenship and Education in Liberal-Democratic Societies brings together prominent political philosophers and educational theorists to discuss some of the most contentious educational policy issues confronting liberal-democratic states today. With a philosophical rigor often missing from such debates, the authors in this collection provide insight into the complex legal and moral issues at stake, locate the debates in historical and philosophical context, and present ethical arguments and curricular recommendations that advance dialogue. Read together, these essays defend the liberal state against charges that public education undermines parental authority and threatens cultural integrity, and they make a strong case for state involvement in education.