Teaching democracy: The role of public institutions in promoting civic learning

Abstract

AbstractDemocracy requires an informed populous that is engaged, politically, and otherwise, and concerned for the safety and wellbeing of its communities. Public institutions of higher education play a pivotal role in democracy, and a direct pathway to this result is civic learning and democratic engagement (CLDE). Now more than ever, a sharper focus on the ways in which equity and inclusion – dimensions of civic courage – intersect with education for democracy is of paramount importance. To underscore the role of public institutions in promoting civic learning, this chapter explores the historic roots of education for democracy, student affairs and co‐curricular approaches to CLDE, and the role of professional organizations in encouraging CLDE. Challenges and opportunities related to increasing institutional attention to civic learning are discussed.