Civic Education in the Twenty-First Century

A Multidimensional Inquiry

Michael T. Rogers, Donald M. Gooch

• Publisher: Lexington Books
• Year: 2015
• eBook ISBN: 9780739193501
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Politics & International Relations
• Subtopic: American Government
• Index: Politics & International Relations

Imagine an America where politicians, governmental institutions, schools, new technologies, and interest groups work together to promote informed, engaged citizens. Civic Education in the Twenty-First Century brings together scholars from various disciplines to show how such a United States is possible today. Inspired by Alexis de Tocqueville's analysis of American democracy in the early 1800s, this edited volume represents a multidimensional evaluation of civic education in its new and varied forms. While some lament a civics crisis in America today, Civic Education in the Twenty-First Century raises hope that we can have an informed and active citizenry. We find the activities of a number of politicians, government institutions, schools and interest groups as promising developments in the struggle to educate and engage Americans in their democracy. New technologies and new innovations in civic education have laid the foundation for a revitalized American civic ecology. With Civic Education in the Twenty-First Century, we call for the United States to make these practices less isolated and more common throughout the county.

The volume is broken into three major sections. First there are four chapters exploring the history and philosophical debates about civic education, particularly with respect to its role in America's educational institutions. Then, the second section provides seven groundbreaking inquiries into how politicians and political institutions can promote civic education and engagement through their routine operations. As some examples, this section explores how politicians through campaigns and judiciaries through community programs enhance civic knowledge and encourage civic engagement. This section also explores how new technologies like the Internet and social media are increasingly used by government institutions and other entities to encourage a more politically informed and engaged citizenry. Finally, the third section contains six chapters that explore programs and practices in higher education that are enhancing civic education, engagement and our knowledge of them. From the virtual civics campus of Fort Hayes State to citizens' academies throughout the country, this section shows the possibilities for schools today to once again be civics actors and promoters.

Table of contents

• Contents
• Introduction
• Section I: The Case for Civic Education
• Chapter 1: A Meta-history of Formal Civic Education
• Chapter 2: It Can Work
• Chapter 3: The Irony of Civic Education in the United States
• Chapter 4: Models of Civic Education in America
• Section II: Twenty-first-Century Innovations in Civic Education
• Part A: National Government
• Chapter 5: The Role of Congressional Outreach in Civic Engagement
• Chapter 6: Encouraging Civic Participation through Twitter during (and after) the 2012 Election
• Chapter 7: Engagement through the Oval Office
• Part B: State and Local Government
• Chapter 8: An Examination of Judicial Civic Education and Community Outreach Efforts
• Chapter 9: The Civically Oriented Activities of Big City Mayors
• Chapter 10: Encouraging Civic Participation of Citizens through County Websites
• Part C: Private Institutions
• Chapter 11: Interest Groups, Twitter, and Civic Education
• Section III: Civic Education in Institutions of Higher Education
• Part A: Classroom-based Studies
• Chapter 12: Dude, Where’s the Civic Engagement?
• Chapter 13: Educating Students about the National Debt
• Chapter 14: Moving Civic Education Research Forward
• Part B: Initiatives beyond the Classroom
• Chapter 15: Democratizing Information
• Chapter 16: Teaching Local
• Chapter 17: Partnering with Your Local PBS Station to Promote Civic and Political Engagement
• Conclusion: The Dimensions of Civic Education in the Twenty-first Century