Educating to Prevent War: Dewey's Democratic Ideal of Education

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 14
  In Roundtable Session: Theorizing Critical Perspectives and Paradigms in Peace Education

Abstract

Dewey’s (1916) war rhetoric in Democracy and Education elucidates Dewey’s democratic ideal of education while illuminating educating to prevent war as integral to this ideal. Specifically, Dewey highlights educating to prevent war’s centrality to his philosophy by defining democracy and education as social process and function; a process of eliminating barriers that distance people while facilitating their binding together in cooperative pursuits and results; and facilitating, valuing, and educating using direct experience connecting knowledge acquisition with activities and occupations “carried on in a medium of associated life” (p. 345). Dewey identifies the meaning and value educating to prevent war would have for all peoples. If not learning how to educate to prevent war now, then when?

Author

• Virginia Ann Worley, Oklahoma State University