Civic Education and Racial Justice: What Political Economy Can Offer

Session Type: Invited Speaker Session

Abstract

In this era of heightened anxiety about the lure of bigotry and xenophobia inflamed by political demagogues, what and how can civics education provide hope? How can teachers infuse in their high school classrooms knowledge and skills aimed at preparing future leaders who will protect democracy and advance the cause of social, economic, and racial justice? What tools can educators use in an era of intensified politicization of curriculum content and instruction? These are the questions to be addressed in this presidential session. It will begin with a brief presentation by Michael Feuer, drawing on his most recent book, Can Schools Save Democracy? Civic Education and the Common Good . Feuer will outline a roadmap and strategy for teacher preparation that includes sharpened focus on principles of collective action and political economy, new partnerships among scholars and educators across the disciplines, and priority examples related to reducing racial equality and justice. Following the presentation, a panel will offer critical commentary from perspectives of history, curriculum, economic theory, education politics, and teacher education. Feuer will moderate this “roundtable”-styled discussion among leading scholars, which will become the basis for an edited version to be prepared for Educational Researcher and/or to be produced as a special edition of the EdFix podcast: https://gsehd.gwu.edu/edfix-podcast.

Sub Unit

• AERA Presidential Session

Chair

• Michael J. Feuer, The George Washington University

Participants

• James A. Banks, University of Washington

• Benjamin M. Jacobs, The George Washington University

• Joseph E. Kahne, University of California - Riverside

• Raymond C. Pierce, Southern Education Foundation

• Rashawn Ray, American Institutes for Research

• Janelle T. Scott, University of California - Berkeley

Discussant

• Michael J. Feuer, The George Washington University