Schooling and the Struggle for Public Life

This book examines the relationship between democracy and schooling and argues that schools are one of the few spheres left where youth can learn the knowledge and skills necessary to become engaged, critical citizens. Not only is the legacy of democracy addressed through the work of John Dewey and others, but the democratic possibilities of schooling are analyzed through a range of issues extending from the politics of teacher authority to the importance of student voices. These issues have only become more vital in an era of neoliberalism and "smaller government," as Giroux discusses at length in this new updated edition. Acknowledgments, Introduction: Democracy’s Promise and Education’s Challenge, 1. Schooling, Citizenship, and the Struggle for Democracy, 2. Schooling and the Politics of Ethics: Beyond Conservative and Liberal Discourses, 3. Authority, Ethics, and the Politics of Schooling, 4. Schooling and the Politics of Student Voice, 5. Literacy, Critical Pedagogy, and Empowerment, 6. Teacher Education and Democratic Schooling, 7. Conclusion: Beyond the Politics of Anti-Utopianism in Education, Notes, Index, About the Author