At a time of questionable civility in American politics, democratic
education appears to be at a crossroads. As we consider how to best
explore democracy and foster a more civically-engaged populace in the
current socio-political context, it is critical to examine what frames
our educational systems, policies, and practices and shapes our civic
identity. While teachers struggle with decreased instructional time for
social studies and the demands of standardized tests, the social
sciences are often pushed to the margins. Reflecting on how to negotiate
local, state, national, and global tensions related to policy and
practice, educators work to do what is best to equip students to foster
democratic citizenship and ideals.
Social sciences educators are uniquely positioned to embrace a journey
that upholds democratic ideals of equality, freedom, and justice, while
simultaneously critiquing inequity and injustice in schools and our
society. The contributors to this volume situate a variety of
discussions within the context of the crossroads and explore how to
negotiate, translate, and reconceptualize our own beliefs and
positionings in ways that positively influence and empower students,
teachers, teacher educators, and education policy makers. Studies are
presented related to civic education, cross-cultural interpretations,
emotional citizenship, international economics, and race-consciousness,
as well as those that discuss how to challenge dominant narratives and
negotiate educational policies and practices.
