Beyond Liberal Democracy in Schools

by Thayer-Bacon, Barbara J.

• ISBN13: 9780807748657
• ISBN10: 080774865X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-03-14
• Publisher: Teachers College Pr

Summary

In this unique union of philosophy and ethnographic research, Barbara Thayer-Bacon explains how the individualist legacy of liberal democracy, as conceived by Locke and Rosseau, ignores and excludes the needs of American students raised in cultures with strong communal traditions. Drawing upon her experience with the educational methods of other cultures as well as the work of modern educational philosophers such as Dewey, Barber, Young, and Mouffe and Laclau, Thayer-Bacon shows us how our current vision of the democratic process as revealed in school practices routinely fails minority students. She offers recommendations to help us develop learning environments for students that are culturally aware, anti-racist, and relationally focused. This radical reimagining of American schools will be beneficial to researchers and practitioners alike. This book illustrates how current educational theories marginalize students belonging to a variety of minority populations (Native American, Mexican American, African American), offers a new theory of educational philosophy that values both individuals and communities and makes room for emotion and intuition as learning tools, and envisions new ways of teaching based on the author's experiences studying and observing schools in other cultures.

Author Biography

In this unique union of philosophy and ethnographic research, Barbara Thayer-Bacon explains how the individualist legacy of liberal democracy, as conceived by Locke and Rosseau, ignores and excludes the needs of American students raised in cultures with strong communal traditions. Drawing upon her experience with the educational methods of other cultures as well as the work of modern educational philosophers such as Dewey, Barber, Young, and Mouffe and Laclau, Thayer-Bacon shows us how our current vision of the democratic process as revealed in school practices routinely fails minority students. She offers recommendations to help us develop learning environments for students that are culturally aware, anti-racist, and relationally focused. This radical reimagining of American schools will be beneficial to researchers and practitioners alike. Barbara Thayer-Bacon is a professor of philosophy of education in the cultural studies of education program at the University of Tennessee. Also of Interest-

Table of Contents

Series Foreword	p. ix
Foreword	p. xi
Acknowledgments	p. xiii
Current Democratic Theories	p. 1
Renascent Liberal Democracy	p. 8
Strong Democracy	p. 16
Deliberative Democracy	p. 20
Radical Democracy	p. 25
Conclusion	p. 30
Shared Responsibilities	p. 33
Arrival and Departure	p. 36
Parental Relations with the School	p. 39
Connecting Theory with Practice, Part I	p. 41
Students' Roles in the Schools Visited	p. 44
Connecting Theory with Practice, Part II	p. 48
Conclusion	p. 52
Shared Authority	p. 55
"Yes, Madam"	p. 57
"Anyone Not a Happy Child?"	p. 59
Connecting Theory with Practice, Part I	p. 63
"Invest in Your Future!"	p. 69
"Take Care of Your Business"	p. 72
Connecting Theory with Practice, Part II	p. 75
Conclusion	p. 80
Shared Identities	p. 83
The Rez	p. 84
"A Street Is Something You Walk On"	p. 87
"Where Are the Native Americans?"	p. 89
Connecting Theory with Practice, Part I	p. 91
"Creating a New Generation of Warriors"	p. 93
"Education Is Like a Medicine"	p. 97
Connecting Theory with Practice, Part II	p. 101
Conclusion	p. 104
Nurturing Communities	p. 107
Exploring the Teacher's Role in Japan	p. 109
Connecting Theory with Practice, Part I	p. 114
"The Head that Sticks Up Is Pounded Down"	p. 119
Connecting Theory with Practice, Part II	p. 123
Conclusion	p. 127
Paradoxes Explored	p. 130
Friendship	p. 133
"Be a Friend"	p. 136
Connecting Theory with Practice, Part I	p. 140
Homogeneity	p. 143
Routine Rituals and Freedom	p. 145
Connecting Theory with Practice, Part II	p. 149
Conclusion	p. 152
Conclusion-Project C.A.R.E.	p. 155
Theoretical Summation	p. 155
Educational Implications	p. 163
Conclusion	p. 175
Notes	p. 179
References	p. 187
Index	p. 193
About the Author	p. 200
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