Chapter 7: The Framework of the Curriculum

The curriculum presented here for citizens of a democracy moves away from the conventional social studies programs as described in the previous chapter toward more open-ended and issue-centered decision making treatments of social studies. In short, movement away from presenting young people with the unqualified exposition of facts, taken to be definitive truths, whether from the social sciences or elsewhere, is encouraged. At the same time, the position taken in this book also encourages that young citizens give consideration to issues from the disciplines as well as public issues manifested locally, domestically and globally.

As presented here, the reformed curriculum embraces the issues that democracy has faced historically as well as those that apply today as well as the future. These kinds of issues serve as the appropriate locus for a disciplined study of democracy. Actually struggling with issues is the appropriate learning mode for nurturing citizens who will come to appreciate democracy on their own terms and who will develop the capacity to address the demanding issues that face democracy’s citizens at all levels—from local to global. Importantly, democracy is not a way of life that is transmitted in unthinking ways. Instead, democracy is learned as it is questioned, thought about, criticized and as improvements in its practices are achieved and made evident.