"We the People . . . Project Citizen," an instructional product, involves students in the selection and investigation of important public issues in their community and thus engages students in learning experiences designed to affect positively their civic development, which involves three basic components of democratic citizenship: (1)…

The concept of citizenship is at the core of education for democracy. This Digest presents what citizenship is; why citizenship is an essential element of democracy; and how to teach about citizenship in a democracy. In a democracy, the source of all authority (the legitimate basis of all power) is the collective body of the people, the citizens…

Discusses the transition to democratic government in the Republic of Latvia and the role of civic education in that process. Describes Latvia's history and demography, the Latvian constitution and government structure, the process of democratization, and the role of civic education organizations like the Democracy Advancement Center. (DSK)

Many totalitarian communist states throughout the world have broken up during the 1990's, and citizens in those countries, from Central and South American to Central and Eastern Europe, are working to build constitutional democracies out of the rubble. Part of creating these new governments is devising new school curricula to include civic…

This paper examines the democratic changes that have occurred in the Czech Republic since 1989 and identifies three universal problems a democracy must address. Those problems include: (1) the problem of limits for majority rule; (2) the problem of limits for personal liberty and the power of government; and (3) the problem of limits for positive…

This keynote address examines the clashing viewpoints of unity and diversity on the meanings of "e pluribus unum." The continuing debate can be cataloged and clarified by three "ideal-type" models of conceptions: (1) monolithic integration; (2) pluralistic preservation; and (3) pluralistic integration. The speaker examines the main themes of these…

Citizenship is not synonymous with obedience; in our society it requires both loyalty and independent thinking. (Author/MLF)

This paper discusses the efforts of educators in the former communist nations of central and eastern Europe, particularly those of Estonia and Poland. In spite of diverse histories and cultures, each of these nations has shared a legacy of totalitarian communism imposed by the former Soviet Union. This inheritance has afflicted all former…

This paper discusses the importance of civic education in the transformation from totalitarian communism to constitutional democracy in Central and Eastern Europe. The primary question of civic education for this great transformation is: What are the few core ideas of democratic civic education that learners must know and support to prepare them…

This paper describes briefly the path of political socialization research over the past 40 years; discusses "Project Citizen," a civics program for adolescent students, and the implications of recent research on it; and comments on the current state of political socialization research. Contains 12 references. (BT)

During the past 30 years, there has been a global surge of democracy. For most people of the world today, democracy is the prevailing source of political legitimacy. In 2002, 121 of the world's 192 sovereign states could be recognized as democracies in terms of the minimal global standard for an electoral democracy. This digest discusses: (1) the…

This paper discusses civil society as a central idea in the recent global resurgence of democracy. Recent developments represent a turning away from state-centered conceptions of government, and a renewal of voluntary, community-based, non-governmental organizations as a means of renewing democracy. As civil society has surged globally, it has…

This paper addresses current concerns about how to improve political and civic engagement through education in U.S. schools and society. Part 1 examines ideas pertaining to "A Persistent Problem of Democracy: Education for Constructive Engagement of Citizens in Common Purposes and Commitments of Civil Society and Constitutional…

This paper contends that the issues of constitutional government debated during the founding of the United States should be in the core curriculum of any school that seeks to educate students to become responsible citizens of a constitutional democracy. For purposes of teaching students, the issues debated by founding-era political thinkers can be…

A recent report, "Educating Democracy: State Standards to Ensure a Civic Core," was issued by the Albert Shanker Institute of the American Federation of Teachers. This report comparatively analyzes and evaluates the standards for the teaching and learning of civics which state-level departments of education in the United States have…