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…

Developments during the decade and a half following the fall of communism in Central and Eastern Europe indicate broad advancement in civic education for democracy. This digest notes the rising trend in civic education competency in Central and Eastern Europe, describes an increasingly accepted and used framework for civic education, and…

The fall of communism in eastern and central Europe inspired the call for curriculum development in citizenship education throughout the growing democratic world. Many programs between U.S. institutions and newly developing democracies continue to produce curricula for democratic citizenship suited to local needs. This digest discusses: (1)…

Is it possible to develop an international consensus on the meaning of democracy and education for democratic citizenship? A cooperative project administered by the Center for Civic Education (CCE) in Calabasas, California is attempting to answer this question. Since 1996, the CCE has been developing "An International Framework for Education…

This digest argues that free, public libraries foster and fortify democracy and democratic citizenship. Because libraries offer services and materials representing many points of view, they allow citizens to fulfill their civic and personal responsibilities and to exercise their liberties. Particularly for former communist countries, libraries can…

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…

"We the People...The Citizen and the Constitution" is a national civic education program that aims to help elementary and secondary students understand the history and principles of constitutional government. The program focuses on the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights and fosters civic competence and responsibility among students in…

The 2002 R. Freeman Butts Institute on Civic Learning in Teacher Education, which met in Indianapolis, Indiana, from May 17-21, 2002, was the source for this book. The central theme of the meeting was education for democratic citizenship in the college/university-based preparation of prospective teachers. Following an Introduction, twelve papers…

There is a necessary connection between civics and economics in education for democracy. This connection should be reflected in school curricula. This digest discusses: (1) federal legislation and programs promoting civics and economics; (2) the connections between civics and economics in the study of the U.S. Constitution; (3) the status of…

This collection of essays was derived from a meeting sponsored by the Center for Civic Education (California) and conducted by the Social Studies Development Center (Indiana). The meeting's central theme was education for democratic citizenship of prospective social studies teachers. Following an introduction, essays in the collection are: (1)…

A report by the National Commission on Civic Renewal has sounded alarms about the declining quantity and quality of citizen engagement in U.S. political and civic life. According to the Commission the overall civic condition is weaker than it was and in need of significant improvement. To renew the constructive engagement of citizens in political…

To what extent was social change on center stage during adult education's formative years? Whose vision embraced social change and whose did not? What factors led to the decline of social action as a goal of adult education, and what factors suggest renewed interest in social goals? This paper examines these questions, beginning in the 1920s with…

Documents and journal articles featured in this nine-item annotated bibliography concern information as a critical resource in a democratic society and the role of the library and information services in ensuring access to information, especially that which is government produced. Citations were selected through a computer search of the…

The recent trends in economic education reflect the perennial issues regarding economics education. Trends identified include: (1) economics and citizenship education; (2) economic education in Russia and Eastern Europe; (3) the global economy; (4) content standards; and (5) use of computer technology in economic education. The Digest concludes…

Judicial review is a fundamental facet of constitutional government in the United States. Invented during the founding of the United States, judicial review has spread to most constitutional democracies of the world. This digest discusses: (1) the concept of judicial review; (2) the origin of this concept; (3) the uses of this concept in U.S.…