In this essay David Kennedy argues that children represent one vanguard of an emergent shift in Western subjectivity, and that adult-child dialogue, especially in the context of schooling, is a key locus for the epistemological change that implies. Following Herbert Marcuse's invocation of a "new sensibility," Kennedy argues that the…

Guidelines are presented which emphasize that schools can best contribute to a pluralistic democracy by supporting each cultural group represented within them as well as introducing students to a range of cultures other than their own, including and extending beyond those represented by the school population. Special stress is placed on creating…