Classroom discussion can play an important role in the formation of citizens, and in more ways than one. Yet recitation persists as the discursive norm in classrooms, and the literature on discussion lacks clarity as to purpose. This article contributes a delineation of two purposes—interpretation (enlightenment) and decision making (engagement)—and argues that they are elemental to both discussion pedagogy and citizen formation. As practices, they upend recitation and offer an occasion for liberal education, including opening oneself to difference. The author aims to show that classroom discussion is useful both pedagogically and politically when the two purposes are articulated in a diverse school setting, and that critics risk their own interests when they dismiss the possibilities of discussion.

No abstract

School curricula are virtually everywhere developed nationally and intranationally—by national or local curriculum committees. Ironically, even the portion of the curriculum that involves world study (e.g., courses in world history, world geography, world problems) is developed within nations. Has the time not come to create some portions of the school curriculum multinationally? A multinational research team from nine nations used Cultural Futures Delphi procedures to interview then survey iteratively a multinational panel drawn from an array of fields in the same nine nations. The panelists reached consensus on (a) complex global crises that humans will face in the next 25years, (b) human characteristics needed for dealing with these crises, and (c) education strategies needed for developing these characteristics. Interpreting these findings, the research team developed a curriculum geared to the development of world citizens capable of dealing with the crises.

No abstract

Employing a theoretical perspective from the critical sociology of education, this article identifies a curriculum problem in human rights education (HRE) in schools and suggests strategies to solve it. The main problem is HRE's lack of an episteme-a disciplinary structure created in specialist communities-and, related to this, the flight of scholars from the field of curriculum practice, redefining it away from subject matter. A more robust HRE in schools will require not only advocacy but a curriculum, one that teachers can adapt to local needs, constraints, and students. Knowledge matters. If knowledge work of this sort is missing from HRE then it is difficult to claim that HRE has a social justice mission. Abstract: Employing a theoretical perspective from the critical sociology of education, this article identifies a curriculum problem in human rights education (HRE) in schools and suggests strategies to solve it. The main problem is HRE's lack of an episteme-a disciplinary structure created in specialist communities-and, related to this, the flight of scholars from the field of curriculum practice, redefining it away from subject matter. A more robust HRE in schools will require not only advocacy but a curriculum, one that teachers can adapt to local needs, constraints, and students. Knowledge matters. If knowledge work of this sort is missing from HRE then it is difficult to claim that HRE has a social justice mission. Keywords