Can universities supply citizenship education?

Abstract

This article focuses on citizenship education supplied by universities as a way to help promote citizen participation. Employing an economic approach to university behavior in a competitive market, theoretical insight is offered into whether universities can supply citizenship education. The findings reveal, on the one hand, that universities have an incentive to educate "good citizens" and that subsidies, including governmental financial support, contribute both to an increase in the number of students and to an improvement in citizenship education programs. It is demonstrated, on the other hand, that universities are unenthusiastic about supplying education for "adequate citizens. " Universities emphasize commercial revenue rather than citizen development, and although governmental financial support might allow more individuals to receive an education, this is unlikely to be spent almost exclusively on citizenship education programs.