“Walter C. Parker interweaves political philosophy and pedagogy to present a deep and useful primer for building a liberal democracy through civic education.”
—Theory and Research in Education
“This is a clear, vitally important, and beautifully written book. In these often-troubling times, not only does Walter Parker make a powerful case for liberal democracy, he does so while giving civic educators the tools they need to effectively advance that ideal.”
—Joseph Kahne, Ted and Jo Dutton Presidential Professor for Education Policy and Politics, University of California, Riverside
“There is probably no more difficult and yet necessary moment in which to teach civics. An antidote to the shouting past each other and a resistance to deliberative discussion, Education for Liberal Democracy searches for a way to create the imagined community that democracy promises.”
—Gloria Ladson-Billings, professor emerita, University of Wisconsin–Madison
“Walter Parker is truly one of the leading lights in civic education in the 20th and 21st centuries. His trademark combination of rigorous scholarship and practical, try-tomorrow teaching advice has supported educators worldwide in creating classrooms and curricula that foster liberal democracy, even under trying circumstances. This thought-provoking, eminently useful, and conceptually, politically, and pedagogically sophisticated book could not be more timely. It should be read by all educators who care about the future of liberal democracy.”
—Meira Levinson, Juliana W. and William Foss Thompson Professor of Education and Society, Harvard University
“Walter Parker’s Education for Liberal Democracy puts forward a well-argued proposal for a new approach to civic education that is highly engaging, original, interesting, and possible. This is an important book that will be especially interesting to people—both in and out of schools—who are concerned about the sorry state of the contemporary political culture and hope that schools can play a role in building a healthier democracy.”
—Diana E. Hess, dean, School of Education, University of Wisconsin–Madison