Civics for the World to Come: Committing to Democracy in Every Classroom (Equity and Social Justice in Education)
Description
Help students use their voices to build an equitable and just society.
Years of political violence and protests against injustice have revived interest in teaching civics in schools. The problem? Civic education—as it currently exists—privileges systems, not students. It promotes incremental change within a broken democracy rather than responding to the youth-led movements that call for the abolition of inequitable social structures. What will it take to prepare young people for the just future they are fighting for?
Civics for the World to Come offers educators a framework for designing the critical civic education that our students deserve. Synthesizing perspectives on democratic life from critical race theory, ethnic studies, Afrofuturism, and critical literacy, the book presents key practices for cultivating youth civic agency grounded in equity and justice. The authors explore five world-building civic skills (Inquiry, Storytelling, Imagination, Networking, and Advocacy) and introduce readers to real learning communities where students and educators are transforming themselves and society.
Praise for Civics for the World to Come: Committing to Democracy in Every Classroom (Equity and Social Justice in Education)
With this book, Mirra and Garcia remind us of the fundamental purpose of teaching and learning: building a world that is more compassionate, equitable, and free than the one in which we currently live. Their urgent call to action comes with a wealth of concrete strategies to help all educators begin to build the democracy of tomorrow alongside their students. This is the work of our time and this book provides the roadmap we need.
— Ernest Morrell, director, Notre Dame Center for Literacy Education, and Coyle Professor, departments of English and Africana Studies, University of Notre Dame
This beautifully written, much needed, and fresh vision of civic education will expand, if not transform, how civic educators pursue their goals. Mirra and Garcia detail educational principles that should guide civic education and they offer clear examples of innovative educational approaches consistent with these priorities. The book is a must-have for educators committed to helping students grapple with sizable problems in our society and work for a more just future.
— Joseph Kahne, Dutton Presidential Chair for Education Policy and Politics, University of California, Riverside
What more beautiful gift could one offer to future generations than a (re)imagined education to help lift and restore equity within humanity? Drs. Mirra and Garcia provide a roadmap toward this goal in Civics for the World to Come while helping us see that teaching is a political act and all educators must be civic-minded practitioners toward teaching for social change. Civics education is the future of education and the framework provided in this book is exceptional, practical, and necessary.
— Gholdy Muhammad, associate professor of literacy, language and culture, University of Illinois at Chicago, and author of Unearthing Joy