Teaching the Idea of America

Colleges have a vital role to play in preparing students to become active and informed citizens. How well are they performing that function? The 2016 election escalated longstanding concerns about the state of civic education. This package of essays from The Chronicle Review considers what’s gone wrong, and what colleges can do to strengthen our democracy.

The Review

The Crisis of Civic Education

By Derek Bok

Colleges have fallen short on one of their most important missions.
The Chronicle Review

The Essential English Department

By Geoffrey Galt Harpham

Divining the meaning of a text isn’t a frivolous act — it’s an essential skill in an enlightened democracy.
The Review

Democracy’s Disappearance

By Roosevelt Montás

Reversing the disintegration of the curriculum is the first step in restoring the American idea.
The Chronicle Review

Take Back the Ivory Tower

By Alice Dreger

It’s up to the academy to create citizens moved by more than tribe and gut.