2009-10 Theme Seminar

The Dewey Seminar: Education, Schools and the State
Co-Organizers: Danielle S. Allen and Rob Reich

Every society and political regime develops educational institutions and practices that substantially shape its evolution, revolutions, and stabilization over time. The Dewey Seminar will explore the interrelationships among education, justice, schools, and the state. Because of the centrality of education to the continuity of sociopolitical orders, its analysis embraces virtually all the social sciences. A significant number of the School's Members this year will pursue work related directly to this theme-from exploring how diverse educational practices are linked to specific political orders to studying contemporary pressures on education and its capacity to support democratic political systems.

In 1916 the philosopher John Dewey published Democracy and Education: an introduction to the philosophy of education. He sought an account of education that could enable human flourishing both individually and collectively for democratic citizens. Our seminar takes its inspiration from his aspirations.

The Dewey Seminar consists of several components, including a bi-weekly work-in-progress seminar for scholars in residence; a multi-stage scholarly workshop that is expected to produce an interdisciplinary and agenda-setting book on education; regular symposia with educational practitioners from diverse contexts; and participation by working journalists in collaboration with the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

The Institute is grateful to Paula and James Crown for their generous support, to the Ford Foundation for funding the Practitioner Symposia and to The Spencer Foundation for funding the Education, Democracy and Justice Workshop.

Dewey Seminar Participants