Educating the "Good" Citizen: Political Choices and Pedagogical Goals

The authors call attention to the spectrum of ideas represented in civic education programs about what good citizenship is and what good citizens do. Their arguments derive from an analysis of both democratic theory and a two-year study of civic education programs that aim to promote democracy. They detail three conceptions of the "good" citizen-- personally responsible, participatory, and justice oriented-- that underscore political implications of education for democracy. This article suggests that the narrow and often ideologically conservative conception of citizenship embedded in many current efforts at teaching for democracy reflects not arbitrary choices but rather political choices with political consequences.