Author Description
Democracy Is Struggling In America. Citizens Increasingly Feel Cynical About An Intractable Political System, While Hyper-partisanship Has Dramatically Shrank Common Ground And Intensified The Extremes. Out Of This Deepening Sense Of Political Despair, Philosopher Of Education Sarah M. Stitzlein Seeks To Revive Democracy By Teaching Citizens How To Hope. Offering An Informed Call To Citizen Engagement, Stitzlein Directly Addresses Presidential Campaigns, Including How To Select Candidates Who Support Citizens In Enacting And Sustaining Hope. Drawing On Examples From American History And Pragmatist Philosophy, This Book Explains How Hope Can Be Cultivated In Schools And Sustained Through Action In Our Communities -- It Describes What Hope Is, Why It Matters To Democracy, And How To Teach It. This Is An Open Access Title Available Under The Terms Of A Cc By-nc-nd 4.0 International Licence. It Is Free To Read At Oxford Scholarship Online And Offered As A Free Pdf Download From Oup And Selected Open Access Locations.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This book investigates how the cultivation of hope can serve as a functional mechanism to revitalize democratic participation and mitigate political cynicism in the United States. Sarah M. Stitzlein, a philosopher of education, utilizes a framework rooted in American pragmatist philosophy to argue that hope is not merely an emotional state but a deliberate, teachable practice. By examining historical precedents and contemporary political challenges, the author provides a structured approach for citizens to reclaim agency within an increasingly polarized landscape.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Philosophical definitions of hope as a tool for political action
- Pedagogical strategies for integrating civic hope into educational curricula
- Analysis of presidential campaign rhetoric and candidate selection
- Historical case studies of American democratic resilience
Scope Limits
- The text does not provide a comprehensive policy manual for specific legislative reform
- It does not focus on international democratic systems outside the American context
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars and educators frequently cite this work as a significant contribution to the intersection of democratic theory and educational practice. Experts highlight the text for its accessible synthesis of complex philosophical concepts, making it a useful resource for both academic researchers and active citizens.
Page Count:
216
Publication Date:
2019-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0190062665
ISBN-13:
9780190062668
Democracy
Social Science
Philosophy of