DSPO 25A81 - Democracy and Education in the History of European Ideas

This course explores the formation and development of educational thought throughout Western history. It analyses the influence that the rise of modern democracy - and the social, philosophical, and political transformations it entailed - had on our vision of education. As the Church’s authority gradually declined in the eighteenth century with the emergence of Enlightenment ideas, new ways of thinking about the role of the state and the purpose of education emerged. Education became increasingly tied to political life and was seen as a central element for the development and stability of modern democratic societies. A central theme throughout the course will, therefore, concern the political function of education: Who should control education? Why should the state intervene? For whom is it intended? We will study the way various thinkers have thought about the purpose of education, whether it is to shape moral character, to prepare citizens for civic life, to train workers for economic productivity or to foster personal emancipation and freedom. By studying the long and complex history of educational thought in its political and social contexts, this course offers an invaluable training for thinking critically and flexibly about the political challenges of our own time.

It is recommended that students read one of the required readings. Any historical and/or philosophical knowledge related to the modern or contemporary period is an added value.

The evaluation for this course will be divided into three components:

Participation in class will account for 10% of the final grade.

A research project will constitute 50%: it will comprise a written paper (30%) and an oral presentation (20%).

Finally, an in-class written exam (either a text commentary or a dissertation) will represent 40% of the final grade.