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Click here to download the Democracy’s Edge
Guide for Educators and Group Leaders (PDF, 39 pages)

 

Comments from Educators
about Democracy's Edge

I wanted to let you know how our class turned out at Indiana State. First of all, it was for me one of the most wonderful teaching experiences I've had in years. The students were a little unsure at first, because, after all, how can you study ethics by studying food? (So they thought...) However, I think this was perhaps one of their most unique and inspiring learning experiences in college. The assignments were definitely unique!For example, each student logged every drop of food and beverage for two weeks and then analyzed the content (and nutrition) in an "You Are What You Eat" paper. That was a real eye-opener for each of them.

They then arranged themselves in groups and became "investigative reporters" who tracked down information on a variety of issues relating to food such as hunger and poverty in Terre Haute, where the organic food is sold in our area, who is feeding the hungry, and the role of dieting and diet companies in socially constructing our society. Then they created teaching and media materials from their research.

And finally, the students developed a personal, professional ethics code and analyzed how and when they might become whistle blowers in their workplaces. Ultimately I think they also became significantly more aware of what individuals and groups are doing to change the world we live in - especially by reading about Anna and your travels.

- Prof. Debra Worley, Indiana State University

In our class, the two youngest girls have begun a campus wide ‘pennies collection.’ A different group will benefit each month. In November the money will go to a rural school in one of the Carolinas. The oldest male is making plans to go to his high school political science class over Christmas break to talk about 'living democracy', and one very big athletic looking boy, from a blue-collar family and the first to attend college, took Democracy's Edge home over fall break for his father to read, and Dad promised to do it! Finding "Praxis" is part of our course, as you no doubt already understand, so there will be much more from this group by mid-December.

- Prof. Jan Hyatt, Allegheny College

 

Democracy’s Edge provides students a way to move theory to practice. It gives them hope for the future...I have heard comments like "I have wanted to create positive social action and until now have not read a text that is so empowering." It is amazing to see the responses and the rekindling of passion.

– Prof. Joan Bantz, Evergreen State College

Before using the book: Democracy's Edge will help to provide a context for all that we're doing in my freshman writing class--for the possibility that developing better skills as readers, writers, and speakers will enable students to become more engaged and effective citizens...I'm particularly interested in the chapter ‘Action: Politics & the Inauguration of the Citizen’ - I like the explanation here of how politics is not simply the domain of elected officials, but of average citizens...the idea that all of us have political lives, whether we actively appreciate this or try to sit back and let others solve the problems of society...Obviously, the goal of the class will be to inspire students to desire to participate in a Living Democracy - and to do so through strengthened language skills that this class should help them develop.

After using the book: I was really pleased with how Democracy’s Edge worked as a central textbook in my freshman writing course. [It] prompted a number of excellent class discussions, and several writing assignments. … I got eight sets of comments from students [about Democracy’s Edge], all of them appreciative of how the book worked in class.

- Prof. Scott Slovic, University of Nevada, Reno

The whole book is a pleasure, and oh how dearly did I need its
hopeful words. I suspect it was at times hard to sustain such a tempo... when we see over and over how fragile the idea of democracy is, and in how many different ways our society is organized to make it seem absurd.

Thank you, thank you!

- Deborah Meier, Hillsdale, NY

(Meier has for decades been a national leader in democratic education. She is the author of several books, including In Schools We Trust: Creating Communities of Learning in an Era of Testing and Standardization, and is a MacArthur Foundation "Genius" award recipient.)

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Poetic and passionate, Lappé holds a torch high for the rest of us.
-Howard Zinn

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