A Companion to John Dewey's Democracy and Education (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780226408378)

This year marks the centenary publication of John Dewey's magnum opus, Democracy and Education. Despite its profound importance as a foundational text in education, it is notoriously difficult and--dare we say it--a little dry. In this charming and often funny companion, noted philosopher of education D. C. Phillips goes chapter by chapter to bring Dewey to a twenty-first-century audience. Drawing on over fifty years of thinking about this book--and on his own experiences as an educator--he lends it renewed clarity and a personal touch that proves its lasting importance.

Phillips bridges several critical pitfalls of Democracy and Education that often prevent contemporary readers from fully understanding it. Where Dewey sorely needs a detailed example to illustrate a point--and the times are many--Phillips steps in, presenting cases from his own classroom experiences. Where Dewey casually refers to the works of people like Hegel, Herbart, and Locke--common knowledge, apparently, in 1916--Phillips fills in the necessary background. And where Dewey gets convoluted or is even flat-out wrong, Phillips does what few other scholars would do: he takes Dewey to task. The result is a lively accompaniment that helps us celebrate and be enriched by some of the most important ideas ever offered in education.


Author: D. C. Phillips
ISBN-10: 022640837X
ISBN-13: 9780226408378
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Language: English
Published: 12/19/2016
Pages: 184
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.70lbs
Size: 8.40h x 5.40w x 0.60d

Review Citation(s):
Choice 01/01/2018