Call for Papers: John Dewey’s “Democracy and Education” 100 Years On, 28 Sept 28 – 1 Oct 2016, University of Cambridge

John Dewey’s “Democracy and Education” 100 Years On: Past, Present, and Future Relevance

September 28 – October 1 2016

Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge

“Democracy and Education” argues that democracy is a necessary way of living together to protect the individual and maintain social equity. The book’s publication in 1916 was designed to promote a philosophy of education to meet the needs of a changing society, based on a social-interactionist theory of knowledge.

The conference focuses on the ‘event’ of the book’s publication, on its use in different contexts and settings, and on the value and relevance of the book’s ideas. In line with Dewey’s philosophy the conference will be about actions as well as words; it will involve children, practitioners and others engaged in Deweyan enquiry. It will end with an opportunity to plan further collaboration and forward action.

Confirmed keynote speakers:

Barbara Stengel, Vanderbilt University, USA

Rosa Bruno-Jofré, Queens University, Canada

Dame Alison Peacock, Executive Headteacher of The Wroxham Teaching School, UK

Main Themes:

1. Histories of the text

2. Putting Dewey in his place? The social biography of the text

3. Democracy and the common school

4. Experience

5. The role of the teacher

Call open until January 15th 2016

For further details please click here.