Education and the Reconstruction of a Democratic Society: Two Main Themes in Dewey’s Philosophy of Education

Education and the reconstruction of a democratic society are two themes about which Dewey was especially concerned throughout his life. On the one hand, Dewey regarded education as growth, emphasizing that the end of education is nothing but itself. Dewey received a barrage of criticism for this, as some people saw it as a theory advocating the aimlessness of education. On the other hand, the growth in Dewey’s theory is more than the growth of the individual: it also involves thinking from a social perspective, and thus is democracy-oriented growth. However, Robert B. Westbrook and Aaron Schutz point out that Dewey’s method of starting with local communities to develop a Great Community has its problems, and his proposal to transform society through schools also faces enormous difficulties. This paper firstly clarifies Dewey’s concept of growth. Then, it discusses the relationships among growth, education, and democracy in Dewey’s thoughts. Finally, it analyzes the problems that existed during the development of a democratic society and argues for Dewey’s ideal of a Great Community, which has been questioned.

From the Old New Republic to a Great Community: Insights and Contradictions in John Dewey’s Public Pedagogy

This article draws from John Dewey’s philosophy of education, ideas about democracy and pragmatist assumptions to explain how his articles for <em>The New Republic</em> functioned pedagogically. Taking media as a mode of public pedagogy, and drawing extensively from Dewey’s <em>Democracy and Education</em>, as well as from his book <em>The Public and its Problems</em>, the article explores the relationships between communication, education and democracy using the expanded conceptions of all the aforementioned advanced by Dewey. Borrowing insights from Randolph Bourne, who used Dewey’s own ideas to criticize his mentor’s influence on intellectuals who supported US involvement in World War I, the analysis explores the contradictions within Dewey’s public pedagogy. The article suggests Dewey’s relevance as a public intellectual in the liberal-progressive press, his view of the State and some of his related presuppositions produced a tension in his thought, delimiting democratic possibilities while simultaneously pointing toward greater democratic potentials. The essay concludes by suggesting that learning from both Dewey and Bourne prompts us to get beyond the former’s public/private dualism to realize what he called the “Great Community” by communicating and practicing the Commons.

Editorial

I am proud to conclude also the fourth year of the International Journal of Serious Games with a new issue containing five excellent papers, that I will present in the following. The journal is constantly growing, thanks to the competence and the availability of a great community of authors, reviewers and readers, and this is the best basis for a proficuous new year 2018.

Lakota virtues and leadership principles: insights and applications for ethical leaders

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the practical value and leadership applications of the 12 virtues of the Lakota (Sioux) nation and their importance for ethical leaders in the modern world. Design/methodology/approach This paper describes and briefly summarizes each of the 12 Lakota virtues and presents parallel insights from the leadership literature in summarizing the ethically-related nature of the Lakota virtues. Findings The paper demonstrates that scholars in leadership affirm that the Lakota virtues have parallel scholarly support as important factors in ethical leadership. Research limitations/implications The paper affirms the importance of virtue-based leadership principles as a useful approach for modern leaders and demonstrates the wisdom and practical value of traditional Lakota perspectives. The opportunity to focus on the importance of virtue-based ethical leadership is reinforced. Practical implications Today’s current and would-be leaders can benefit by comparing their own perspectives about leadership with the 12 Lakota virtues. By examining their own behaviors and comparing them with the Lakota virtues, leaders and those who wish to lead can increase their understanding of the value of these virtues in the leader-follower relationship. Social implications The Lakota (Sioux) nation represents a noble people who were feared and respected. As Native Americans, the virtues of the Lakota nation greatly influenced the culture of this once great community of people, and the virtues that guided them and that continue to influence them today have practical value for modern society. Originality/value Little has been written in the management literature about the practical application of Native American virtues and values and the opportunity to revisit the implications of the Lakota virtues adds to the leadership literature and provides insights about this people.