Civility in Politics and Education

The clash of ideas often yields insults and increased divisiveness, but civility is more than mere polite behavior: it aids rational discourse in politics and education. This volume examines the contribution of civility to education, citizenship, and public discourse from Eastern and Western as well as classic and modern perspectives. This book examines the concept of civility and the conditions of civil disagreement in politics and education. Although many assume that civility is merely polite behavior, it functions to aid rational discourse. Building on this basic assumption, the book offers multiple accounts of civility and its contribution to citizenship, deliberative democracy, and education from Eastern and Western as well as classic and modern perspectives. Given that civility is essential to all aspects of public life, it is important to address how civility may be taught. While much of the book is theoretical, contributors also apply theory to practice, offering concrete methods for teaching civility at the high school and collegiate levels.