미국의 민주시민교육 = Civic Education in the United States

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Civic education in the United States has cultural tradition to realize the ideals of democracy. Various institutions such as schools, the media, civic education organizations, and government organizations provide their own civic education programs. There exists no nationwide single institution for civic education. It is not an easy task to make a consensus for civic education programs in American civic education. But American society has tried to maintain national identity through civic education with conflicting ideas. Civic education curriculum is usually composed of three essential components: civic knowledge, civic skills, and civic dispositions. Every board of school district or school organizes its own social studies curriculum to educate democratic citizenship. Professional associations and nongovernmental civic education organizations develop civic education programs and make significant contributions to civic education in schools and adult education. Americans still believe that schools have a civic mission and that education for good citizenship should be the school`s priority. But there are some controversial issues between conservatives and reformists concerning the purpose of civic education in the pluralistic characteristic of American society. We can identify some conflicts as multiculturalism vs. melting pot, civic virtue vs. critical thought. teacher`s role for specialization vs. political correctness. Despite of above mentioned controversial issues. civic education has a language of possibility functioning the public sphere of democracy and the site of cultural politics.