Creative Democracy: The Task Before Us Today (CFP)

CALL FOR PROPOSALS:

John Dewey Society Panel on Dewey and Philosophy:

2017 Topic: Creative Democracy – The Task Before Us Today

Due: November 15, 2016

The John Dewey Society calls for paper proposals for its panel on Dewey and Philosophy (formerly called the Past Presidents’ Panel), to be held at its annual meeting, in conjunction with the American Educational Research Association meeting in San Antonio, Texas on April 27 – May 1, 2016.

What are the challenges to a vibrant and healthy democratic life? In an essay late in life, Creative Democracy – The Task Before Us[1], Dewey calls upon us to not take democratic life for granted. More than a political institution, Dewey sees democracy as dependent upon family, friendship, the economy, and other parts of the fabric of civil society. Today in many countries, institutions of democracy, in particular public schools, are challenged by growing inequality, mistrust of the other, and poverty. It is a time to return to Dewey’s text to consider how democratic life can be fostered amidst these challenges.

The following topics are based on Dewey’s essay and are meant to prompt ideas about suitable papers, and not be prescriptive or exhaustive.

·      The effects of the global economic downturn starting in 2008 on today’s democratic institutions

·      Climate change, environmental destruction, and democracy

·      Creativity and democratic education

·      The meaning of democracy as a personal or individual way of life today

·      Democracy and leadership in education

·      Democracy and education for peace

·      Democracy and the two party system in the Age of Clinton v. Trump

How to Submit

Submit all proposals (prepared per instructions below) for individual papers via email with an attachment as a Word document. All proposals are due by midnight Pacific time November 15, 2016, via email to AG Rud, John Dewey Society president elect, Distinguished Professor, Washington State University, ag.rud@wsu.edu; Any questions - contact AG Rud directly via email.

Proposals accepted for presentation in this panel of the John Dewey Society will be notified by January 15, 2016. Full papers of up to 5000 words (excluding references done in APA style) will be due no later than April 3, 2017 for the discussant to prepare remarks.

Proposal guidelines

Part 1 (submit in the body of your email message with the subject line JDS Proposal)

(1.) Title of your paper and theme your proposal addresses

(2.) Your name, title, institutional affiliation (if any)

(3.) Your address, phone, email

(4.) An abstract of up to 100 words

Part 2 (in an attached Word document with all identifying information removed for anonymous review)

(1.) Title of your paper

(2.) A descriptive summary of your paper (maximum length 1000 words), explaining your paper and its significance, especially in relation to the selected theme. List several references to place your contribution in the broader scholarly conversation.

About The John Dewey Society (http://www.johndeweysociety.org)

Founded in 1935, the purpose of the Society is to foster intelligent inquiry into problems pertaining to the place and function of education in social change, and to share, discuss, and disseminate the results of such inquiry.

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[1] Dewey, J. (1939/1988). Creative democracy: The task before us. In J. A. Boydston (Ed.), The later works of John Dewey, 1925-1953 (Volume 14: 1939-1941, Essays, pp. 225-231). Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press.