During a time when political and social tensions are high, it is more important than ever to examine the fundamentals of democracy—the choices and institutions that help it function. This collection of lessons and audio interviews explores what democracy means, including its relationship to human rights, civic participation, and the role of a free press.
Students are invited to consider a variety of definitions of democracy, and to reflect on how these might change over time as people’s experiences and perspectives change. The lesson begins with a famous Abraham Lincoln quote: “Democracy is not merely a government of the people, by the people; it is also a government of all the people.”
After listening to their peers’ definitions, students are invited to form groups and select an image that best matches their current view of what a democracy is. Each group then remains by that image to form a larger conversation with the rest of the class about their ideas. After a few minutes, each group can report back to the whole class about their working definition. Then the class can work together to decide if any definitions should be combined or discarded.
It’s important for citizens to know what is being decided in their name, and to make their opinions known — either by writing letters to their representatives or to the media, or by participating in public protests. This is the essence of citizen power and civic participation, which is necessary to make democracy work.
But if a democracy is to be meaningful, its citizens must also respect certain basic principles and rules of behavior. For example, no one should use violence against other citizens or call their beliefs and viewpoints illegitimate. Democracy can be strengthened by promoting tolerance of different points of view and respecting the rights of all individuals to hold whatever views they choose.
Among the most crucial challenges for democracy today are those related to economic modernization and maintaining traditional values and beliefs. Many societies are undergoing the challenge of reconciling these forces, and democracy can only be strengthened by recognizing the need for both. Those who believe that progress can only be made by making a clean sweep of the old traditions and values are just as dangerous to democracy as those who see modernization as the enemy of traditional culture.
The lessons in this collection, which are supplemented with audio interviews and optional extensions, offer a wealth of information and opportunities for reflection. Students will be challenged to make sense of a wide range of news stories about the rise in political and social tensions and incidents of hatred and bigotry around the world, and to reflect on the importance of democracy and the choices and institutions that make it work.