[Currently, this blog is
continuing its account of the liberated federalism model of governance and
politics.[1] As a reminder for readers, this blog posts
twice a week – on Tuesdays and Fridays.]
Using William Schubert’s
commonplaces of curriculum development,[2]
this blog has just completed reviewing the commonplace, subject matter, as it
applies to the liberated federalism construct, and will commence with the
commonplace, students. This blog
asks: what is known about the nature of
students in relation to the principles of liberated federalism?
The postings that follow
contain claims and evidence regarding the nature of the construct. They share various conclusions that can be
derived from the elements of the construct’s view and that support the
implementation of its ideas and ideals insofar as the construct relates to students. In turn, that will help establish it,
liberated federalism, as the foundational basis for the teaching of American
government and civics in secondary schools.
Some of the issues to be addressed
directly pertain to the individual interests of students; others will deal with
long term interests that affect youths in general or the conditions of students
within the wider society. The upcoming review
will address the following areas of concern:
student interests, student problems, and student educational
requisites. It will answer the following
questions:
·
What personal student
interests benefit from using the liberated federalist construct in the teaching
of government and civics at the secondary level?
·
What social student
interests benefit from using the liberated federalist construct?
·
What economic student
interests benefit from using the liberated federalist construct?
·
What political student
interests benefit from using the liberated federalist construct?
·
What pedagogic student
interests benefit from using the liberated federalist construct?
What follows in the
following postings is not an extensive inquiry into these issues (each can be
the topic of extensive study), but a general review which sufficiently helps
justify the adoption of the liberated federalist construct to guide civics
content.
Again, the liberated federalist model relies on the
political theoretical school of thought generally known as federalism. It is an approach to governance and politics that
sees, as favorable, the establishment of polities through a process in which the
affected people come together and formulate, under a sacred agreement – a
compact – to establish a set of aims, a listing of values, usually in the form
of rights both for individuals and groups, a structure for governance with
chief processes identified, other points of agreement, provisions for cases in non-compliance,
and the signatures of those agreeing to the compact.
If the agreement calls on God to witness it, that compact
is a covenant. The word federalism is
derived from the Latin word for covenant, that being foedus.[3] Federalist ideas and ideals have been part of
American history all the way back to the nation’s earliest colonial days – for
example, the Mayflower Compact is a covenant.
This blog has in the past described and explained the role that federalism
has played in the development of the United States.[4]
[1] For
readers who wish to review those corresponding postings, they are guided to
this blog’s posting, “From Natural Rights to Liberated Federalism” (June 2,
2023), at the URL, https://gravitascivics.blogspot.com/,
where this series begins.
[2] William H. Schubert, Curriculum: Perspective, Paradigm, and Possibility (New
York, NY: MacMillan Publishing Company,
1986).
[3] Daniel J. Elazar, “Federal Models of (Civil)
Authority,” Journal of Church and State,
233-234.
[4] Two works that give readers a well-rounded overview
of federalism are Daniel J. Elazar, American Federalism: A View from the States (New York,
NY: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1966) AND
Daniel J. Elazar, Exploring Federalism (Tuscaloosa, AL: The University of Alabama Press, 1987).
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