Author:

Keywords:

toleration, civics education, liberal democracy, political liberalism

Abstract:

This article aims to determine which education enables the perpetuation of a reasonable diversity of ways of life and a form of liberal democracy that accommodates this diversity. Liberals disagree about the appropriate scope of civic education. They advocate toleration, but do not analyse its educational implications. Based on an analysis of toleration—arguably the primary means to maintaining a liberal democracy—I argue that schools should teach minimal cultural and religious understanding and critical thinking to enable citizens to participate in the democratic process of defining the limits of toleration in society. To make this argument, I contend, in contrast to several scholars, that toleration is practised primarily between the democratic state and its citizens rather than between citizens.