Civics
I stepped out of the required readings for Week 5 blog on
the subject of digital citizenship and added a related subject. Throughout the
journal article Changing Citizenship in the Digital Age by W. Lance Bennett in
2008 the words civic, civic engagement, and democracy resonate for me because I
lived through the 1960s as a young adolescent and that time frame was the
demise of “civics” as I knew it. I realize the following except from a
presentation may seem lengthy and dated but very appropriate to this topic.“Sometimes referred to as "pressure cooker" civic education, these early initiatives tended to be catechistic and dull, but they carried on for more than half-a-century sustained by the patriotic euphoria of two world wars and the "circle the wagons" mentality of the early years of the Cold War. The 60s, of course, meant a "goodbye to all that." Vietnam and then Watergate brought disenchantment, rebellion, experimentation, a loss of faith in traditional institutions and traditional leaders, the break-up of consensus, weakening of the core culture, the advent of heterogeneity, multiculturalism, etc. One of the great ironies of America’s civic culture in this century, is the fact that it has been so victimized by its success.” (civiced.org, Quiqley, 1999)
Cultural Change
“The future of democracy is in the hands of these young
citizens of the so-called digital age. Many young citizens in more economically
prosperous societies already have in their hands the tools of change: digital
media, from laptops, pagers, and cell phones to the convergences of the next
new things. These new media reposition their users in society, making them both
producers and consumers of information.” (Bennett, pg.9) This great example of
participatory culture the power of the people is in their hands to create
changes sometimes for a better world. Citizenry is important to a nation’s
survival.
References:
Bennett, W. Lance. “Changing Citizenship in the Digital
Age." Civic Life Online: Learning How Digital Media Can Engage
Youth.Edited by W. Lance Bennett. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur
Foundation Series on Digital Media and Learning. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press,
2008. 1–24. doi: 10.1162/dmal.9780262524827.001
http://www.civiced.org/papers/papers_quigley99.html
Francis, you strike a unique topic here. It is interesting to read about what civics meant to Quigley and what it meant to you growing up during the 1960s. I certainly see a parallel between some of changes during that time period and some of the political movements that are taking place today. I was wondering if you shared that feeling as well. I have heard different viewpoints of people that range from believing America has entered another Civil Rights Movement Era to believing that the original era has never ended and we live during its present form. I am sure that stems from the similarities between then and now. I also agree that the Internet and digital technologies can fuel actions in both positive and negative ways. It all depends on how we use these technology. Good work.
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