Gene Edgar's Reading List & Book Reports
Gene Edgar's Reading List & Book Reports
James. A. Banks (1997) Educating Citizens in a Multicultural Society
Bender, T. (1978). Community and social change in America.
David Bohm (1996) On Dialogue
for other books by David Bohm
David Edmonds & John Eidinow 2001 Wittgenstein's Poker HarperCollins ISBN 0-06-621244-8
Deep background on Ludwig Wittgenstein and Karl Popper: their philosophy, early childhood and cultural context of their lives, using the 10 minute encounter they had in Cambridge in 1946 as a story line. Interesting information: both were Viennese Jews eventually driven from Austria by the Nazis (Wittgenstein left earlier but his family was pushed around). Both served as secondary school teachers at some points in their careers (and both went to teacher training institutes to be able to be teachers). Both pretty much cold-demanders as teachers. Reviewed January 5, 2002
Robert Fogel (2000) The
Fourth Great Awakening & The Future of
Egalitarianism Review by Gene Edgar Robert Fogel's text, The
Fourth Great Awakening & The Future of Egalitarianism
is chock full of information and controversial ideas
(the poor of today are better off (materially) than 90% of
the population a hundred years ago, taxing the rich and
giving to the poor does not stifle the work ethic of the
rich, and what is most unevenly distributed today are
spiritual, not material attributes). All this from the 1993
Nobel Prize winner in Economics. What first gained my attention to this book were the dust
jacket reviews by William Julius Wilson and Gertude
Himmelfarb. If any book could get these two divergent
thinkers to proclaim it a relevant text, than I needed to
read it! Fogel's major thesis is that the movement to equally
distribute material resources (income) has largely been
successful but the notion that such an equitable
distribution of wealth would lead to spiritual regeneration
and the good life has not panned out. The project to equally
distribute material things was a good and worthwhile project
that needed to be accomplished. But, the focus on material
equity has also led to rampant consumerism, the
preoccupation with the acquisition of things, and higher
rates of single parenting, crime, greed, uncivil behavior,
and alcohol/drug abuse than was prevalent 100 years ago.
What is needed, to help the chronically poor as well as the
rest of us, is a focus on the equal distribution of
spiritual assets such as sense of purpose, self-esteem,
sense of solidarity, ability to engage with diversity, and
an ethic of benevolence. These attributes are not easily
distributed by government, but rather develop in individuals
on the basis of a succession of choices. Thus the next years
will focus on developing equal opportunity for all rather
than focusing on equal conditions for all. All this proposed by an author who declares he is a
"…secular child of the third Great Awakening…" and
has worked all his life at developing programs to create
equal conditions for all! Using "Great Awakening Theory" and "Political
Re-alignment Theory" Fogel proposes that since its inception
the United States has been driven by the ethic of
egalitarianism, and that ethic continues to hold sway. What
is contested is if the egalitarianism should focus on equal
opportunity for all or equal condition for all. This debate
has cycled through three periods in which one idea gained
precedent over the other. These cycles tended to be lead by
religious movements (Awakenings) and then followed by
political realignments to carry out the popular mandate. Under the equal opportunity cycle, individual
responsibility takes precedence over government action.
Problems (sins) are viewed as caused, and best solved, by
individual action. Government should assure equal chance for
all people to work hard and progress. Under the equal
condition cycle problems are viewed as caused by society and
the arrangement of social institutions. Government is needed
to intervene because the individual is overwhelmed by the
largeness of the problems and equality is defined as
condition. These cycles come about because the change in
technology far outstrips the ethical and moral response to
the change. This book is FULL of data. As Walter Parker commented,
"there are zillions of tables that make social studies
teachers happy." Fogel explains his technique as a
combination of qualitative data analysis (newspaper stories,
religious sermons, political texts, congressional debates,
letters and diaries) as used by the intellectual, religious,
political historians that have championed the "Great
Awakening Theory" and quantitative approaches (voting
records, surveys, and social science theory) as used by the
political scientists and historians who have developed the
"Political Re-alignment Theory." For those who take the time
to read the entire text you will learn about the Gini ratio
(a measure of inequality of income distribution), the body
mass index (or BMI which is a measure of nutritional health
and overall well being), and the changes of the amount of
available leisure time over the past 100 years. I was
totally convinced by these data and the arguments proposed
that the Great Awakenings are a useful way to think about
our history. I am less convinced about the proposal of the Fourth
Great Awakening and the distribution of spiritual attributes
in lieu of material resources. I am not sure that we should
now focus on ways to distribute the sense of purpose and
work ethic as opposed to income. I am not convinced that
there are ways to distribute a sense of self worth and
delayed gratification. But then again, I am also a creature
of the Third Great Awakening, the idea that social
arrangements are never neutral, always give advantage
(power) to one group over another), and the idea that
government intervention is needed to assure the equal the
distribution of resources (money). On the other hand I do know that I am more and more
convinced that character education and education for civic
participation should be a major part of the public school
system. I do know I agree with Neil Postman that the "god of
economic utility" has captured the public purpose of
schooling. I do find Ed Wenk's ideas about technology
outstripping our moral and ethical skills as a major issue
facing us in the near future. I do agree with Richard
Rorty's acknowledgement that redistributing wealth did
little to combat racism. I am perplexed about how government
can develop policy that will address greed and miss-use of
power. I am intrigued with Patricia white's notions of
teaching hope, confidence, self-respect, and decency. I think Wilson and Himmelfarb were right -- this book
makes one think and reconsider what actions we can and
should take. Fogel, R. W. (2000). The fourth great awakening & the
future of egalitarianism. Chicago: The University of Chicago
Press . ISBN 0-226-25662-6 $25.00 Postman, N. (1995). The
end of education: Redefining the value of
school. New York, Vintage. Wenk, E. (1999). The double helix: Technology and
democracy in the American future. Stamford, CN: Ablex
Publishing. Rorty, R. (1999). Achieving
our nation. White, P. 1996). Civic
virtues and public schooling: Educating citizens for a
democratic society. New York: Teachers College
Press. for other books by Robert
Fogel
Footnotes
Francis Fukuyama (1999) The Great Disruption: Human Nature and the Reconstitution of Social Order
Francis Fukuyama (1995) Trust: The Social Virtues and the Creation of Prosperity
Francis Fukuyama (1992). The end of history and the last man.
for other books by Franicis Fukuyama
John Goodlad (1997) In Praise of Education
John Goodlad (1994). Educational renewal: Better teachers, better schools
John Goodlad and Timothy McMannon (editors) (1997) The Public Purpose of Education and Schooling
John Goodlad, Roger Soder, and Kenneth Sirotnik (1990) The Moral Dimensions of Teaching
for other books by Kenneth Sirotnik
Robert Greenleaf (1977) Servant Leadership
for other books by Robert Greenleaf
Michel Houellebecq 2000 The Elementary Particles Alfred A. Knopf ISBN 0-375-40770-7
A French best seller in 1998. Deep post modern (with a modernist/positivist bent) French dark-pessimist, yet optimist novel. How's that for confusing? Hard core explicit sex scenes. Almost three novels in one. I was intrigued throughout and then, at the end, could not stop thinking about it. May be an important book.
Kenneth Howe (1997) Understanding Equal Educational Opportunity: Social Justice, Democracy, and Schooling
Rushworth Kidder (1995) How Good People Make Tough Choices
for other books by Rushworth Kidder
Stephen Levine (1997) A Year to Live: How to Live This Year As If It Were Your Last
for other books by Stephen Levine
David Mathews, Forrest D. Mathews (1997) Is There a Public for Public Schools?
for other books by David Mathews
David McCullough 2001 John Adams Simon & Schuster ISBN 0-684-81363-7
Deep delve into the life and times of John Adams. Wonderful use of letters (boy those folk really wrote a lot of letters). Love story of John and Abigail. Deep insight into contemporary others (John Adams and Benjamin Franklin sharing a bed in and inn and discussing the relative merits of having the window open at night). Come to appreciate the hard work needed to set up this country. Great context into daily lives (eating dinner at 4 P. M., Abigail asking for needles so she could sell them for cash reserves, the rigors of travel). Reviewed January 6, 2002
Louis Menand 2001 The Metaphysical Club Farrar, Straus and Giroux ISBN 0-374-19963-9
The development of Pragmatism school of thought (Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., Charles Sanders Peirce (Pers), William James, John Dewey are the main players but there are tons of others). Wonderful contextual background of the times, lots of side stories (e. g. background on George Pullman as part of the story&emdash;Dewey took a train ride impacted by the Pullman strike that influenced his notions of social justice and labor). Great summary chapters on Pragmatisms, Pluralisms, and Freedoms that stand alone but are greatly enhanced by the context that comes before. Reviewed January 5, 2002
Thomas Michaud (1999). "An ethic for the public scholar." in Higher Education Exchange, 16-23.
William Miller 1996 Arguing About Slavery Alfred Knopf ISBN 0-394-569229
Covers the slavery debate in the House of Representatives from 1835 to 1844. John Quincy Adams is the focal point (the former president is a representative during these times). Great detail of the customs of times, the abolitionists, and the workings of our country. Exposes deep examples of the evil of slavery and the derogation of Africans by white society. This book along with John Adams and The Metaphysical Club (see below) form a great trilogy, using many of the same writing conventions, of the time period 1750 tom1914. Reviewed January 5, 2002
Nel Noddings (1984) Caring: A Feminine Approach to Ethics and Moral Education,
for other books by Nel Noddings
Walter Parker (1996) Educating the Democratic Mind
for other books by Walter Parker
James L. Paul, Neal H. Berger, Pamela G. Osnes, Yolanda G. Martinea, and William C. Morse (1997) Ethics and Decision Making in Local Schools: Inclusion, Policy, and Reform
Neil Postman (1996) The End of Education: Redefining the Value of School
for other books by Neil Postman
Richard Rorty (1998) Achieving Our Country: Leftist Thought in Twentieth-Century America
for other books by Richard Rorty
Santideva (1997). A guide to the bodhisattva way of life.
Huston Smith (1991). The illustrated world religions
Huston Smith (1992). Forgotten truth: The common vision of world's religions.
for other books by Huston Smith
Wilma F. Smith and Gary D. Fenstermacher (Editors) (1999) Leadership for Educational Renewal: Developing a Cadre of Leaders (Agenda for Education in a Democracy Series, V. 1)
Roger Soder (1996) Democracy, Education, and the Schools
Michael Walzer (1984) Spheres of Justice: A Defense of Pluralism and Equality
Patricia White (1996) Civic Virtues and Public Schooling: Educating Citizens for a Democratic Society
for other books by Patricia White
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