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Inaugural Lecture Series

Access the videos, lecture texts and abstracts from the Middlesex University Inaugural Lecture Series for professors

Teachers as frontline defenders of democracy

Teachers as frontline defenders of democracy

Inaugural lecture by Professor Lee Jerome

Watch Professor Lee Jerome's lecture on the state of education in our secondary schools video thumbnail
Watch Professor Lee Jerome's lecture on the state of education in our secondary schools

Abstract

This lecture argues that teachers are uniquely placed to help defend democracy and democratic values in the face of contemporary challenges. The lecture starts with an outline of some of the key challenges facing democracy today and then explores how teachers can exercise agency, even within constrained policy environments, to tackle these problems. The lecture then proceeds to consider the evidence that appropriate teaching can strengthen (i) young people’s knowledge and understanding of democracy; (ii) their ability to engage in deliberative dialogue; and (iii) their willingness to act as active citizens. The lecture concludes by illustrating how schools can support these outcomes through classroom practice, whole-school culture, and community engagement.

Download the full lecture text