Critical issues: Democracy, community, self, literacy, and the value of global conversation

Abstract

In this article, we begin by describing how literacy is placed within a social and, consequently, political context and how the present predominant conceptualization of literacy necessarily insinuates a democratic context. We outline a philosophical basis for linking education and democracy by briefly defining the construction of self, community, and citizenship before returning to articulate the link between education, literacy, and democracy. The international community is engaged in this conversation, and in the context of globalization, it is suggested that such a conversation may be critical to community survival. Essential to meaningful discussion of critical literacy is reference to a means for practical responses to the literature itself. A model practical application of the theoretical construct presented here is briefly described.