Dewey’s Thought on Education and Social Change

Dewey published his article “Education and Social Change” in 1937. His preoccupation with this issue is a constant theme in his works, which are infused with ideas about the role that education and, most specifically, our school system have in the transformation of society. His thought has had a tremendous influence on the work of later educational philosophers. He believed in a more democratic, just, free, and peaceful world, where civil liberties and human rights are respected. Education’s main goal should be to create individuals who grasp the complexity and broader implications of social issues and who also feel empowered to engage with such issues and prepared to work toward developing real solutions: that is, individuals who fight for a society free of racism, intolerance, discrimination, and xenophobia. My intent is to provide a brief introduction and analysis of his views on these issues, point out specific points of contact with the theories of other educational philosophers, while also highlighting the continued relevance of his thought in contemporary society