Teaching Students What It Means to Be an American. American Identity Project
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| Title: | Teaching Students What It Means to Be an American. American Identity Project |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) |
| Source: | Progressive Policy Institute. 2026. |
| Availability: | Progressive Policy Institute. 600 Pennsylvania Avenue SE Suite 400, Washington, DC 20003. Tel: 202-547-0001; Fax: 202-544-5014; Web site: https://www.progressivepolicy.org/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 21 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Reports - Descriptive |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education Elementary Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Citizenship Education, Civics, Democracy, Democratic Values, Social Integration, Elementary Secondary Education, Higher Education, History Instruction, United States History |
| Abstract: | Today, America is facing four profound and interrelated challenges: (1) Social cohesion is eroding on both sides of the political spectrum; (2) Historically, civic creed has provided the glue that unifies Americans of diverse backgrounds, yet today, young Americans report much less faith in America and in democracy than older Americans; (3) America's founders believed education was the safeguard of democracy. Yet schools have fallen short, as many Americans have demonstrated a troubling tolerance for political leaders who defy long-standing liberal democratic norms; and (4) Paradoxically, figures who show autocratic tendencies are sometimes seen by Americans as particularly patriotic, underlining the need for those who stand firmly for democracy to embrace a proud American identity. As America grapples with these difficulties, schools and universities offer a crucial opportunity for a better path forward. To counter rising illiberalism, foundations and researchers have pushed for sensible reforms such as enhanced civics instruction and accountability. The more profound challenge, however, lies in shaping a shared American identity. To address these challenges, the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) has launched the American Identity Project, directed by Richard D. Kahlenberg and guided by an advisory group of prominent Americans, that asks: "As our nation celebrates its 250th birthday, what does it mean to be an American today?" In a highly polarized country, what precisely are the best ideas and aspirational values that bind together what author Heather McGee calls a nation of "ancestral strangers"? In addition, once those American values are identified, what are the best ways to instill them in school children? What exactly should the public schools and colleges be doing to teach a common American identity that inculcates a deep and healthy sense of what Alexis de Tocqueville called "reflective patriotism" that encourages debate about how to live up to the country's lofty ideals rather than blind loyalty to the nation? |
| Abstractor: | ERIC |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | ED680450 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Today, America is facing four profound and interrelated challenges: (1) Social cohesion is eroding on both sides of the political spectrum; (2) Historically, civic creed has provided the glue that unifies Americans of diverse backgrounds, yet today, young Americans report much less faith in America and in democracy than older Americans; (3) America's founders believed education was the safeguard of democracy. Yet schools have fallen short, as many Americans have demonstrated a troubling tolerance for political leaders who defy long-standing liberal democratic norms; and (4) Paradoxically, figures who show autocratic tendencies are sometimes seen by Americans as particularly patriotic, underlining the need for those who stand firmly for democracy to embrace a proud American identity. As America grapples with these difficulties, schools and universities offer a crucial opportunity for a better path forward. To counter rising illiberalism, foundations and researchers have pushed for sensible reforms such as enhanced civics instruction and accountability. The more profound challenge, however, lies in shaping a shared American identity. To address these challenges, the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) has launched the American Identity Project, directed by Richard D. Kahlenberg and guided by an advisory group of prominent Americans, that asks: "As our nation celebrates its 250th birthday, what does it mean to be an American today?" In a highly polarized country, what precisely are the best ideas and aspirational values that bind together what author Heather McGee calls a nation of "ancestral strangers"? In addition, once those American values are identified, what are the best ways to instill them in school children? What exactly should the public schools and colleges be doing to teach a common American identity that inculcates a deep and healthy sense of what Alexis de Tocqueville called "reflective patriotism" that encourages debate about how to live up to the country's lofty ideals rather than blind loyalty to the nation? |
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