Renewing Democracy in Young America

With a government plagued by systemic ills and deep ideological divides, democracy, as we know it, is in jeopardy. Yet, ironically, voter apathy remains prevalent and evidence suggests standard civic education has done little to instill a sense of civic duty in the American public. While some are waiting for change to come from within, trying to influence already polarized voters, or counting down the days until the "next election," leading child and adolescent development experts Daniel Hart and James Youniss are looking to another solution: America's youth.In Renewing Democracy in Young America, Hart and Youniss examine the widening generation gap, the concentration of wealth in pockets of the US, and the polarized political climate, and they arrive at a compelling solution to some of the most hotly contested issues of our time. The future of democracy depends on the American people seeing citizenship as a long-term psychological identity, and thus it is critical that youth have the opportunity to act as citizens during the time of their identity formation. Proposing that 16- and 17-year-olds be able to vote in municipal elections and suggesting that schools create science-based, community-oriented environmental engagement programs, the authors expound that by engaging youth through direct citizen-participatory experiences, we can successfully create active and committed citizens. Political scientists, media commentators, and citizens alike agree that democratic processes are broken across the nation, but we cannot stop at simply showing that our political system is dysfunctional. Refreshingly lucid and unabashedly hopeful, Renewing Democracy in Young America is an impeccably timed call to action.

Health, Fitness & Dieting

Hart, Daniel

Youniss, James

Psychology & Counseling

Oxford University Press

With a government plagued by systemic ills and deep ideological divides, democracy, as we know it, is in jeopardy. Yet, ironically, voter apathy remains prevalent and evidence suggests standard civic education has done little to instill a sense of civic duty in the American public. While some are waiting for change to come from within, trying to influence already polarized voters, or counting down the days until the "next election," leading child and adolescent development experts Daniel Hart and James Youniss are looking to another solution: America's youth. In Renewing Democracy in Young America, Hart and Youniss examine the widening generation gap, the concentration of wealth in pockets of the US, and the polarized political climate, and they arrive at a compelling solution to some of the most hotly contested issues of our time. The future of democracy depends on the American people seeing citizenship as a long-term psychological identity, and thus it is critical that youth have the opportunity to act as citizens during the time of their identity formation. Proposing that 16- and 17-year-olds be able to vote in municipal elections and suggesting that schools create science-based, community-oriented environmental engagement programs, the authors expound that by engaging youth through direct citizen-participatory experiences, we can successfully create active and committed citizens. Political scientists, media commentators, and citizens alike agree that democratic processes are broken across the nation, but we cannot stop at simply showing that our political system is dysfunctional. Refreshingly lucid and unabashedly hopeful, Renewing Democracy in Young America is an impeccably timed call to action.

Community Service and Social Responsibility in Youth

James Youniss and Miranda Yates present a sophisticated analysis of community service's beneficial effects on adolescents' political and moral identity. Using a case study from a predominantly Black, urban high school in Washington, D.C., Youniss and Yates build on the insights of Erik Erikson on the social and historical nature of identity development. They show that service at a soup kitchen as part of a course on social justice gives youth the opportunity to reflect on their status in society, on how society is organized, on how government should use its power, and on moral principles related to homelessness and poverty. Developing a sense of social responsibility and a civic commitment, youth come to see themselves as active agents in society. The most authoritative work to date on the subject, this book challenges negative stereotypes of contemporary adolescents and illustrates how youth, when given the opportunity, can use their talents for social good. It will interest readers concerned with the development of today's youth and tomorrow's society.

Business & Money

Yates, Miranda

Job Hunting & Careers

University of Chicago Press

James Youniss and Miranda Yates present a sophisticated analysis of community service's beneficial effects on adolescents' political and moral identity. Using a case study from a predominantly Black, urban high school in Washington, D.C., Youniss and Yates build on the insights of Erik Erikson on the social and historical nature of identity development. They show that service at a soup kitchen as part of a course on social justice gives youth the opportunity to reflect on their status in society, on how society is organized, on how government should use its power, and on moral principles related to homelessness and poverty. Developing a sense of social responsibility and a civic commitment, youth come to see themselves as active agents in society. The most authoritative work to date on the subject, this book challenges negative stereotypes of contemporary adolescents and illustrates how youth, when given the opportunity, can use their talents for social good. It will interest readers concerned with the development of today's youth and tomorrow's society.

Most studies of social development in children have relied on the assumption that adults' instructions to children pass on knowledge of the rules of behavior which govern and preserve society. In this volume, James Youniss argues that the child's relations with his or her friends and peers make a distinctive and critically important contribution to social development. While the child's relations with parents and other adults provide a sense of order and authority, peer relations are a source of sensitivity, self-understanding, and interpersonal cooperation. Following a discussion of the views of Harry Stack Sullivan and Jean Piaget, whose theories are synthesized in Youniss's perspective, Youniss presents a wealth of empirical data from studies in which children describe their own views of their two social worlds.

Parents and Peers in Social Development: A Sullivan-Piaget Perspective

Parenting & Relationships

After interviews with teenagers, Youniss and Smollar find that, though adolescents seek independence from the parent-child bond, they do not abandon the relationship. "A must for anyone interested in adolescent behavior."â€”Edward Z. Dager, Contemporary Sociology

Adolescent relations with mothers, fathers, and friends

Politics & Social Sciences

Social Sciences

After interviews with teenagers, Youniss and Smollar find that, though adolescents seek independence from the parent-child bond, they do not abandon the relationship. "A must for anyone interested in adolescent behavior."—Edward Z. Dager, Contemporary Sociology

Adolescent Relations with Mothers, Fathers and Friends

Smollar, Jacqueline

In this in-depth, watershed volume, James Youniss and John J. Convey call for an immediate reexamination of Catholic schools, one focused closely on the problems endemic to the schools themselves instead of how they have impacted political issues, such as vouchers and school choice. In their timely contribution to this effort, the editors have compiled essays that explore how Catholic schools can retain their historical character while adapting to the demographic, personnel, and financial pressures confronting them at the turn of the millennium. Written by eminent researchers and scholars in the field of Catholic education, these essays provide insightful analysis and a wealth of new data to illuminate the challenges and strategies that help Catholic schools achieve their goals. This seminal volume uncovers the complex evolution of Catholic schools and looks toward their future. It will interest educators and anyone concerned with the development and well-being of parochial schools.

Catholic Schools at the Crossroads : Survival and Transformation

Religion & Spirituality

Convey, John J.

Christian Books & Bibles

Teachers College Pr

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Youniss, James. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Youniss, James

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Youniss, James. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Renewing Democracy in Young America

Renewing Democracy in Young America

Community Service and Social Responsibility in Youth

Community Service and Social Responsibility in Youth

Parents and Peers in Social Development: A Sullivan-Piaget Perspective

Adolescent relations with mothers, fathers, and friends

Adolescent Relations with Mothers, Fathers and Friends

Catholic Schools at the Crossroads : Survival and Transformation