Dear Democratic Citizenship in Education Colleagues! 

We are excited for another year of conversation and supporting each others’ work in a crucial endeavor. These are challenging times for democratic citizenship education. When I began this work as a graduate student in the times of No Child Left Behind, the struggle was a lack of interest in and support for civic education. 

We’ve made significant progress in restoring and rebuilding the field over the past few decades. And yet the challenges we meet feel more significant today as educators grapple with a political context where they are targeted for acknowledging structural racism and embracing principles of equity and social justice. Students are learning about the principles of democracy in contexts where laws and policies may be actively working to deny their rights and humanity.

As discussed in the 2024 Business Meeting, “Teaching Critically in Times of War: The Promises and Challenges in Citizenship Education” many youth around the world are learning the lessons of citizenship in contexts of active conflict and war. I’d like to extend my sincere thanks to Thea Renda Abu El-Haj, Aviv Cohen, Michelle Bellino, and Maria Hantzopoulos for sharing your wisdom and showing up for a difficult and important conversation, and to outgoing Chair Tianlong (Tian) Yu for organizing. 

In line with the AERA 2025 Theme, Research, Remedy & Repair: Toward Just Education and Renewal, we invite SIG members to submit proposals that tackle these challenges we are facing for democratic education and point to possibilities for education in and out of school that support healing and democratic renewal. 

Leadership Updates

Thank you outgoing Chair Tian Yu! Under Tian’s leadership, we established the Best Paper Award and Graduate Student & Early Career Scholar travel awards. 

Our team this year includes:

• Ellen Middaugh, Interim Associate Dean, Lurie College of Education, San José State University, incoming as SIG Chair. 
• Erica Hodgin, Director of Civic Education, Facing History and Ourselves will continue as our Program Chair this year.  
• Welcome Hilary Parkhouse, Associate Professor, Department of Teaching and Learning, Virginia Commonwealth University as SIG Secretary and Treasurer. 

Upcoming Priorities

We look forward to working with the Democratic Citizenship in Education community this coming year. We plan to continue with the initiatives of expanding opportunities for recognition and support for early career scholars. We hope to expand professional development and mentoring opportunities for our SIG members as well as to investigate additional awards for outstanding work. 

Please don't hesitate to reach out with ideas for the SIG at ellen.middaugh@sjsu.edu.