ABSTRACT
This chapter examines three contrasting contemporary approaches to character formation policy in different contexts. In each case the issues, ideas, underlying ideology and language is different. First, positive education theory and practice in the USA; second, the emergence of a government-inspired character education policy in the UK; and third, an exploration of State character formation policies outside of the Western tradition. The chapter reviews some of the issues associated with character formation and discusses whether character formation constitutes indoctrination; how it relates to religion and liberal education, and what advocates of character education generally mean by the term within school programmes. Character education policy is usually a reflection of the prevalent values of a particular political context or jurisdiction. Historically, the rhetoric of character has been employed to advance ill- conceived policy goals and practices of character formation. The idea of character could be turned to any number of conflicting purposes.
