ABSTRACT
In recent years a third interpretation of Dewey’s (1916) work, seeing it as neo-pragmatism, has evolved. The idea of deliberative democracy as an educational process, where individuals bring different perspectives to an on-going communication, is one way to characterize the third interpretation. This chapter discusses the idea of deliberative democracy as an educational process, by showing, the limits of progressivism and reconstructionism and the possibilities and importance of the neo-pragmatic perspective. It discusses the need to develop deliberative capabilities in schools. Progressivism is a multi-faceted movement aimed at changing school practice. The main proponents of reconstructionism emphasized the societal role of schools. Reconstructionism was at its height in the late 1930s. Habermas’ theory of communicative action, further developed into a model for deliberative democracy and a discourse theory of law and democracy, is perhaps also the most developed and well-known theory of deliberative democracy.
