ABSTRACT
This chapter considers liberal arts and sciences education’s ability to foster a commitment to the democratic process. Democratic rule depends on people’s willingness to engage with other citizens and to contribute to society. Citizens must have what one might call a sense of democracy, a public-spirited desire to work for the common good and, most importantly, to adapt their behaviour to the interests of others, accepting decisions that are taken collectively, even if they might not be in their self-interest. This sense of democracy can be nourished by educating students within an academic community in which students and staff members interact socially and take shared responsibility for the governance of that community. Studying and living in such a community, students learn to see the value of being an active citizen, contributing to the common good, and taking the perspectives and interests of others into account.
