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Constituting the American Higher-Education Elite: Rush and Jefferson on Collegiate Civic Engagement

Author

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  • Luke Foster

    (School of Government, Hillsdale College, Washington, DC 20002, USA)

Abstract

The foundation of new centers for civic education has sparked a new round of debate over the political independence of the public university. Do legal mandates by state legislatures undermine academic freedom? The underlying debate concerns alternative visions of elite formation, as comparing Benjamin Rush and Thomas Jefferson’s arguments during the Founding period makes apparent. Both believed that the American constitutional order depended on educated citizens of a certain character, requiring coercive authority in education to instill moral and political commitments. But whereas Jefferson made an exception for educational coercion, Rush viewed education as an aristocratic element that could complement democracy. Rush’s prioritizing of duties over rights offers a more helpful framework for the task of reforming elite education today to restore trust between leaders and people.

Suggested Citation

  • Luke Foster, 2024. "Constituting the American Higher-Education Elite: Rush and Jefferson on Collegiate Civic Engagement," Laws, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-13, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlawss:v:13:y:2024:i:3:p:38-:d:1417095
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Paul O. Carrese, 2024. "Civic Thought and Leadership: A Higher Civics to Sustain American Constitutional Democracy," Laws, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-16, March.
    2. Kody W. Cooper, 2024. "A Renaissance of Civic Education and Civic Engagement in Higher Education in the Spirit of the American Founders and Constitutionalism," Laws, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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