This topic area deals primarily with voter information and voter education, although the user will find some references to the related concept of civic education. In many instances, voter education forms a component of a civic education curriculum. And, the existance of an on-going civic education program can certainly lay the groundwork for - and enhance the impact of - voter education initiatives.
Civic education, however, can be broadly defined in ways that clearly take it outside the realm electoral politics and the election administrator. It is possible that a person responsible for voter education may also be involved in a broader civic education enterprise. Indeed, there is something to suggest that voter education--the preferred title of this topic area--is really an amalgam of voter information and certain aspects of a civic education programme, that is, those dealing with elections.
This topic area is concerned with informal adult education, although it does make some comments about formal education in schools, especially in discussing Institutionalising Civic Education. This section of the topic area considers Alternative Approaches and Terminology, some of the Standard Civic Education Messages that civic educators consider important, and then the Relationship Between General and Civic Education. It also suggests that civic education in a democracy is best learned and taught in the heat of the struggle to establish and sustain that democracy (see Social Processes).
Continuing Uncertainty
There are two temptations in this enterprise. One is to consider everything to be civic education, and for it to be established as the integrating principle and sine qua non of all educational endeavours. The other is to restrict it to a small corner isolated from the rest of life's learning processes. Both are being tried in practice, if not considered in theory. Neither are particularly helpful. The balance that is required for citizens to both feel empowered and actually be empowered to participate in founding, building, and sustaining democracies appropriate to their own context is the next challenge for democracy activists and educators.
