Teaching Truth and Honesty in a Populist Era
Professor Sarah Stitzlein, Professor of Education and Philosophy
University of Cincinnati

Zoom Link here.

In a world swirling with competing political groups stating conflicting facts, democracies are struggling. Citizens are left unsure whom to trust and which facts are true, hampering our ability to solve pressing social and political problems. To better enable young citizens to successfully engage in civic inquiry, the role of honesty must be foregrounded. In this talk introducing her newest book, Professor Stitzlein defines what honesty is, how it is connected to truth, and why both are important to democracies today. Finally, she will offer guidance on how honesty and truth should be taught in schools by describing the cultivation of pragmatist habits of truth-seeking and truth-telling. Such honesty will better enable citizens to navigate our difficult political moment and increase the likelihood that citizens can craft long-term solutions for democratic life together.

Sarah Stitzlein is Professor of Education and Philosophy at the University of Cincinnati. She is President of the Ohio Valley Philosophy of Education Society and served previously as President of the John Dewey Society. She edits the journal, Democracy & Education. She is the author of several books that take up matters of political philosophy and citizenship education, including Learning How to Hope: Reviving Democracy through Schools and Civil Society (Oxford University Press, 2020). This presentation features her newest book, Teaching Honesty in a Populist Era: Emphasizing Truth in the Education of Citizens (Oxford University Press, 2024).