Review of The Shaping of the American Mind: The Diverging Influences of the College Degree and Civic Learning on American Beliefs

Education and Literacy

Review of The Shaping of the American Mind: The Diverging Influences of the College Degree and Civic Learning on American Beliefs

Marchant's review of the report finds that it ignores contradictory findings, omits key information, wrongly argues causation and confuses civic knowledge with conservative political values. Marchant warns that the report "may, in fact, be destructive of the very ideals of education the authors ascribe to the Founding Fathers -- particularly informed democratic participation."

August 1970

Geographic Focus: North America / United States