Fostering Civic Knowledge in Introductory Business Law and Legal Environment Courses: A Closer Look at Freedom of Speech
Forthcoming, Journal of Legal Studies Education, Volume 35, Issue 2.
27 Pages Posted: 16 Nov 2017 Last revised: 4 Jan 2018
Date Written: October 20, 2017
Abstract
Legal studies courses should prepare students not just for their professional roles but also their roles as citizens. This article documents recent widespread calls for universities to do a better job of preparing students to be informed, active citizens and reviews best practices for civic education. Drawing on recent landmark Supreme Court cases on free speech, the article describes an exercise aimed at helping students understand and reflect on the high level of legal protection speech enjoys.
Keywords: civic education, civic literacy, civic knowledge, free speech, First Amendment, millennial attitudes, business education, business law, legal studies, constitutional law, civility, hate speech, critical thinking, pedagogy
JEL Classification: K10, K20, K40, K42, K19, K29, H10
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation