Angela M. Banks

“Living up to its title, this text facilitates compelling consideration of civic education theory and what expanded conceptualization of citizenship means for practice.”

“Banks offers educators insight into developing knowledge, critical thinking skills, values, and activities that will contribute to the feelings of belongingness and participation of vulnerable individuals, especially those excluded by the term “citizenship.” In conclusion, Banks effectively highlights the diverse struggles of historically marginalized groups in the United States in a way that threads these seemingly separate struggles. This important contribution expands traditional and exclusionary approaches to teaching civic education.”

“In this powerful and groundbreaking book, Angela Banks draws on a wide range of legal, social science, and educational evidence to address the inadequate treatment of citizenship in civic education. She provides brilliant interdisciplinary analysis as well as concrete teaching examples to push civic education to consider citizenship as a site of exclusion, not assumed inclusion.”

“This long-overdue book addresses key gaps in civic education, including the need for civics to question the boundaries of citizenship. With lucid prose, Banks has written an exceptional interdisciplinary book that provides key concepts and tools for realizing a more democratic society. An essential and compelling read.”

“Angela Banks provides a persuasive, logical, and compassionate argument for expanding our notions and practice of citizenship education. Millions of young people are growing up under the shadow of liminal and mixed family documentation status―de facto, if not de jure, citizens. This extraordinarily important book provides a framework with which to expand citizenship inquiry rigorously and pragmatically within both our democratically aspirational societies and classrooms.”

“In Civic Education in the Age of Mass Migration, Angela Banks critically considers the necessary civic education for fully integrating immigrants of different racial and other backgrounds into U.S. society. Besides identifying a neglected topic of study, the book powerfully demonstrates how the exclusionary aspects of immigration laws historically have shaped―and continue to shape―the integration of immigrants into the mainstream and, most importantly, offers concrete ways of facilitating a sense of belonging.”

“Banks focuses not only on the fundamental question of what is it that we want our children to learn about ‘citizenship’ in its broadest sense of meaningful belonging in political communities, but also on the necessity of understanding how immigration and citizenship laws operate to restrict citizenship. While others have urged a more expansive view of citizenship, Banks has offered up an astonishingly creative array of tools and activities to bring that vision into our classrooms. Hers is a powerful and timely project.”