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Nexus: Connections Between Economics and Civics
Nexus, a project of the National Council on Economic Education, is
an effort to specify
the major points of contact between civics and economics. Indeed, economics
and civics touch
in many places. This is nowhere clearer than in the liberalizing nations
of the former Soviet
Union and its satellites. For example, it has become evident that implementation
of a market
economy depends crucially on the firm establishment of key elements of government,
such as
the rule of law and well defined property rights. At this writing, the United
States and other
members of the coalition are attempting to assist the people of Iraq in reconstructing
both
their political and economic systems. The difficulty of such a task is manifest
as is the desperate
need for safeguards for human rights, democratic institutions, and the foundations
for a
market economy.
The experiences of many nations show the interrelationships of
liberal democracy and a
market system. Thus, the perspectives of economics and civics complement
each other, each
adding depth to the treatment of particular themes and topics. To take
one example, both
civics and economics have a great deal to say about human rights and
freedom. In this instance,
the concepts of one discipline enrich the corresponding concepts of the
other.
Sometimes, an idea typically associated with one discipline presents
useful applications
within the other. In some cases, the same terminology refers to quite
different ideas. Consider
“failures”—civic educators speak of political failures; economic educators
of market failures.
In sum, there are many points of connection—nexus points—the specification
of which produces
a vision that is greater than the sum of its parts.
The Nexus Project is conceived
of as an ongoing effort to create materials useful for educators
in many nations, including the United States, to understand better the
points of connection
between civics and economics. Each “nexus point” references the United
States national
standards in both economics and civics, drawn from the National Council
on Economic
Education’s Voluntary National Content Standards
in Economics and the
Center for Civic Education’s National Standards for Civics
and Government, respectively.
Each nexus point
begins with the nexus statement as listed later, followed by:
- Rationale
Statement: A brief overview of the nexus point and why it is significant.
- Benchmarks:
Statements of what students will be able to do after studying the
ideas in a
particular nexus point.
- The relevant United States national standards
in civics economics.
- Content
Summary: The main explanation of the civic and economic ideas related
to this
nexus topic.
- Enduring Issues: Questions related to the economic and civic
ideas that are of continuing
interest and that could be used by educators as springboards for
student discussion or research
projects.
- Public Policy Question: A brief case study, real or hypothetical,
that serves as a vehicle
for further discussion with students of the civic and economic content
of the nexus point.
- Economics lesson links to lessons from the National
Council on Economic Education.
The project is designed to be flexible and grow over time. Others
will identify still more
nexuses, which can be added. Some potential nexus points, such as one
considering “civil society,”
were excluded from the present text because there are currently no economics
lessons
related to the point. Later, if appropriate lessons are found or developed,
it might be added.
Links to lessons in civics can also be added in the future. This enables
the project to grow over
time and become both wider and deeper.
Download: Nexus: Connections
Between Economics and Civics (PDF 413 kb)
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