Reclaiming John Dewey

Abstract

This article argues that it would be not only possible, but also prudent, for the field of public management to reclaim the philosophy of John Dewey as a guiding ethos for its practice. In Dewey’s view, the democratic community is responsible for ensuring that each person’s capacity for participation and self-government is fully developed. In such a community, citizens would engage in inquiry to choose appropriate action in particular situations. The public manager would participate in this process by contributing his or her expert knowledge but would not make policy decisions. Today’s decentralized and reinvented government presents an opportunity for the practice to reconnect to citizens in processes such as those advocated by Dewey.