Abstract:

This paper analyzes and discusses Dewey's curriculum reform to specifically reveal the substantive content and empirical basis underlying the iconic concept of "social control" in American social theory. In his dialogues with progressive educators, Dewey explicitly opposed the notion of "individual freedom without social control" and advocated instead for "individual freedom within social control". This viewpoint was concretely manifested through the curriculum reform of the Laboratory School. In the field of education, social control refers to teachers guiding students to immerse themselves in the "situations" presented by the curriculum through the implementation of curriculum plans and the use of teaching materials, so that students can perceive the guidance and control of social forces in terms of their behaviors, ideas and emotions. Applying an analytical framework that examines the interaction between "action" and "environment" further illuminates the theoretical implications of social control. On the one hand, Dewey engaged with Rousseau's theory of natural education, arguing that individual actions are inevitably controlled by the social environment, and the traditions of civilization hold indelible educational significance. On the other hand, he opposed Durkheimian social education, maintaining that social control that truly fulfills its educational function cannot be separated from individuals' internal responses, and arguing that activating individuals' behavioral states through the "stimulus-response" mechanism constitutes a more important educational end. Overall, Dewey sought to use the concept of social control to describe a state of life where individuals wholeheartedly "act" in an "environment" with inherent meaning, and on this basis, to reconceptualize the relationship between individual freedom and civilizations. Dewey's concept of social control shaped the problem awareness of early American social theory and is intrinsically consistent with the connotation of "the pedagogical power"(教化权力) as expounded by Hsiao-Tung Fei. Clarifying this connection will help us reflect on the complex relationship between individual freedom and civilized traditions, and inspires actions based on sound judgment.

Key words: social control, Dewey, individual freedom, education