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Title:: Re-examining Japan’s Civic Hall Education: Its Genealogy, Deviationsin Goal and Function, and Implications for Civic Education in China

Keywords:: civic hall; social education; civic education; state power; educative power

Abstract:: The civic halls(Kominkan)in Japan have been the important facilities for conducting social education(especially the civic education in postwar Japan)and can be found in almost every city, township and villages. From the perspective of historical genealogy, the civic hall is responsible for the implementation of social education: among others, providing community services, promoting lifelong learning, and playing an important role in cultivating citizen consciousness, training civic spirit and promoting civic engagement. However, due to a wrong view on history and the interference of right-wing forces, the value orientations held by the state power and the educative power are both distorted, causing a functional dislocation of civic halls. Drawing lessons and experiences from the Japanese civic halls, civic education in China should further expand its space, improve its contents, and innovate its methods.