This book presents a comprehensive and critical assessment of contemporary character education theory and practice from a variety of perspectives: historical, cultural, philosophical, psychological, empirical, political, and ethical. The essays in this book are divided into five sections intended to help develop a well-grounded understanding of the complex nature of character education in the United States. Section 1, "The Philosophical/Educational/Research Context," offers chapters: (1) "Character Education and Community" (Nel Noddings); (2) "Character Education from Four Perspectives on Curriculum" (William H. Schubert); and (3) "Research and Practice in Character Education: A Historical Perspective" (James S. Leming). Section 2, "Traditionalist Character and Character Education," include: (4) "Educating for Character: A Comprehensive Approach" (Thomas Lickona); (5) "For-Character Education" (Edward A. Wynne); and (6) "Schools, Character Development, and Citizenship" (Jacques A. Benninga). Section 3, "Expansive Views of Character and Character Education," (7) "Connections between Character Education and Multicultural Education" (Geneva Gay); (8) "Chemistry or Character?" (Hugh Sockett); (9) "What Inner-City Children Say about Character" (Beverly Cross); and (10) "School as a Caring Community: A Key to Character Education" (Eric Schaps, Victor Battistich, Daniel Solomon). Section 4, "Critics of Character Education," contains: (11) "The Politics of Character Education" (David Purpel); (12) "The Trouble with Character Education" (Alfie Kohn); and (13)"Commercial Culture and the Assault on Children's Character" (Alex Molnar). Section 5, "Character Education: Searching for a Definition," concludes with the essay "What is Character Education?" (Alan L. Lockwood). (EH)