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This participatory readiness allows diversity of citizens to gain this power as they have the education to be active citizens in society and challenge existing powers.

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“Participatory readiness” refers to the preparation individuals need in order to participate in “civic agency.” Allen says, “If we are to embrace an education for participatory readiness, we need to aim our [...] work at [...]: the idea of civic agency as the activity of co-creating a way of life” (Allen 12). This means the idea of civic agency is important in creating participatory readiness, which is the preparation of civic and political involvement.

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“Civic agency” refers to an individual’s contribution to society. Allen says, “ civic agency involves three core tasks,” the first task being “disinterested deliberation around a public problem” (Allen 11). This means “civic agency” includes engaging in thoughtful discussions and ideas in regards to public problems as a member of society.

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The liberal arts were called “the free person’s arts” since they’re meant to foster intellectual skills and participation in society. Allen says “We still need to cultivate capacities for social diagnosis, ethical reasoning, cause-and-effect analysis, and persuasive argumentation,” emphasizing the importance of these qualities in individuals in order to have an impactful presence in society (Allen 13).

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Allen describes the “ideal ordinary citizen” as one who is “not a professional politician but who has nonetheless developed all of the competencies [...] and who is proud to be involved in politics” (Allen 12). According to Allen, this means the “ideal ordinary citizen” has developed general “civic agency,” such as having political views and opinions, as well as being involved in society.

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The inequalities that the STEM-based “vocational model” doesn’t account for are social and civic inequalities. Allen says, “problem of inequality leave[s] almost no room for the civic alternative,” meaning civic values aren’t included in the “vocational model” of education, leaving an inequality for social and civic values (Allen 10).

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According to Allen, the relationship between equality and education is the idea that equal education can help reduce income inequality. Allen says the “vocational approach imagines that this equal attainment will translate into a wider distribution of skills, which will reduce income inequality,” meaning that Allen sees education as a tool to reduce income inequality by reducing inequality in education (Allen 9).

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From Allen’s perspective, “distributive questions” means there are concerns on the fairness of resources or opportunities distributed. Fairness in this distribution ensures that all students have equal skills, opportunities, and resources to succeed and access to the proper resources they need in order to be prepared for their futures.

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According to Allen, funding for the humanities has reduced in 1957 and 1983 because the main focus of education has shifted from its “vocational purpose” to preparing students for the present global economy. There were “hearings on "Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education" [...] but none concerning the humanities,” meaning humanities decreased as a priority in education” (Allen 10). Subjects in science, math, and technology were made a priority in education, and in turn funding, which is why there was a lack of funding in humanities.

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Subjects in science, math, and technology were made a priority in education.

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This differs from the idea of “civic” education since “vocational” conception focuses on preparing students for the workforce, while the “civic” conception focuses on preparing students to contribute to society.

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The “civic concept of education” refers to the idea that education should not only prepare students for the workforce, but also inform them as citizens. Allen describes the “civic concept of education” as the “recognition majority of state constitutions include a right to education tied either explicitly or through legislative history to a civic purpose” (Allen 9). This view looks more into using education to promote civic responsibility, political participation, and their own political views.