A Democratic Ethos or a Democratic Community: How perceptions of self and others can contribute to the formation of an authentically inviting community

Abstract

Invitational Theory is rooted in three theoretical foundations, perceptual theory, self-concept theory, and a democratic ethos (Purkey, Novak, and Fretz, 2020). This essay addresses the third of these foundations, a Democratic Ethos. While perceptual theory and self-concept theory provide a relational foundation for invitational theory, it is the vision and practice of a democratic ethos that turns theory into reality, leading to the formation of an inviting culture where everybody matters and people learn to live together. In this essay the author seeks to re-introduce the Invitational community to this important theoretical foundation, which could profoundly and positively impact the enacting and application of invitational theory. The author reviews the invitational theory literature concerning a democratic ethos, and also draws on insights from a number of other theoretical voices. The essay concludes with an exploration of a number of potential implications and applications for the Invitational community