Émile; Or, Concerning Education; Extracts

by Jean-Jacques Rousseau

"Émile; Or, Concerning Education; Extracts" by Jean-Jacques Rousseau is a treatise published in 1762. Rousseau presents a radical vision for raising children that preserves their natural goodness while preparing them for corrupt society. Following the fictional student Émile from infancy through adolescence, the work explores how education shapes the relationship between individual and society. Its controversial religious content led to public burning and banning across Europe, yet it inspired revolutionary changes in education systems and profoundly influenced educational philosophy in both France and America.