When the future of mankind is at stake the question of Bildung has to be brought to the fore. Because Bildung, a term which has no equivalent in English is dealing with the foundations of emancipation and liberation in both meanings an individual and a societal one. Bildung aims at maturity, reflexivity, social judgment, aesthetic and political consciousness and competence of action.The book analyses the different traditions and approaches relevant for the development of the question of conceptualizing Bildung.Especially the emphasis on 'maturity' ;political consciousness' and 'competence of action' is a useful one when dealing with the democratic tradition as the alternative to contemporary attemps of neoliberalism leading to the rule of economy and the decline of the public.The western marxist reading of Bildung in this book shows possibilities of renewing democracy and democratic lives in line with core elements of Bildung including autonomy, self-determination and social regulation. Corrresponding with Critical Theory, especially the work of Th. W. Adorno, Bildungs is seen as the tool to defend democracy.The book is intended for graduate students and academics in educational theory, critical pedagogy, politics, sociology and philosophy.