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The Competent Citizen

How to prepare citizens for active participatory democracy

Ruud VELDHUISDutch Centre for Political Participation

www.publiek-politiek.nl

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Turn out to vote

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Examples from the Citizenship test in the USA

• How many terms can a president serve? • Who was Martin Luther King Jr.? • Who is the head of your local government? • According to the Constitution, a person must meet certain requirements in

order to be eligible to become president. Name one of these requirements. • Why are there 100 senators in the Senate? • Who selects the Supreme Court justices? • How many Supreme Court justices are there? • Why did the Pilgrims come to America? • What is the head executive of a state government called? • What is the head executive of a city government called? • What holiday was celebrated for the first time by the American Colonists? • Who was the main writer of the Declaration of Independence?

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What is democracy? Five standards:

• Effective participation• Equality in voting• Gaining enlightened understanding• Exercising final control over the agenda• Inclusion of adults (R. Dahl (2000), On Democracy)

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What are minimal requirements for a democratic country?

 

• Elected officials• Free, fair, and frequent elections• Freedom of expression• Access to alternative sources of

information• Associational autonomy• Inclusive citizenship (R. Dahl (2000), On Democracy)

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What are essential and favorable conditions for democracy?

    • Control of military and police by elected officials• Democratic beliefs and political culture• No strong foreign control hostile to democracy• A modern market economy and society• Weak sub cultural pluralism (R. Dahl (2000), On Democracy)

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Political citizenship

Influencing political decision-making

Social citizenship

Relations between individuals in a society

Cultural citizenship

Shared norms and values and identity

Economic citizenship

Participation in the economic system

Citizenship dimensions

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Democracy Assessment• Is there public agreement on a common citizenship without discrimination?• Are state and society consistently subject to the law?• Are civil and political rights equally guaranteed for all?• Are economic and social rights equally guaranteed for all?• Do elections give the people control over governments and their policies?• Does the party system assist the working of democracy?• Is government accountable to the people and their representatives?• Are the military and police forces under civilian control?• Are public officials free from corruption?• Do the media operate in a way that sustains democratic values?• Is there full citizen participation in public life?• Is government responsive to the concerns of its citizens?• Are decisions taken at the level of government which is most appropriate for

the people affected?• Are the country's external relations conducted in accordance with democratic

norms, and is it itself free from external subordination? WWW.IDEA.INT

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Citizen roles Political SocialVoterLocal citizen Peace activist Co-producer of policyGlobal citizenCity councilor (M/F) Party memberPolitical leaderMember of Parliament

Member of NGO (relief org.)Volunteer Member of a communityFamily member (Mother/Father)PatientVictim 

Cultural EconomicConsumer of newsChurch memberTeacher/trainerMigrant/new citizenJournalistEnvironmentalistMember board of governors of a schoolLife Long Learner

Civil servantSoldierConsumerWorkerEmployerMember employees councilTaxpayerOwner

“Education for citizenship …should aim to develop capability for thoughtful and responsible participation in political, economic, social and cultural life. This capability is rooted in knowledge and understanding, in a range of generic skills and competences, including ‘core skills’, and in a variety of personal qualities and dispositions. It finds expression through creative and enterprising approaches to issues and problems”.

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Educational aspects

• What knowledge is essential to function as a citizen to participate

• What attitudes are ideal for a democratic society

• What intellectual skills are essential for participation

• What technical skills do citizens need for participation

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Cultural literacy. What every American needs to know. > 6000 entries

• Pontius Pilatus• Kafka• Ramadan• Metaphor• Beethoven; Beatles• Roman Empire• Seven Years’ War• Monroe Doctrine

• Anarchism• E pluribus unum• Massachusetts• Charisma• Market economy• Neutrino• Smog• Germ warfare

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A Competent Citizen ….Political literacy Social literacy

Knowledge: of the political and legal system (rights and duties)

Attitude: democratic, responsible, political confident, loyal

Intellectual skills: to take part in political discussions; consciousness of current political issues; able to evaluate

Participatory skills: how to vote; monitor and influence policies and decisions

Knowledge: of social relations in society: of social rights (social security)

Attitude: tolerance and respect; open to change; able to adapt

Intellectual skills: to resolve conflicts in a peaceful way; ability to judge

Participatory skills: to participate in voluntary organisations; build coalitions; to co-operate; to interact

Cultural literacy Economic literacy

Knowledge: of the history and cultural heritage of own country; of predominance of certain dominant norms and values

Attitude: preservation of environment; patriotism: respect human rights

Intellectual skills: to learn; language competence, reading and writing; critical handling of information and information technology; communication skills Participatory skills: to handle, gender - and religious differences, multiculturalism

Knowledge: of economic principles and consequences of economic developments; of economic rights (to employment); how to join a labour union; to acquire, use and transfer property

Attitude: favour market economy; work ethos; pay taxes

Intellectual skills: job training; make economic choices

Participatory skills: to handle different (European) working situations; participate in employees council

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Role of VoterKnowledge of- the role of political parties in the political system- the programmes of the competing political parties- the voting procedures (from registration, to making ones choice, counting and electoral system)

Attitude- political confidence- political efficacy- social/political interest

Intellectual skills- select information in a critical way- discuss political ideas- make a choice for a political party or person

Participatory skills

- to cast a vote (go to the polling station, select, etc)

 

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Role of member of employee councilKnowledge of- the rights and duties of a councillor- the procedures of company decision-making

Attitude- trust in effectiveness of council work- interest in human resource managementIntellectual skills- select information in a critical way- exchange arguments, negotiate, handle conflicts- monitor company policy making- understand macro economics and financial reports of company

Participatory skills- to communicate with electorate- mobilise support

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Citizenship is best learned via

• A thematic and problem oriented approach

• An approach from four aspects

• Putting an accent on specific key concepts

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Political-legal aspects Interests, conflicts, power,

authority, laws, government policy, ideology, democracy

Social-economic aspects Social-economic structures, the role of the various social-economic and interest groups

Social-cultural aspects Values, norms, social groups, equality, diversity

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WHERE

Democratic citizenship is learned in

various processes and

social and political institutions

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Democracy is learned in:• Family

• Neighbourhood

• School

• Church

• Mass media

• Peer groups

• Work

• Political party

• Non governmental organisations• Folk high schools

Service learning

“a teaching and learning approach that integrates community service with academic study to enrich learning, teach civic responsibility and strengthen communities”

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Reported Service Learning Results

• Improved academic performance• Improved relations among peers, parents and

teachers• Fewer behavioral problems• Greater motivation to learn• Increased sense of civic responsibility• Increased student attendance• More positive perceptions of school and students

by community members

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Summing upHow best to learn active citizenship

• Adding skills to knowledge

• Democratic school, class and work climate

• Co-decision in the learning process

• Participation in decision-making in school and work

• Thematic and problem oriented approach

• Interactive- and service learning

Dahl, On Democracy

“Therefore, if the institutions for civic education are weak, only one satisfactory solution remains. They must be strengthened. We who believe in democratic goals are obliged to search for ways by which citizens can acquire the competence they need.

Perhaps the institutions for civic education that were created in democratic countries during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries are no longer adequate. If this is so, then democratic countries will need to create new institutions to supplement the old ones.”

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Analysis of Social and Political Problems• Describe the problem and its origin

• Groups, their needs, interests and power means

• Vision, values and norms

• Fundamental democratic values or rights at stake?

• Role of the European/national government

• Main points of government policy

• Possibilities for citizens to exercise influence

• Influence on national policy by international bodies

• Different political points of view of the political parties

• Stand-point of the student. Arguments.

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Further reading• www.politeia.net

• www.iea.org

• www.activecitizenship.org

• www.service-learningpartnership.org

• www.civnet.org

• www.dfes.gov.uk/citizenship

• culture.coe.int/citizenship

• europe.eu.int/comm/education/citizen/citiz-en.html

• P. Norris (1999), Critical Citizens

• Niemi&Junn (1998), Civic Education

• R. Putnam (2000), Bowling Alone

• Torney-Purta (1999) Civic Education Across Countries