Topics for discussion

Situation in own country

Should citizens be prepared to participate in the representative democracy (accent is on voting) or in participatory democracy (which includes civic participation)?

How is the general situation (in your country) with respect to the participation of citizens (voter turn-out, membership of political parties, attitude towards politics and politicians, membership of non governmental organisations)

How would you define the goal of the learning process that aims at democratic citizenship?

There are trends that may have an influence on democratic citizenship. Such as:

• Changes in the relationship citizens-government
• Internationalisation of political decision-making
• Enlargement of the European Union
• Globalisation of the economy
• Restructuring of welfare societies
• Changes in the relation state, market, society
• Power of the new/mass-media

Would you agree that these trends have an influence on citizenship and on education?

What consequences for the learning process do you see for your country?

Would you like to add other influential trends?

When (conditions, circumstances) will citizens be prepared to become active members of society and political decision-making?

Can you be more specific with respect to the functioning of democracy at local, national, European or global level.

For active democratic citizenship specific knowledge, attitudes, intellectual and participatory skills are essential.

On what elements would you put an accent (taking into account the situation in, or needs of your country)?

How can active democratic citizenship be learned in school and outside of school?

Can education strengthen democracy?

What would you consider to be essential for the learning of democracy?

In school:

• Curriculum
• Didactics and methods
• Relation teacher – pupil
• Others, ………..

In (civil) society:

• Relation government-citizen
• Functioning of ngo’s
• Relation employer and employees
• Others, ………