Digital Citizenship

Abstract

Keynote Speaker: Joseph Kahne, University of California, Riverside "Understanding Citizenship in a Digital Age" Citizenship has traditionally been defined by membership of geopolitical entities such as nation states, and with rights and responsibilities as the common denominator. This status is associated with rights and privileges such as the right to vote and symbols such as one’s passport. However, the rapid digital transformation is challenging the reduction of citizenship to a mere national status. In recent discourses, influenced by developments such as globalization trends and migration movements, the concept of citizenship is increasingly understood as a civic act, struggle, or practice, detached from status. Digitalization reinforces this effect with its lasting impact on cross-border economies and social coexistence. For example, digital technologies have the potential to empower members of communities (e.g., gathering political information from various sources, forming political groups, mobilizing citizens). It is therefore unsurprising that the notion of “digital citizenship” has burgeoned in recent years, often referring to or integrating aspects such as online civic engagement or media literacy. However, the term “digital citizenship” requires precision, and the implications for different areas of society (e.g., for political decision-making processes, the links between online and offline civic action, social cohesion, or civic education and the impact of online sources of political information for society and individual political action), are still to be understood. This panel aims to bring together researchers interested in both digital citizenship and digital citizenship education. Papers may examine questions such as: • What are the potentials and challenges of digitization for democratic institutions and democratization? How can these potentials be strengthened, and how can the challenges be addressed? • What characterizes citizenship in a digitalized world? • What is digital citizenship, theoretically or conceptually or from citizens’ perspectives (e.g., politicians, students, teachers)? • Which skills do digital citizens need? How can these skills be fostered? • What is the role of education and socialization processes in the development of digital citizenship? • How is digital citizenship related to (critical) media education? • What does it take for people to engage in civic practices in a digitized and globalized community? • And how can people be prepared and supported for the changed learning and living environments?

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