It is Time to Disagree! Introducing the Idea of Conflict-Oriented Citizenship in the Political Classroom

Being able to respond to conflict is a key democratic competence today – as emphasized by Chantal Mouffe on agonistic politics. This paper addresses how conflict-oriented discourses in citizenship education can be linked to teaching and general debates in the political classroom. However, there has been a tendency in citizenship education to pay too much attention to conventional, non-conflictual forms of participation, virtues and values (such as voting in elections, joining established parties and adopting associated party identities, and building a sense of tolerance towards and solidarity with others). In this context then it is not surprising that conflict has a negative connotation and one in which students should not participate. This can also mean less discussion about divisive political issues in their private sphere, especially with others holding a different opinion. More recent scholarship has started to make a case for conflict-oriented citizenship education – for accepting that conflict should be an element of citizenship education. Learning competences for participation in political conflicts is important and possible through developing competences such as courage to disagree, understand current political debates that characterizes society, maintain positionality and appreciate differing views as adversaries and not moral enemies. This paper explores how conflict-oriented citizenship education effects students’ attitudes towards and efficacy for conflict. Applying structural equation modelling to ICCS 2016 Norway data, this paper shows how conflict-oriented characteristics of the discussion climate assist in building a sense of confidence to disagree with one another and to better appreciate conflicting political views in the classroom – which are key competences in in contemporary and future agonistic citizenship and democracy. The paper thus makes a case for including discussions on conflicts in the political classroom.