Why we should prioritize developing students’ conflict resolution competencies

An evolving landscape of democracies, marked by democratic backsliding, coupled with changing norms of political participation, may have diverse and possibly challenging implications for aims, scope and priorities of citizenship education. We are re-thinking civics in context of climate change, conflict, inequities and polarization. So. What is meaningful to teach? What is meaningful to learn? This paper contributes to the ongoing debate about the learning objectives of Civic and Citizenship Education (CCE) by advocating for the prioritization of the development of conflict transformation competency. We explore five interconnected reasons for focusing CCE and schools' efforts in this area. These reasons entail the potential of the competency to empower citizens' political participation and aspiration, foster democratic (lifelong) learning, promote sustainability, contribute to peace, and act as an antidote to polarization.