Citizenship Education: New Challenges and Recent Developments

The Standing Group on Citizenship invites researchers specialized in the relationship between citizenship and identity, civic engagement and transnationality. To cover the many aspects of citizenship developments, this Section calls for interdisciplinary research. It considers how citizenship is taught and what impact it has on young citizens in educational institutions. We are particularly interested in exploring the impact of global processes, including migration, regional integration and technological advancement on contemporary citizenship and citizenship education practices. Accordingly, the Section Chairs invite Panels and Papers that are concerned with theoretical and empirical issues in the fields of the governance of citizenship education and civic participation in Europe. We are interested in research about the differential realizations of citizen participation and/or participatory practices and the regulation and the evaluation of citizenship education. Schools are arenas where citizenship is taught, lived, and challenged. Formal teaching and learning address issues of importance to the formation of citizenship practice which includes political knowledge and society, development of participatory skills like efficacy and deliberative practices and attitudes/opinions to various parts of the polity and the many political changes. Citizenship education is therefore heavily influenced by, as well as contributes to, the social and political processes in current society. The Section is supported by the ECPR Standing Group on Citizenship. Panel 1: Citizenship Education and Inclusive Citizenship: Education Europeans for 21st century global citizenship Europe is facing major challenges to its democratic future. One aspect of major concern is the impact of globalization on citizenship and inclusivity within Europe. 'Fortress Europe' has come under attack as being unrealistic in the 21st century. The 2015 waves of migrants from the Middle East, especially refugees from Syria, have changed how European countries will address citizenship. The Panel asks a key question - What new ways are best to encourage an understanding and practice of 21st century global citizenship among young Europeans? To achieve this the Panel will investigate what globalization, citizenship and inclusivity means in a 21st century Europe and how these concepts and practices resonate with young Europeans. It will identify what new forms of school curriculum are needed to address 21st century globalization, citizenship and inclusivity. Panel 2: Citizenship Education: Finding the ‘Right’ Definition? Plurality of Approaches to Defining a Political Concept The Panel is designed to contribute to the debate on the plurality of approaches towards citizenship education, in an attempt to seek a common language for scholars and practitioners alike. Thus, the Panel seeks to provide a forum for articulating relevant dimensions and approaches without claiming a ‘right’ one. The Panel discusses, but is not limited to: a) a proposed framework of various aspects of citizenship education approaches, based on grid-group cultural theory. b) dimensions connected to finding the (non-)political in citizenship education. c) theoretical and practical challenges of (mis-) matching definitions of citizenship education as a basis for curriculum development and school practice. d) thoughts on a plural conception of citizenship based on actual understandings in multicultural societies. Panels 3: Cosmopolitan Citizenship and Educational Politics Cosmopolitanism is a central concept for theorizing, reflecting and conceptualizing global citizenship at different analytical levels such as transnational political activism and global citizenship education in schools. What are the chances and limits of cosmopolitanism in contexts of refugee immigration and new border regimes? How are human and women's rights discourses linked to cosmopolitanism and cosmopolitan education? This Panel seeks to gather contributions, which reflect on the educational dimension and politics regarding the cosmopolitan citizenship, especially in context of the current globalization of European societies. Theoretical contributions and comparative empirical analyses are expressly welcome.