The Competent Citizen How to prepare citizens for active participatory democracy Ruud VELDHUIS

2. The Competent Citizen How to prepare citizens for active participatory democracy Ruud VELDHUIS Dutch Centre for Political Participation www.publiek-politiek.nl

6. Turn out to vote

11. Examples from the Citizenship test in the USA • How many terms can a president serve? • Who was Martin Luther King Jr.? • Who is the head of your local government? • According to the Constitution, a person must meet certain requirements in order to be eligible to become president. Name one of these requirements. • Why are there 100 senators in the Senate? • Who selects the Supreme Court justices? • How many Supreme Court justices are there? • Why did the Pilgrims come to America? • What is the head executive of a state government called? • What is the head executive of a city government called? • What holiday was celebrated for the first time by the American Colonists? • Who was the main writer of the Declaration of Independence?

12. What is democracy? Five standards: • Effective participation • Equality in voting • Gaining enlightened understanding • Exercising final control over the agenda • Inclusion of adults(R. Dahl (2000), On Democracy)

13. What are minimal requirements for a democratic country? • Elected officials • Free, fair, and frequent elections • Freedom of expression • Access to alternative sources of information • Associational autonomy • Inclusive citizenship(R. Dahl (2000), On Democracy)

14. What are essential and favorable conditions for democracy? • Control of military and police by elected officials • Democratic beliefs and political culture • No strong foreign control hostile to democracy • A modern market economy and society • Weak sub cultural pluralism (R. Dahl (2000), On Democracy)

15. Citizenship dimensions Political citizenship Influencing political decision-making Social citizenship Relations between individuals in a society Cultural citizenship Shared norms and values and identity Economic citizenship Participation in the economic system

16. Democracy Assessment • Is there public agreement on a common citizenship without discrimination? • Are state and society consistently subject to the law? • Are civil and political rights equally guaranteed for all? • Are economic and social rights equally guaranteed for all? • Do elections give the people control over governments and their policies? • Does the party system assist the working of democracy? • Is government accountable to the people and their representatives? • Are the military and police forces under civilian control? • Are public officials free from corruption? • Do the media operate in a way that sustains democratic values? • Is there full citizen participation in public life? • Is government responsive to the concerns of its citizens? • Are decisions taken at the level of government which is most appropriate for the people affected? • Are the country's external relations conducted in accordance with democratic norms, and is it itself free from external subordination?WWW.IDEA.INT

17. Citizen roles

18. “Education for citizenship … should aim to develop capability for thoughtful and responsible participation in political, economic, social and cultural life. This capability is rooted in knowledge and understanding, in a range of generic skills and competences, including ‘core skills’, and in a variety of personal qualities and dispositions. It finds expression through creative and enterprising approaches to issues and problems”.

19. Educational aspects • What knowledge is essential to function as a citizen to participate • What attitudes are ideal for a democratic society • What intellectual skills are essential for participation • What technical skills do citizens need for participation

21. Pontius Pilatus Kafka Ramadan Metaphor Beethoven; Beatles Roman Empire Seven Years’ War Monroe Doctrine Anarchism E pluribus unum Massachusetts Charisma Market economy Neutrino Smog Germ warfare Cultural literacy. What every American needs to know. > 6000 entries

22. A Competent Citizen ….

25. Role of VoterKnowledge of- the role of political parties in the political system- the programmes of the competing political parties- the voting procedures (from registration, to making ones choice, counting and electoral system)Attitude- political confidence- political efficacy- social/political interestIntellectual skills- select information in a critical way- discuss political ideas- make a choice for a political party or personParticipatory skills- to cast a vote (go to the polling station, select, etc)

26. Role of member of employee council Knowledge of - the rights and duties of a councillor - the procedures of company decision-making Attitude - trust in effectiveness of council work - interest in human resource management Intellectual skills - select information in a critical way - exchange arguments, negotiate, handle conflicts - monitor company policy making - understand macro economics and financial reports of company Participatory skills - to communicate with electorate - mobilise support

27. Citizenship is best learned via • A thematic and problem oriented approach • An approach from four aspects • Putting an accent on specific key concepts

29. WHERE Democratic citizenship is learned in various processes and social and political institutions

30. Democracy is learned in: • Family • Neighbourhood • School • Church • Mass media • Peer groups • Work • Political party • Non governmental organisations • Folk high schools

31. Service learning “a teaching and learning approach that integrates community service with academic study to enrich learning, teach civic responsibility and strengthen communities”

32. Reported Service Learning Results • Improved academic performance • Improved relations among peers, parents and teachers • Fewer behavioral problems • Greater motivation to learn • Increased sense of civic responsibility • Increased student attendance • More positive perceptions of school and students by community members

33. Summing upHow best to learn active citizenship • Adding skills to knowledge • Democratic school, class and work climate • Co-decision in the learning process • Participation in decision-making in school and work • Thematic and problem oriented approach • Interactive- and service learning

34. Dahl, On Democracy “Therefore, if the institutions for civic education are weak, only one satisfactory solution remains. They must be strengthened. We who believe in democratic goals are obliged to search for ways by which citizens can acquire the competence they need. Perhaps the institutions for civic education that were created in democratic countries during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries are no longer adequate. If this is so, then democratic countries will need to create new institutions to supplement the old ones.”

35. Analysis of Social and Political Problems • Describe the problem and its origin • Groups, their needs, interests and power means • Vision, values and norms • Fundamental democratic values or rights at stake? • Role of the European/national government • Main points of government policy • Possibilities for citizens to exercise influence • Influence on national policy by international bodies • Different political points of view of the political parties • Stand-point of the student. Arguments.

36. www.politeia.net www.iea.org www.activecitizenship.org www.service-learningpartnership.org www.civnet.org www.dfes.gov.uk/citizenship culture.coe.int/citizenship europe.eu.int/comm/education/citizen/citiz-en.html P. Norris (1999), Critical Citizens Niemi&Junn (1998), Civic Education R. Putnam (2000), Bowling Alone Torney-Purta (1999) Civic Education Across Countries Further reading