P OLITICAL EDUCATION IN POST - TRANSITION STATES The case of (East-)Germany Jennifer Bruen.

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POLITICAL EDUCATION IN POST-TRANSITION STATES The case of (East-)Germany Jennifer Bruen

Transcript of P OLITICAL EDUCATION IN POST - TRANSITION STATES The case of (East-)Germany Jennifer Bruen.

Page 1: P OLITICAL EDUCATION IN POST - TRANSITION STATES The case of (East-)Germany Jennifer Bruen.

POLITICAL EDUCATION IN POST-TRANSITION STATESThe case of (East-)Germany

Jennifer Bruen

Page 2: P OLITICAL EDUCATION IN POST - TRANSITION STATES The case of (East-)Germany Jennifer Bruen.

HYPOTHESIS

Regions post transition from dictatorship to democracy engage in a more limited form of political education focussing on the transmission of declarative knowledge resulting in less politically active citizens.

Page 3: P OLITICAL EDUCATION IN POST - TRANSITION STATES The case of (East-)Germany Jennifer Bruen.

FORMS OF POLITICAL EDUCATION

Discussion of controversial issues

No right answers Designed to empower

and motivate the student to critically analyse existing structures with a view to responsible transformation (‘active’ citizenship)

Focus on the transmission of ‘correct’ facts

Presentation & explanation of formal, legal & judicial structures

Associated with maintenance of the status quo (‘good’ citizenship)

Broad Narrow

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FORMS OF POLITICAL EDUCATION & POST TRANSITION STATES

Post transitionStates (GDR)

Narrow _______l_______________________ Broad

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POLITICAL EDUCATION IN GERMAN SCHOOLS AFTER WWII IN WEST GERMANY

Politische Bildung established as school subject.

Controversy around objectives in 60s & 70s. Transmission of traditions and beliefs to next generation

vEnable them to ‘change this world by political

means’?

1976 Beutelsbacher Konsens Überwältigungsverbot Controversial issues must be treated as such Students must be given the skills to analyse an

issue from a macro and a micro perspective

Page 6: P OLITICAL EDUCATION IN POST - TRANSITION STATES The case of (East-)Germany Jennifer Bruen.

POLITICAL EDUCATION IN GERMAN SCHOOLS AFTER WWII IN THE GDR

Staatsbürgerkunde established as school subject in the GDR

Create ‘socialist personalities’…fully fledged personalities, knowledgeable on political, specialist and general scientific matters with a firm class viewpoint and a Marxist-Leninist philosophy of life.

Generate support for the Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschland

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POLITICAL EDUCATION IN GERMANY POST REUNIFICATION IN 1990

Staatsbürgerkunde abolished. Political education reintroduced in the FNL New Guidelines published:

Avoid passive acceptance of given truths Principles of Beutelsbacher Konsens to be

observed. Pupils to be supported in becoming critical,

mature citizens capable of: Independent judgement Self-realisation Taking responsibility as individuals re their role

in democratic society

Page 8: P OLITICAL EDUCATION IN POST - TRANSITION STATES The case of (East-)Germany Jennifer Bruen.

HYPOTHESIS: RHETORIC & REALITY

Between 1990 and 2000, the eastern German states engaged in a more limited form of political education focussing on the transmission of declarative knowledge resulting in less politically active citizens.

Explore this hypotheses further by looking at outcomes of political education.

Compare attitudinal and behavioural measures in eastern and western Germany using results from the World Values Survey.

Page 9: P OLITICAL EDUCATION IN POST - TRANSITION STATES The case of (East-)Germany Jennifer Bruen.

EUROPEAN/WORLD VALUES SURVEYS

Investigates value orientations globally World Values Surveys Association,

Institute for Futures Studies, Stockholm Methodologically rigorous, verified by the

European Commission

Dataset allows analysis of results for 6 key items for eastern and western German states independently in 1990, 1997 & 2000 among different age-groups.

Page 10: P OLITICAL EDUCATION IN POST - TRANSITION STATES The case of (East-)Germany Jennifer Bruen.

ITEMS SELECTED FROM WVS

Attitudes towards politics and society

Which of the following is the most important?

Maintaining order in the nation Giving people more say.

Would greater respect for authority be: A good thing - A bad thing - Or don’t you mind?

How interested would you say you are in politics? Very – Somewhat – Not very – Not at all

Page 11: P OLITICAL EDUCATION IN POST - TRANSITION STATES The case of (East-)Germany Jennifer Bruen.

SELECTED ITEMS FROM WVS

Previous political action & future political intentions

Signing a petitionAttending lawful demonstrationsJoining in boycotts

Actually done – Might do – Would never do

Page 12: P OLITICAL EDUCATION IN POST - TRANSITION STATES The case of (East-)Germany Jennifer Bruen.

MAINTAINING ORDER V GIVING PEOPLE MORE SAYYear/item

1990 1997 1999 Region Eastern

Germany

Western

Germany

Eastern

Germany

Western

Germany

Eastern

Germany

Western

German

y

 

Maintaining

order   25.7

 

 

23.719.8

 

 

20

 

37.6

 

 

26.8

 

Giving

people

more say

 

 

 42.6

 

 

31.7

 

52.9

 

 

49.5

 

34.6

 

 

41.3

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WOULD GREATER RESPECT FOR AUTHORITY BE A GOOD THING?

19901997

1999

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

EastWest

0

EastWest0

Page 14: P OLITICAL EDUCATION IN POST - TRANSITION STATES The case of (East-)Germany Jennifer Bruen.

LEVEL OF INTEREST IN POLITICS? Year/Item

199

0

  199

7

  199

9

 

  Eastern

Germany

Western

Germany

Eastern

Germany

Western

Germany

Eastern

Germany

Western

Germany

Very 34.2

 

22.2 18.7

 

16.4 19.2

 

10.6

Somewhat 49.7

 

40.0 48.5

 

55.3 47.1

 

44.1

Not very 13

 

30.3 24

 

19.6 25.9

 

35.1

Not at all3.2

 

7.5 8.8

 

8.7 7.8

 

10.2

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HAVE SIGNED A PETITION

1990 1997 19990

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

EastWest

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MIGHT SIGN A PETITION

1990 1997 19990

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

EastWest

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WOULD NEVER SIGN A PETITION

1990 1997 19990

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

EastWest

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WOULD NEVER ATTEND LAWFUL DEMONSTRATIONS

1990 1997 19990

5

10

15

20

25

WestEast

Page 19: P OLITICAL EDUCATION IN POST - TRANSITION STATES The case of (East-)Germany Jennifer Bruen.

POLITICAL ACTION: JOINING IN BOYCOTTS

Year/item 1990 1997 1999

  Eastern

Germany

Western

Germany

Eastern

Germany

Western

Germany

Eastern

Germany

Western

Germany

 

Have done

 

 

5.3

 

15.8 

22.6

 

18.5 

8.3

 

10.7

 

Might do

 

 

42.8

 

48.4 

51.8

 

63.7 

44.5

 

54.5

 

Would

never do

 

51.9

 

35.7 

25.6

 

17.8 

47.2

 

34.8

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ATTITUDINAL OUTCOMES: 1990-1999

1990 - Attitudes among 15-29 year olds reflect strong desire for transformation & political change: Strong support for giving people more say in

first half of decade. Falls away at expense of desire for order in the second half.

Similarly respect for authority drops in first half to rise again in 1999

Fall in the percentage very interested in politics and rise in those not very interested. Nonetheless higher level of interest than in the western states.

1999 - mood shifts towards compliance and a desire for order and authority

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PARTICIPATORY OUTCOMES: 1990-1999 1990: Engagement unsurprisingly high in

the eastern states directly following time of turmoil and socio-political upheaval

Intention to engage in the future rises then falls over the decade in the eastern states generally ending below that of the western states.

Increase in the number who would never engage in both states – potentially a warning signal

Cultural factors around acceptability of forms of political engagement potentially a confounding factor.

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CONCLUSIONS

Change in states transitioning from dictatorship to democracy is fragile.

Danger of disillusionment after initial euphoria.

Change requires monitoring and nurturing: Monitoring: Need for data well beyond

the end of the first decade post transitionNurturing: Importance of ‘education for

transformation’, ‘education for democracy’

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‘HOW TO ‘DEVELOP PARTICIPATORY ATTITUDES, DISPOSITIONS AND COMPETENCIES’ HAHN (2010)

Schooling Active Citizenship

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TO ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP VIA THE CLASSROOM

Open class-room climate Transformative pedagogies e.g. structured

academic controversy. Negotiating skills Space for informed debate & constructive

argument Interactive discussion-based activities Appropriate assessment Start young Facilitate experience of democracy at school

level Appropriate teacher training

Page 25: P OLITICAL EDUCATION IN POST - TRANSITION STATES The case of (East-)Germany Jennifer Bruen.

… UND DAS ENDE DER GESCHICHTE?

In the real world, there exists no such thing as ‘the

end of history’

(Meinardus 2004)