P OLITICAL EDUCATION IN POST - TRANSITION STATES The case of (East-)Germany Jennifer Bruen.
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Transcript of 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
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.
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
FORMS OF POLITICAL EDUCATION & POST TRANSITION STATES
Post transitionStates (GDR)
Narrow _______l_______________________ Broad
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
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
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
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.
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.
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
SELECTED ITEMS FROM WVS
Previous political action & future political intentions
Signing a petitionAttending lawful demonstrationsJoining in boycotts
Actually done – Might do – Would never do
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
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
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
HAVE SIGNED A PETITION
1990 1997 19990
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
EastWest
MIGHT SIGN A PETITION
1990 1997 19990
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
EastWest
WOULD NEVER SIGN A PETITION
1990 1997 19990
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
EastWest
WOULD NEVER ATTEND LAWFUL DEMONSTRATIONS
1990 1997 19990
5
10
15
20
25
WestEast
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
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
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.
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’
‘HOW TO ‘DEVELOP PARTICIPATORY ATTITUDES, DISPOSITIONS AND COMPETENCIES’ HAHN (2010)
Schooling Active Citizenship
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
… UND DAS ENDE DER GESCHICHTE?
In the real world, there exists no such thing as ‘the
end of history’
(Meinardus 2004)