Citizenship Education and the Personalization of Democracy

This book’s power lies in its central theme of personalizing and humanizing democracy, of removing it from its pedestal of abstraction and positioning it in the daily life of its key stakeholders—youth who will be responsible for keeping democracy vital in these troubled times. The authors argue that actions fundamental to the flourishing of democracy—opposition, cooperation, and participation—not only need to manifest outside the self, but also within and at the boundary of self and other. Ultimately, they provide students with a means to engage democracy, and not merely admire, or worse, take for granted its tenets.

Bob Fecho, Professor of English Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, USA.

We cannot enact democracy if we have no vital self-connection to it and this is painfully evident in current society. This book fills a void in educational literature and will offer crucial inspiration to students and educators in global citizenship education. Clear forms of self-reflection are rarely discussed in education while it is necessary for protecting freedoms and security within a society. Prejudice, stereotyping, and violence can be interrupted and transformed only when we cultivate an internal dialogue and unearth our own faulty thinking. This book provides the dialogical identity concepts and practices foundational for democratic citizenship.

Reinekke Lengelle, Assistant Professor Athabasca University and senior researcher The Hague University.

Achieving a more democratic society begins with oneself. Based on this intriguing premise, the creator of the Dialogical Self Theory and his colleague invite us to go through a stimulating self-learning process. Starting from our own experiences, the book invites us to question, evaluate, and foster our democratic attitude as citizens. An essential book for all educational agents who realize that building more democratic societies consists of stimulating students to develop more responsible, tolerant, and self-critical minds.

Carles Monereo, full professor of Educational Psychology at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.