Dutch Adolescents’ Democratic Narratives: “Democracy Is Also About the Humanity of People”

• In Event: Roundtable Session 16
  In Roundtable Session: International Perspectives on Moral Development and Education

Abstract

This paper reports a qualitative study into the democratic narratives of twenty-seven adolescents. Aim of the study was to gain insight in the type of democratic engagement that adolescents an urban area in the Netherlands in develop. Fourteen vocational and thirteen pre-university students were selected. Each student was interviewed twice. Narrative thematic data analysis revealed that only five students had developed a predominantly thicker concept of democracy. Our findings suggest that few students have spent time developing and challenging their concepts and narratives of democracy, and that few students have developed a thicker type of democratic engagement. Our paper concludes with several suggestions for further study and practices of democratic citizenship education.

Authors

• Isolde de Groot, University of Humanistic Studies

• Wiel M. Veugelers, University of Humanistic Studies Utrecht

• Ivor F. Goodson, The University of Brighton