Transformative agency in teachers and youth: cultivating civic engagement through human rights education

• In Event: Guiding Social Justice: Educators as Duty Bearers for Student Action

Proposal

At a time of intensifying democratic peril characterized by deeply opposing political views, lack of preparedness in civil discourse, and misleading information shared by media and public officials (Hochschild & Einstein, 2015), young people in the United States are overwhelmingly losing trust in democracy and hope for the future (Levinson & Solomon, 2021). Civic engagement has been declining (Freedom House, 2020). Departing from the purpose of public education to create engaged citizens, which is essential for a thriving democracy (Lee, White, & Dong, 2021), schools have greatly deemphasized civic education in recent decades as they shifted to priorities such as reading and math (Rebell, 2018).

In contrast, and more hopefully, human rights education (HRE) is increasing in state-mandated curricula, with 42 US states requiring or recommending HRE in social studies courses (Sirota, 2019). The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) released a position statement in 2014 stating that “federal education officials and policymakers should make deliberate efforts to incorporate human rights principles and terminology into any new legislation focused on civic education” (NCSS, 2014). In 2021, NCSS updated that statement, renewing and expanding a commitment to HRE (NCSS, 2021). Among HRE scholars and practitioners, a widely agreed upon understanding is that, in addition to gaining knowledge about human rights, HRE includes learning skills and having opportunities to advocate for rights (Torney‐Purta, Wilkenfeld, & Barber, 2008; United Nations, 2011; Zembylas & Keet, 2018). Through HRE, students may become civically engaged, actively seeking to improve current conditions. Among possible actions to defend human rights as engaged citizens is the right to protest.

We agree with recent scholars’ and practitioners’ vision of civic education that facilitates learners' abilities to ask critical questions, deliberate over difficult issues, and organize to act (Cowhey, 2006; Lee, White, & Dong, 2021; Levine, 2010; Levinson, 2014; Westheimer & Kahne, 2004). HRE can position learners to take the kinds of social action and deliberate over challenging social and political issues consistent with civic and citizenship education required for a thriving democracy (Bajaj, 2011b; Hantzopoulos & Bajaj, 2021; Katz & Spero, 2015, Russell, 2018).

This paper presents research on the pilot case of immersing teachers and youth (ages 15-19) in HRE to explore how HRE can support civic engagement by youth and teachers that is necessary for a strong democracy (Lee, White, & Dong, 2021). Few studies look at whether and how long-term HRE initiatives for teachers and youth promote civic education and foster civic engagement (for exceptions see Bajaj, 2011b; Covell, Howe, & McNeil, 2010).

The case is an intensive HRE initiative for teachers and students developed by members of this research team and others. Over two years, teachers, across varied subjects and grades K-12, are immersed in iterative learning of content and skills. Over one year, the program supports high school students in building a sustainable network of young leaders to collaborate on civic action and learn from each other. This initiative began with a summer institute in 2023 where teachers and students participated together for one week in presentations, workshops, dialogues, and place-based learning opportunities. Teacher-specific programming continued for another week, during which time they developed their human rights curriculum. Following the institute, the program supports teachers in their curriculum implementation and students in their civic engagement plans for 10 months. This paper shares results of the first phase of research, pre and post-summer institute.

Our main research question is:

How do teachers and youth who participate in an intensive, long-term HRE program conceptualize civic education and engagement?

For this paper, we explore this question through the following sub-questions:

How do teachers participating in the summer HRE institute describe their values and beliefs related to civic engagement, teach and prepare youth for civic engagement, and engage in civic action?

How do youth participating in the summer HRE institute describe their values and beliefs related to civic engagement, acquire knowledge and practices that support their own civic engagement, and engage in civic action?

We frame our research within the transformational model of HRE (Bajaj, 2011; Tibbitts, 2017) and transformative agency (Bajaj, 2018; Hantzopoulos, Rivera-McCutchen, & Tyner-Mullings, 2021). Transformative agency, in relation to HRE, is understood as “the ability to act in the face of structural constraints to advance individual and collective goals related to positive social change” (Bajaj, 2018, p. 7). It is relational, contextual, sustained through space and time, carried out in solidarity with others across identities, and strategic (Bajaj, 2018). Through sustained involvement in an HRE community of practice, teachers may develop transformative agency, in which their teaching practices promote civic engagement in their students. Youth, in partnership with other youth and with teachers as role models (Covell, Howe, & McNeil, 2010; Reichert, Chen, & Torney-Purta, 2018), may develop transformative agency leading to increased civic engagement.

In this mixed-methods study, we recruited 13 students and 15 teachers from the 40 program participants, which accepted 15 students and 25 teachers from across six school districts. Of the 28 study participants, 10 teachers and 10 youth are followed more closely for an in-depth analysis of their beliefs, values, experiences, and actions.

For this paper presentation, we share results from data collected pre and post summer institute including:
1. surveys pre- and post-summer institute with 28 participants;
2. interviews pre and post-summer institute with 10 teachers and 10 students

This study explores how an interdisciplinary, intergenerational approach to HRE across subjects and grade levels might contribute to civic engagement that is human rights focused, critical, and transformative. This research imagines civic engagement beyond the disciplinary demands of social studies, as civic learning and action throughout schools can play a key role in civic futures (Peguero & Bondy, 2015; Pasek, Feldman, Romer, & Jamieson, 2008).

This research will offer insight into how HRE may offer a transformational experience for teachers and young people that empowers them to engage in sustained civic action. It may also offer a new approach to civic education in schools, broadened through HRE and across subjects and grades.

Authors

• Sandra Sirota, University of Connecticut

• Kristina Eberbach, Independent Consultant

• Sara M Harvel, University of Connecticut