Multifaceted teacher identities and citizenship education: implications for youth civic identity development in polarized contexts

• In Event: The Landscape of Youth Political Engagement: Lessons and Implications for Educational Research and Practice

Proposal

This study explores how teachers in Colombia conceptualize citizenship and navigate teaching civic engagement in a polarized political context, with significant implications for youth civic identity development and political socialization. Drawing on interviews with 16 public school teachers participating in a civic education program, the research reveals the complex interplay between teachers' identities as educators and workers, their views on citizenship, and their approaches to addressing polarization in the classroom.

Employing Westheimer and Kahne's (2004) framework of citizen archetypes—personally responsible, participatory, and justice-oriented—the study analyzes teachers' perspectives on citizenship primarily through their educator lens. Findings indicate that in their role as educators, teachers initially emphasized cultivating a comprehensive political mindset in students, combining elements of both participatory and justice-oriented citizenship. However, when confronted with manifestations of political polarization in their classrooms, most teachers shifted towards a more neutral stance. They perceived student polarization as stemming from external influences and a lack of critical engagement with political issues. This perception led educators to prioritize teaching analytical skills and promoting dialogue over advocating for specific political stances. In response to polarization, teachers aligned more closely with the participatory citizen model, focusing on developing students' critical thinking skills and informed decision-making abilities.

Interestingly, this educational approach contrasts sharply with teachers' perspectives when positioned as workers or union members. In this capacity, teachers uniformly adopted a justice-oriented perspective, emphasizing collective action and the importance of democratic channels for voicing concerns about social inequalities. This dichotomy highlights the complex negotiation teachers undertake in response to the politically charged environment, often leading them to strategically compartmentalize their beliefs across different roles.

This research contributes significantly to our understanding of youth civic identity development and political socialization by highlighting the crucial role of teachers' own multifaceted identities in shaping citizenship education. It challenges simplistic narratives about teacher indoctrination, revealing instead a nuanced reality where teachers can compartmentalize their beliefs, privileging specific ideas about citizenship in their professional roles that may differ from their views as workers. This compartmentalization and the shift towards a more neutral stance in polarized contexts may have profound implications for how students develop their own civic identities and engage with political issues.

The study illuminates the challenges educators face in balancing the need for neutrality with their commitment to addressing social inequalities, and how this negotiation impacts the political socialization of youth. These findings have important implications for teacher training and curriculum development in citizenship education, suggesting the need for approaches that recognize and leverage educators' diverse perspectives while providing strategies to address polarization in the classroom. Furthermore, this research opens avenues for future investigation into how educators' shifting approaches impact students' civic identity development and their future political engagement.

Author

• Lina M Rangel Diaz, University of Wisconsin-Madison