Educating for a Thicker Type of Democratic Citizenship: A Conceptual Exploration

• In Event: 46.086 - Roundtable Session 16
  In Roundtable Session: 46.086-29 - Democratic Citizenship in Education SIG Roundtable Session #2

Abstract

In the last decade, educational researchers who utilize thicker conceptions of democracy have theorized about the knowledge, skills and attitudes that citizens need to develop in order to vitalize the democratic character of a society and they have contributed to the development of democratic citizenship curricula. The thicker conceptions of democracy in their studies vary, depending on the democratic deficits identified and their comments on discourses on democracy in the academia and in public debate. This paper presents our conception of thick democracy, and explains how it builds on, and adds to existing conceptions of thick democracy. Main objective of our study is to contribute to scholarly debate on current and possible objectives for democratic citizenship education.

Authors

• Isolde de Groot, University of Humanistic Studies

• Wiel M. Veugelers, University of Humanistic Studies Utrecht