Waardevormend onderwijs en burgerschap

Abstract

Citizenship education can be pleased with the considerable political interest currently being generated. In September 2003, in its Advisory Memorandum, the Dutch Advisory Council for Education proposed a statutory obligation ''in matters relating to citizenship education'' (Onderwijsraad, 2003, p.9). Three months later, the Advisory Council on Government Policy went on to recommend further scientific research ''into the best way to internalise, transfer and sustain values in childraising and education in general, and in a pluriform society as a whole'' (WRR, 2003, p.271). In this article an attempt is made to clarify different citizenship concepts and their successive educational practices. By analyzing the international scientific debate surrounding citizenship, democracy and education, the authors seek for philosophical and pedagogical arguments for a citizenship education that is based on a critical democratic perspective and focuses on the development of values and value communication as well as on autonomy and social involvement.