Panel: The role of civic education in times of rising authoritarianism and illiberalism
Democracy is currently undergoing change, and human rights issues are confronted with new illiberal and authoritarian tendencies. Not only since the Corana pandemic has civic education been faced with changing tasks and controversial issues, as well as the challenge of questioning and readjusting its own self-image. What contribution can citizenship education make to the democratic and human rights development of state and society? How can a sustainable citizenship education develop an inclusive perspective for itself that is critical of racism and discrimination? And how can the ability to discourse and civic media education be strengthened in times of disinformation and discriminating counter-publics?
With its Resource Guide “Defending Democracy against Illiberal Challengers” (2020), the Swedish V-Dem Institute presents current data and analyses relevant to democracy and presents strategies of citizenship education in the formal and non-formal sector in dealing with new illiberal challenges. Examples from citizenship education practice show how the profession deals with these developments.
Impulses and presentations by
Anna Lührmann, Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Institute, Sweden
Yael Ohana, Open Society Foundation
Chantal Suissa-Runne, founding director of YOUnite, the Netherlands
Dorottya Rédai, coordinator of the Fairyland is for Everyone book project and independent scholar working in the field of gender, sexuality and education in Hungary
Joachim Amm, State Agency for Civic Education Saxony
Moderation: Tatjana Meijvogel-Volk, ProDemos, The Netherlands