13 The Politics of Civic Education in the Post-Yugoslav Region
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Tamara Trošt
Abstract
Since the early 2000s, many of the countries of the former Yugoslavia have begun offering civic education as a course in primary and secondary schools, a process that has been wrought with political pressures, public debate, and structural challenges. Civic education courses are frequently offered as an alternative to confessional religious education introduced many years earlier, which has important implications for developing and implementing courses in civic education. This chapter tackles the politics and practices of civic education in schools in four post-Yugoslav countries (Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, and Slovenia): the contentious paths towards its introduction the formal schooling system in the early 2000s, the political debates surrounding the choice between religious and civic upbringing of youth, and the differences in the actual practices of civic education across the region. We conclude with a reflection on the state of civic education in the post-Yugoslav countries today.
Abstract
Since the early 2000s, many of the countries of the former Yugoslavia have begun offering civic education as a course in primary and secondary schools, a process that has been wrought with political pressures, public debate, and structural challenges. Civic education courses are frequently offered as an alternative to confessional religious education introduced many years earlier, which has important implications for developing and implementing courses in civic education. This chapter tackles the politics and practices of civic education in schools in four post-Yugoslav countries (Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, and Slovenia): the contentious paths towards its introduction the formal schooling system in the early 2000s, the political debates surrounding the choice between religious and civic upbringing of youth, and the differences in the actual practices of civic education across the region. We conclude with a reflection on the state of civic education in the post-Yugoslav countries today.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- Series Editor’s Preface vii
- List of Figures and Tables ix
- Notes on Contributors x
- Approaching Citizenship in Central and Eastern Europe 1
- Theorizing Citizenship Practices in Europe 18
- Polarizing the Curriculum: Culture Wars about Citizenship and Civic Education 43
- European Parliament Elections in East Central Europe: Participation, Eurosceptic Voting, and Perceptions of Young People 64
- Long-Distance Citizenship in East Central and Eastern Europe 89
- Digital Technologies and Citizen Agency During Crises: Democratic Engagement in Ukraine and Belarus 109
- Civic Digital Participation for Rural Development: Lessons from a German Survey of LEADER Regions 138
- Being or Becoming Political? Performative Citizenship in Central and Eastern Europe 158
- Participation Disempowered: Polish Participatory Budgeting and a Missed Chance for Citizen Empowerment 180
- Attitudes of German Youth Regarding the War in Ukraine 204
- Concepts of Citizenship in the Educational Materials of the EU and the Council of Europe 221
- Citizenship Education in Central and Eastern Europe: Perspectives and Desiderata of Transnationally Networked NGOs 241
- The Politics of Civic Education in the Post-Yugoslav Region 257
- Charting Paths Forward for Citizenship in Central and Eastern Europe 279
- Index 292
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- Series Editor’s Preface vii
- List of Figures and Tables ix
- Notes on Contributors x
- Approaching Citizenship in Central and Eastern Europe 1
- Theorizing Citizenship Practices in Europe 18
- Polarizing the Curriculum: Culture Wars about Citizenship and Civic Education 43
- European Parliament Elections in East Central Europe: Participation, Eurosceptic Voting, and Perceptions of Young People 64
- Long-Distance Citizenship in East Central and Eastern Europe 89
- Digital Technologies and Citizen Agency During Crises: Democratic Engagement in Ukraine and Belarus 109
- Civic Digital Participation for Rural Development: Lessons from a German Survey of LEADER Regions 138
- Being or Becoming Political? Performative Citizenship in Central and Eastern Europe 158
- Participation Disempowered: Polish Participatory Budgeting and a Missed Chance for Citizen Empowerment 180
- Attitudes of German Youth Regarding the War in Ukraine 204
- Concepts of Citizenship in the Educational Materials of the EU and the Council of Europe 221
- Citizenship Education in Central and Eastern Europe: Perspectives and Desiderata of Transnationally Networked NGOs 241
- The Politics of Civic Education in the Post-Yugoslav Region 257
- Charting Paths Forward for Citizenship in Central and Eastern Europe 279
- Index 292
