Democracy as a Cross-Cultural Concept: Promises and Problems

Democratic Development and Prospects for Citizenship Education: Theoretical Perspectives on Sub-Saharan Africa

“…Kwapong affirms that "it is the cultural dimension that is the basis for a tangible framework of sustainable, long-term African development" (p. 152). While I fully agree with these observations, one may also see some positive possibilities from Bishop and Hamot's (2001) argument that democracy, in the current post-Cold War world, could be selectively analyzed as a crosscultural construct. And if political development (for me, situationally viable democracy) would also mean institutional aptness, then despite any cultural or philosophical implications that might be qualified, what Africa is "dying for," are viable public institutions which must respond to the civic, security, and development needs of the citizen and the community.…”

Perceptions of democracy among Islamic education teachers in Israeli Arab high schools

“…Also, we assume, like other scholars (Barzun, 1987;Bishop & Hamot, 2001;Parker, 1996) that democracy and its application are fluid, cross-cultural and adaptable and might be interpreted differently according to people's life experiences, their nation's history, and their cultural and sociopolitical conditions. By the same token, the educators' and students' understanding and practice of democratic citizenship are influenced by their race, gender, ethnicity, language and religion (Parker, 1997).…”

Pensamiento de los profesores de historia acerca de la ciudadanía y la inclusión de las movilizaciones estudiantiles en su enseñanza

“…La literatura asigna gran importancia al rol de los profesores de facilitar recursos y estrategias para que los estudiantes se formen cívicamente (Torney-Purta & Richardson, 2002;Pace, 2008;Ochoa, 2011). Entre otros aspectos, el pensamiento de los profesores respecto de temas de ciudadanía, construido sobre la base de sus propias concepciones acerca de qué significa ser un buen ciudadano y en relación con los contextos políticos y culturales en los que se desenvuelven, contribuye a enmarcar la formación ciudadana que entregan a sus alumnos (Davies, Gregory & Riley, 1999;Bishop & Hamot, 2001;Westheimer & Kahne, 2004;Chin & Barber, 2010). La relevancia de estos contextos para la formación ciudadana de los estudiantes ha sido igualmente subrayada por las investigaciones en el área (Shultz, Ainley, Frailon, Kerr & Losito, 2010).…”