Institutions and Organizations as Learning Environments for Participation and Democracy: Opportunities, Challenges, Obstacles

Description

This book discusses opportunities and limitations to democratic participation in institutions and organizations across the life course. It demonstrates that democratic participation is not something that is learned once and for all and applied in formal political settings, but something that is lived every day throughout life in various contexts. Institutions and organizations frame human lives and strongly determine the ability to participate and co-determine their communities. They are places for learning, deliberation and the development of the common good. The book conceptually and empirically analyses the potential of democratic participation within various institutions. The contributions range from early childhood institutions, schools, youth programs, workplaces, and vocational education to cultural organizations and nursing homes for the elderly. The book thereby provides a cross-sectional and interdisciplinary knowledge base to inspire future research and practical efforts to promote democratic participation within and across institutions around the world. Contents Chapter 1: Participation in Organizations and Institutions Across the Life Course 1.1 The Meaning of Participation 1.2 Participation and Life Course 1.2.1 Lifelong and Life-Wide Participation 1.2.2 Life-Course Regimes and Institutions 1.3 Challenges to Participation 1.4 Structure of the Book References Part I: Early Childhood Chapter 2: Agency and Participation: A Critique of the Epistemological, Psychological, Pedagogical, and Ethical Premises 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Epistemological Critique of the Concept of Agency 2.3 Constraints from a Developmental Psychology Point of View 2.4 Critique of the Agency Concept in Educational Theory 2.5 Ethical Issues Related to Child Agency 2.6 Concluding Remarks References Chapter 3: Democracy Education in German Early Childhood Education Institutions: Empirical Research Results 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Theoretical Assumptions of the Research Project 3.3 Research Design 3.4 Results I: Participation in the Light of Basic Tensions Between Deliberative Democracy and Democracy of the Experts 3.5 Results II: Children’s Democratic Participation 3.6 Results III: Children’s Satisfaction with Democratic Processes 3.7 Summary 3.8 Our Study Discussed from an International Research Perspective References Part II: Middle Childhood Chapter 4: Constructing the Neoliberal Citizen: An Ethnographic Investigation of Corporatized Practices in Education 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Power and Principles of Schools Serving the Poor 4.3 Democratic Citizenship, Charter Schools, and Social Justice 4.4 Neoliberal Citizenship and Schooling for Disadvantaged Populations 4.5 Charter School Management Organizations (CMOs): Cultures of Accountability and Performativity 4.6 Institutional Practices and Constructing the Neoliberal Citizen 4.7 Rank and Yank 4.8 Aesthetics and Precision 4.9 A Culture of Grit 4.10 Implications for Democratic Citizenship 4.11 Conclusion References Chapter 5: Democracy and Civic Participation Through Youth Forums in Schools: Reflections on Practice 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Civic Participation in Schools’ Programmes 5.3 Youth Participation in Student-Teacher Relationship 5.4 Questions and Research Design 5.5 Participants and Recruitment 5.6 Results 5.6.1 Teachers’ Perspectives on Youth Participation in School Settings 5.6.1.1 Before the School Forums 5.6.1.2 After the School Forums 5.6.2 Youth Perspectives on Democracy and Civic Participation 5.6.2.1 Before the School Forums 5.6.2.2 After the School Forums 5.7 Conclusions and Discussion 5.7.1 Teachers’ Role to Empower and Create Youth-Adult Partnerships 5.7.2 School to Promote Self-Awareness, Collaboration and Critical Approach to Information 5.7.3 Curricular Activities for Youth Participation 5.7.4 Discussion 5.7.5 Limitation of the Study References Chapter 6: Creating “THINKING PRO” for High School Teachers and Students: Two Cases of a Local News-Driven Curriculum in English and Social Studies Classrooms 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Methods and Case Studies 6.3 Case 1: A High School in a Small Rural Community 6.3.1 Preparation and Curriculum Implementation 6.3.2 Theory into Practice: Making News and Leadership Personal 6.3.3 Takeaways from Case Study 1 6.4 Case 2: A High School in a Diverse Small City 6.4.1 Preparation and Curriculum Implementation 6.4.2 Theory into Practice: Empowering Student Voices in Their Communities 6.4.3 Takeaways from Case Study 2 6.5 Discussion 6.5.1 Empowerment Through Professional Development 6.5.2 Local News, Local Issues, Local People 6.5.3 Localized Curriculum 6.5.4 Obstacles and Recommendations 6.6 Conclusion References Part III: Young Adulthood Chapter 7: Democracy Learning Through Participation in Upper Secondary Education in Schools and Regulated Company Training 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Theory and Method 7.3 EDC in Swedish Schools: Summary of a Study 7.4 Re-description in the Language of the Theory 7.5 Training Companies in the German Dual System as Contexts for EDC ‘Learning Through’ 7.6 Summary and Discussion References Paper Collections from International Bernstein Symposia Chapter 8: Participation and Identity Development in a Multicultural Academic Context in the Higher Education Institutions: Palestinian-Arab Social Work Students in Israel 8.1 Introduction 8.2 The Social Work Learning Environment: Participation in Theory and Practice 8.3 Formal Knowledge as an Opportunity or Obstacle 8.4 Methodology 8.4.1 Participants and Procedure 8.4.2 Data Analysis 8.5 Findings 8.5.1 Positive Experiences 8.5.1.1 Personal Experiences 8.5.1.2 Normative-Cultural Experiences 8.5.1.3 Professional Experiences 8.5.2 Negative Experiences in the Process of Knowledge Acquisition 8.5.2.1 Knowledge as Irrelevant and Harmful 8.5.2.2 Knowledge That Challenges the Student Culturally and Personally 8.5.2.3 Marginalization by the University 8.6 Discussion: The Contextual Academic Conflict 8.7 Conclusions References Chapter 9: Youth on the Move? On the Transformation of Political Engagement in the Second Modernity 9.1 Introduction: Apolitical Youth or Committed Young People? 9.2 Theoretical Background: Youth and Political Engagement in the Mirror of Reflexive Modernization 9.2.1 Social Transformation Processes and the Individualization Thesis 9.2.2 Youth Political Participation 9.3 Research Interest and Methodological Considerations 9.3.1 Research Question and Design 9.3.2 Methodological-Conceptual Problems 9.4 Results: Young People’s Political Interest and Transformation of Political Engagement 9.4.1 Political Interest and Trust 9.4.2 Conventional Engagement: Voting Behaviour, Party Political Involvement and Association Activities 9.4.3 Nonconventional Engagement 9.4.4 Summary 9.5 Discussion: Engagement Beyond Formal Organizations? Trends in Political Action Among Young People References Studies Shell Youth Studies Part IV: Adulthood Chapter 10: Workplaces as Learning Environments: How Participative Practices in Enterprises Provide Learning Opportunities for Employees’ Democracy-Relevant Orientations and Behaviors 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Theoretical Framework and Hypothesis 10.2.1 Participative Practices 10.2.1.1 Individually Perceived Participation in Decision-Making 10.2.1.2 Perceived Socio-Moral Climate 10.2.2 Relevant Democratic Orientations at Work (Proximal Outcomes) 10.2.2.1 Solidarity at Work 10.2.2.2 Moral Self-Efficacy at Work 10.2.3 Relevant Democratic Orientations and Behaviors Beyond the Workplace (Distal Outcomes) 10.2.3.1 Democratic Engagement Orientations 10.2.3.2 Moral Behavior 10.3 Method 10.3.1 Study 1: Democratic Enterprises 10.3.1.1 Sample and Procedure 10.3.1.2 Measures 10.3.2 Study 2: Conventional Enterprises 10.3.2.1 Sample and Procedure 10.3.2.2 Measures 10.3.3 Analytical Approach 10.4 Results 10.4.1 Study 1: Democratic Enterprises 10.4.1.1 Confirmatory Factor Analysis 10.4.1.2 Hypothesis Testing Study 1 10.4.2 Study 2: Conventional Enterprises 10.4.2.1 Confirmatory Factor Analysis 10.4.2.2 Hypothesis Testing Study 2 10.5 Discussion 10.5.1 Summary 10.5.2 Theoretical Implications 10.5.3 Limitations and Future Research 10.5.4 Practical Implications 10.5.5 Conclusions Appendix Strategic Decisions Tactical Decisions Operational Decisions References Chapter 11: Organization and Participation. Aspects of a Dialectical Relationship 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Participation Between Organization and Society 11.3 The Organization of Political Participation 11.4 Participation as Organization 11.5 The Normative Form of Participation 11.6 Individual and Organizational Consequences of Participation 11.7 Participation as Bildung of the Individual and the Organization References Part V: Advanced Adulthood and Old Age Chapter 12: Participation and Civic Engagement in Scotland: The Importance of Contributions from Older Adults 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Theoretical Background 12.2.1 Helping Others and Improving the Lives of Individuals and Communities: The Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Ecosystem 12.2.2 Rural Areas, Demographic Ageing and Volunteering 12.2.3 The Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Sector in Scotland 12.3 Research Questions and Methods of Research 12.4 Results 12.4.1 Quantitative: Patterns of Volunteering in Scotland 12.4.2 Qualitative: Volunteering in Rural Scotland – Evidence from the Isle of Bute 12.4.3 Qualitative: Volunteering in the Outer Hebrides – Heritage and Community 12.4.4 Qualitative: Rural Life, Ageing and voluntarism – Stories from East Lothian 12.5 Discussion and Conclusions References Chapter 13: Democratic Care in Nursing Homes: Responsive Evaluation to Mutually Learn About Good Care 13.1 Introduction 13.2 Democratic Care as a Theoretical Lens 13.3 Development of the Enjoying Life Approach, Plan, and Training Program 13.3.1 Participants 13.3.2 Contents of the Enjoying Life Training Program 13.3.2.1 Doodle Me Tool Sessions 13.3.2.2 Enjoying Life Plan Sessions 13.3.2.3 Group Sessions 13.4 Methods 13.4.1 Action Research 13.4.2 Responsive Evaluation 13.4.3 Data Collection 13.4.4 Data Analysis 13.5 Findings 13.5.1 Perspectives on the Enjoying Life Approach and Project 13.5.2 Democratic Care in Practice 13.5.2.1 Getting to Know the Resident’s Identity 13.5.2.2 Using the Narrative When Taking Care 13.5.2.3 Using Narratives to Evaluate Care 13.5.2.4 Making Dilemmas Explicit 13.6 Discussion: Lessons Learned About the Democratic Potential in Organizations 13.7 Conclusion References