Scholars agree that there may be no better time for Sub-Saharan African countries to create the conditions for a more peaceful and democratic reality than now. This optimism is driven in part by the possibilities for development unleashed by neoliberal globalization and the current tremendous human and material potential of African countries. Where consensus fails, however, is how to create these peaceful and democratic conditions. As the status quo of transition countries in Sub-Saharan African countries shows, the amalgamation of the distant legacy of the colonial past and the not so promising threats of the deleterious effects of neoliberal globalization are creating a mix of prosaic socio-political delirium that compromises possibilities for democratic participation and peaceful coexistence. Perhaps the new threat yet that is driving this optimism down within the region is the emergence of Islamic radicalism that has unleashed a wave of terror activities in countries such as Nigeria, Mali, Somalia, Kenya and Tanzania. Still, education for democracy has and can significantly mitigate rampant acts of violence and help countries move towards a more peaceful and democratic reality. And this begs the question: In light of the challenges of neoliberal globalization, how can education contribute to building peace and promoting democratic citizenship in Sub-Saharan Africa? Extant research suggests that since the end of the Cold War, many Sub-Saharan African countries have been going through severe crises, most of which involve violent conflicts. Although these violent conflicts have been attracting attention within the international community in general, and the academic circle in particular, violence continues. We are yet to find effective ways to address it and to develop theoretical and practical resources that can help us to work towards more peaceful realities. Using critical theory, in this study I bring the literature on peace and democratic education to the SSA context in order to rethink how education may better contribute to peace efforts. Findings from this study suggest that critical democratic education can help birth a more democratic and peaceful reality in transition countries in Sub-Saharan countries. However, in order to achieve this goal, substantive reforms are needed in the current education systems. Additionally, school stakeholders must receive the training needed about practical ways to employ this vision of education. It is my hope that the results of this study will enhance our understanding of the process of deploying education in support of democracy in post-conflict countries within an era of globalization where the demands upon educational institutions to support economies are serious distractions from the core problems that post-conflict countries face.

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The curriculum emphasizes the importance of social science teachers to affect students to be active, democratic and participating citizens. At the same time the interest in politics among students has been on a steady decline since the beginning of the 21th century. Apart from the diminishing interest in politics, studies have shown that students are given different civic skills and competencies depending on their choice of educational path. This study takes an interest to understand what affects students' engagement in democracy and politics, and how it differs between last-year students from study preparatory and vocational education. This study also aims to understand how the programs differ in the experience of social science teaching and how it has affected their civic engagement. This study utilized qualitative group interviews with students from both educational paths, the results of this study illustrate that differences in political engagement, depending on educational path, do exist. The differences in education of social science has given different prerequisites to be politically engaged for study preparatory- and vocational students. / <p>Godkänd 2024-04-05</p>

Detta är en kvalitativ studie som syftar till att undersöka hur mellanstadielärare, verksamma inom ämnet samhällskunskap, resonerar kring kunskapsområdet samhällsfrågor och mer specifikt elevnära samhällsfrågor. Vidare undersöks lärares uppfattningar av undervisning i elevnärasamhällsfrågor och hur det arbetet kan kopplas till skolans demokratifostransuppdrag. För att undersöka detta har semistrukturerade intervjuer genomförts med sju verksamma lärare för att få en förståelse för deras tankar, upplevelser samt erfarenheter kring undervisning i elevnära samhällsfrågor. Studiens resultat visade bland annat att lärarna aktivt arbetar med elevnära samhällsfrågor och att de anser att det är en viktig del av samhällskunskaps-undervisningen. Resultatet antyder också att lärarna tolkar begreppet elevnära med ett bredare perspektiv än geografiskt. Lärarna delade uppfattningen av att eleverna behöver ha kunskap om samhället för att kunna verka i det. Vidare hade de föreställningen att samtal samt diskussioner är betydelsefulla och att de som lärare behöver skapa lärandemiljöer där eleverna lär sig att se olika perspektiv och får uttrycka sina åsikter. Lärarna såg få utmaningar med samhällsfrågor men att det då är upp till lärarna att göra det greppbart för eleverna. De belyser också att intresse och delaktighet vid undervisning med elevnära samhällsfrågor har betydelse för elevernas bildning till demokratiska samhällsmedborgare. / This essay is a qualitative study that aims to report how teachers active in middle school reasons about the subject civics with social issues and also pupil-related social issues. Furthermore, the aim is to investigate the purpose with teaching pupil-related social issues and if this study can be connected to the democratic task of nurturing citizens that teachers have. In order to do this, seven teachers have been interviewed in semi-structured interviews to get their thoughts and experiences on teaching pupils-related social issues. The results of the study showed, among other things, that the teachers are actively working with pupil-related social issues and that it is an important part of social science studies. The result also indicated that the teachers views the pupil-related perspective broader than only geographical. The teachers shared the opinion that the pupils need to have knowledge of society in order to be able to live in it. Additionally, the teachers held the notion that conversations and discussions are important and that the teachers need to create learning environments where the pupils learn to see different perspectives and also are able to express their opinions. The teachers in the study saw few challenges with teaching social issues but that it is up to the teachers to make it understandable for the pupils. They also demonstrate that interest and participation in pupils-related social issues are significant for the pupils´ formation into democratic citizens.

Student Number : 8908713V - M Ed project report - School of Education - Faculty of Humanities / This research report focuses on educators’ current attitudes, skills and knowledge in relation to democracy in South African education today. The research report also considers what needs to be done to make democracy a reality that informs education as opposed to simply adhering to policy and legislation that speaks of fine ideals but may well have limited impact on the lives of the majority of South Africa’s citizens. I contend that one of the main barriers between democratic theory and practice is ambiguity and the resulting uncertainty and insecurity. I believe that many South Africans, many world citizens in fact, struggle to articulate what democracy actually means. If this grey area is to be addressed and ambiguity defused then educators need to be clear about what it is they are trying to educate learners for. This can only be realised when educators have internalised ‘lived democracy’ and, as a result, feel both an ownership and commitment to democracy as a lived practice.

As concepções de infância e criança, assim como o lugar social ofertado a elas, vem sendo modificadas ao longo dos anos. Entre o momento em que a infância nem era nomeada ao momento em que se torna objeto de políticas específicas, este estudo busca estabelecer um diálogo e ampliar o debate a respeito da participação e escuta das crianças em contextos educativos, procurando problematizar o que é possível esperar da participação das crianças nestes contextos. Dessa forma, recupera e analisa relatos de experiências em dois projetos educativos diversos, um na cidade de São Paulo, Brasil, em uma instituição embasada na educação democrática, e outro na cidade italiana de Reggio Emilia, que tem como base conceitual a pedagogia da escuta. Observou-se que apesar de já existirem alguns contextos educativos que concebem as crianças como sujeitos competentes e capazes e buscam garantir sua participação e escuta, a existência destes contextos ainda é vista como um desafio, tanto prático como teórico. / The conceptions of childhood and child, as well as the social place offered to them, have been modified over the years. Between the time when childhood was not named until the moment when it becomes the object of specific policies, this study seeks to establish a dialogue and broaden the debate about participation and listening to children in educational contexts, trying to problematize what can be expected by children\'s participation in these contexts. In this way, it retrieves and analyzes reports of experiences in two different educational projects, one in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, at an institution based on democratic education, and another in the Italian city of Reggio Emilia, whose conceptual basis is listening pedagogy. It was observed that although there are already some educational contexts that conceive children as competent and capable subjects and seek to guarantee their participation and listening, the existence of these contexts is still seen as a challenge, both practical and theoretical.

Este trabalho apresenta os resultados da pesquisa sobre a gestão de Paulo Freire na Secretaria Municipal de Educação da Cidade de São Paulo. Foi utilizada a metodologia da história oral, entrevistamos professoras da rede municipal de ensino de São Paulo que atuaram durante o período em que Paulo Freire foi secretário de educação desse município. Paulo Freire foi principal teórico brasileiro no campo da educação e também desempenhou o papel de gestor público. Ficou a frente de programas de alfabetização de adultos de governos do nordeste do Brasil e participou da equipe do MEC que pretendia promover o Programa de Alfabetização de Adultos durante o governo João Goulart. Em 1989, participou do governo de Luiza Erundina na prefeitura de São Paulo. Ocupou o cargo de Secretario Municipal de Educação até maio de 1991. Algumas das marcas de sua gestão foram a luta pela construção de uma escola popular e democrática, a conquista de direitos para os professores como a criação do Estatuto do Magistério Municipal, o restabelecimento dos Conselhos de Escola, a organização dos Ciclos nas escolas de ensino fundamental. Durante a pesquisa, foram entrevistadas dez professoras, utilizando-se a metodologia da História Oral. As professoras apresentaram relatos autobiográficos destacando o período em que Freire foi secretário de educação em São Paulo. Assim, registramos visões amplas sobre os eventos ligados à reconstrução democrática que marcaram a sociedade brasileira naquele período. No que tange ao campo educacional, a pesquisa apresenta algumas reflexões acerca da imagem de Paulo Freire e aspectos sobre a memória docente relacionados às condições de trabalho e às relações no interior das escolas. As entrevistadas abordaram temas como participação da comunidade na escola, a relação dos professores e o governo, o funcionamento dos conselhos de escola, entre outros. A pesquisa ainda reflete sobre os impactos de políticas públicas sobre a população a partir da ótica das professoras. / This work presents the research results of oral history conducted by São Paulos County teachers that worked during the period in which Paulo Freire was secretary of education. Paulo Freire was Brazil\'s main theoretician in the area of education and also played the role of public manager. He was in charge of adult literacy programs in many northeast Brazilian states, also attended MEC (Ministry of Education) staff that wanted to promote the Adult Literacy program during the government of João Goulart. In 1989, he took part of Luiza Erundinas government in the city of Sao Paulo. He served as Municipal Secretary of Education until May 1991. Some of the hallmarks of his tenure were the struggle to build a popular and democratic school, the rights of achievements for teachers as the creation of the Municipal Statute of the Magisterium, the restoration of School Councils and the organization of learning cycles in elementary schools. During the research ten teachers were interviewed, using the methodology of oral history. Regarding the educational field, the research presents some reflections about the image of Paulo Freire and the teaching aspects of memory related to working conditions and relations within schools. The interviews covered topics such as community participation in school, the relationship between teachers and Government, the functioning of school boards, among others. The survey also reflects about the public policy impacts on the population from the perspective of the teachers.

Esta pesquisa bibliográfica procura investigar os trabalhos pedagógicos de Moisey Mikhaylovich Pistrak na Escola Lepechinski, em Moscou - Rússia -, e Anton Semiónovitch Makarenko na Colônia Gorki, em Poltava e Khárkov - Ucrânia. Ambas experiências retratam o momento histórico de construção da União Soviética, na primeira década após a Revolução de Outubro. Tanto na educação escolar de Pistrak como na educação não escolar de Makarenko, as relações entre trabalho - como atividade constitutiva da condição humana - e educação se estabeleceram de maneira muito clara, caracterizando os modelos adotados por esses educadores como pedagogias críticas, de um caráter social e ligadas à realidade dos educandos. A formação de sujeitos autônomos, criativos e integrados a uma sociedade que valoriza o trabalho coletivo se constituiu no objetivo principal de cada um desses educadores. O presente trabalho procura destacar esses aspectos da pedagogia socialista de Pistrak e Makarenko, buscando contribuir para uma reflexão acerca dos valores da educação contemporânea e das características democráticas como fundamentos para a gestão educacional. / This research was made to study, in books, pedagogical work done by Moisey Mikhaylovich Pistrak in Lepechinski School, Moscow, Russia, and Anton Semiónovitch Makarenko in Gorki Colony, Poltava and Kharkov, Ukraine. Their experiments were held during the historical period of building Soviet Union, in the first decade post October Revolution. Both of their schoolarship educational programs, work relationships , as human constitutive conditon, and education had been stablished, were done in very clear basis, setting theirs as a criticism model of pedagogy, connecting the reality of the studentes in a stated social character. Autonomy, creative and integration among the individuals valued their team work providing autonomy to people. This work intends to highlight the socialist Pistrak and Makarenko aspects, in order to contribute to a valued contemporaty education and the democratic characteristics as educational administration basis.