TY - JOUR
T1 - Education for democratic citizenship in Malawian secondary schools: balancing student voice and adult privilege
AU - Namphande, Peter
AU - Clarke, Linda
AU - Farren, Sean
AU - McCully, Alan
PY - 2017/10/31
Y1 - 2017/10/31
N2 - In countries that embraced democracy after the fall of communism, education became a particular focus for policy change, particularly within their citizenship programmes. Schools that had been used to inculcate obedience to and unfailing support for authoritarian regimes were now being required to adopt citizenship programmes incorporating democratic values. This paper reports a study in Malawi that explored the school as a location where democratic citizenship is practiced. Using a multiple case study approach in three different kinds of secondary schools to explore students’ participation in school affairs, the study found that different forms of participation were being encouraged, with each school apparently socialising students to distinctive kinds of citizenship roles. The paper highlights a conflict between democratic values and traditional roles of schools leading to new and hybrid school cultures. Providing scope for student voice to be heard can lead to tensions and paradoxical practices.
AB - In countries that embraced democracy after the fall of communism, education became a particular focus for policy change, particularly within their citizenship programmes. Schools that had been used to inculcate obedience to and unfailing support for authoritarian regimes were now being required to adopt citizenship programmes incorporating democratic values. This paper reports a study in Malawi that explored the school as a location where democratic citizenship is practiced. Using a multiple case study approach in three different kinds of secondary schools to explore students’ participation in school affairs, the study found that different forms of participation were being encouraged, with each school apparently socialising students to distinctive kinds of citizenship roles. The paper highlights a conflict between democratic values and traditional roles of schools leading to new and hybrid school cultures. Providing scope for student voice to be heard can lead to tensions and paradoxical practices.
KW - Citizenship education
KW - Malawian secondary schools
KW - democracy
KW - social studies
KW - student participation
KW - student voice
UR - https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/publications/education-for-democratic-citizenship-in-malawian-secondary-school-3
UR - http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03057925.2016.1278356
U2 - 10.1080/03057925.2016.1278356
DO - 10.1080/03057925.2016.1278356
M3 - Article
SN - 1469-3623
VL - 47
SP - 703
EP - 721
JO - Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education
JF - Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education
IS - 5
ER -