Results 1 to 7 of 7

Thread: What is ...

  1. #1
    Registered User LMC's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    In the corner
    Posts
    4,508
    Rep Power
    12

    What is ...

    Citizenship?

    Went to a fascinating talk/discussion at lunchtime by the CEO of the Citizenship Foundation (citizenshipfoundation.org.uk - not an advert, I have no connection with them, even tho' the CEO does like me 'cos he wants all our money )

    Anyway, small group, lively talk with some interesting points raised. Citizenship has been on the National Curriculum for four years.

    CF's "take" is that to be democratic, humane, pluralist and tolerant, citizens need to be empathetic, respectful, informed and engaged.

    The premise is that active citizenship is not necessarily about compliance with government - "good behaviour" - CF's activities include teaching people how to inform themselves about all the issues (legal etc), evaluate information (fact or opinion?) and how to protest effectively and "responsibly" - i.e. lobbying, sources of information on "who to speak to", peaceful conduct/non-violent, arguing principles rather than personalities. It is an independent organisation. They believe that a society where the majority of citizens are active and informed could make life very difficult for excessively draconian/paternalistic Governments (I'm sold)

    Various definitions/connected words - as suggestions for discusson rather than stated as hard fact:

    Citizenship
    • as a "brand" - not sure I quite got this one, suggestions? Perhaps citizenship is a 'dirty word' - a 'brand in crisis'?
    • as a status - legal or other
    • as a process - participation rather than position; identity, belonging
    • active - not necessarily informed
    • effective - active AND informed; questioning/analytical approach
    • inclusive - asks everyone, takes in all sources
    • conformist or progressive? - "comply" or "change the world" - in a positive sense, BNP et al considered negative as one-sided
    • Euro/global context - differences of place, culture - what does citizenship mean in this context, especially with an ever-increasingly mobile population (careers, geographical)?


    (damn I can't help thinking Starship Troopers every time they were earnestly going on about citizens and citizenship, but it was a good meeting, honest)

    Discuss...

  2. #2
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Worcester, UK
    Posts
    4,157
    Rep Power
    12

    Re: What is ...

    empathetic
    I prefer the word "empathic", as it has sci-fi undertones and doesn't contain the word "pathetic".

    Quote Originally Posted by LMC View Post
    as a "brand" - not sure I quite got this one, suggestions?
    Well, some folks self-identify with the brands they use. So if someone got all her clothes from French Connection, she might see herself as a "French Connection girl" or similar. Brands often carry values and beliefs with them too - the French Connection carries with it the belief that moving the letters round in common swear-words is daring and subversive. Citizenship can work the same way, as a brand that folks self-identify with. I'm British because I identify as British. Being British carries certain values, such as the importance of correct queueing.

  3. #3
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    South
    Posts
    5,424
    Blog Entries
    22
    Rep Power
    11

    Re: What is ...

    Quote Originally Posted by LMC View Post
    (damn I can't help thinking Starship Troopers every time they were earnestly going on about citizens and citizenship, but it was a good meeting, honest)

    Discuss...
    and those people old enough to remember "Citizen Smith" (not me, of course - I saw a re-run ) certainly can't take that word seriously.

  4. #4
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Glasgow
    Posts
    2,119
    Rep Power
    9

    Re: What is ...

    Quote Originally Posted by LMC View Post
    Citizenship?

    Various definitions/connected words - as suggestions for discusson rather than stated as hard fact:

    Citizenship
    • as a "brand" - not sure I quite got this one, suggestions? Perhaps citizenship is a 'dirty word' - a 'brand in crisis'?
    • as a status - legal or other
    • as a process - participation rather than position; identity, belonging
    • active - not necessarily informed
    • effective - active AND informed; questioning/analytical approach
    • inclusive - asks everyone, takes in all sources
    • conformist or progressive? - "comply" or "change the world" - in a positive sense, BNP et al considered negative as one-sided
    • Euro/global context - differences of place, culture - what does citizenship mean in this context, especially with an ever-increasingly mobile population (careers, geographical)?



    Discuss...
    Wow - something I can actually answer from my work experience

    I agree with the multiple definitions but here is the Scottish Education Quango's attempt at it (OK I'm biased - I work for them)

    http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/citizen...itizenship.asp

    Cheers
    Whitetiger

  5. #5
    Papa Smurf
    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    Planet Scathe
    Posts
    12,528
    Blog Entries
    6
    Rep Power
    18

    Re: What is ...

    POWER TO THE PEOPLE



    < click here for more >

  6. #6
    Commercial Operator Heather's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    Dundee
    Posts
    1,082
    Rep Power
    12

    Re: What is ...

    Quote Originally Posted by whitetiger1518 View Post
    Wow - something I can actually answer from my work experience

    I agree with the multiple definitions but here is the Scottish Education Quango's attempt at it (OK I'm biased - I work for them)

    http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/citizen...itizenship.asp

    Cheers
    Whitetiger
    Thanks for posting that, Whitetiger, I was going to attempt to explain what it meant in the context of teaching it in Scottish Schools, but you've saved me the bother!!


    Heather

  7. #7
    Registered User LMC's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    In the corner
    Posts
    4,508
    Rep Power
    12

    Re: What is ...

    Interesting link - thanks

    Yesterday did touch on the subject of "interdisciplinary" teaching - CF agrees that you can't divide citizenship into a 45 minute slot just to tick some boxes An issue that a couple of us had was "How do you know that the teaching/activities are actually doing anything - or whether the principles will be forgotten as soon as the GCSE (about 50K people doing it this year apparently) has been passed?"

    Ironically, my primary school (back in the er, mid-70s) used an interdisciplinary approach. So much for progress.

    A project about bees stands out in my mind - bringing in maths (counting bees), English (writing about bees), history (beekeeping through the ages), art (drawing bees), biology (yes, including reproduction) - well, you get the picture. I can still remember more about bees than anyone who doesn't own any needs to know.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •