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ParticipatoryCitizenship in
EuropeEurope for Citizens ProgrammeStudy 2011-12
Team • Project leader: Bryony Hoskins, University of Southampton• Co-leader: David Kerr, Citizenship Foundation
• The consortium partners: • Denmark: Aarhus University• France: European Institute for Education and Social Policy (EIESP)
Germany: University of Giessen• Italy: Roma Tre University• Slovenia: University of Ljubljana• Netherlands: University of Humanistics Studies• UK: LLAKES, Institute of Education, National Foundation of Education
Research, University of Southampton.•
Aims and objectives
Map the concepts, policies, practices and level of Participatory Citizenship across Europe
Identify barriers and facilitators to encourage more citizen engagement in Europe
Inform the development of European policy and funding programmes in particular the: the 2013 European Year of Citizens 2014-2020 Europe for Citizens Programme 2014 European Parliament elections
Methods
Review of literature
27 EU country fiches compiled by experts
Interviews with pan-European networks
Analysis of existing international surveys, including IEA International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS) and European Social Survey (ESS)
Reports
Contextual – Concepts and definition
Analytic – maps current state of play on policy and engagement in Europe
Good Practice – identifies key features of effective practice
Study Summary and Policy Recommendation - identifies an EC policy strategy on Participatory Citizenship
Reports located on Europe for Citizens website:
http://ec.europa.eu/citizenship/about-the-europe-for-citizens-programme/studies/index_en.htm
Definition of Participatory Citizenship
•‘Participation in civil society, community and/or political life, characterized by mutual respect and non-violence and in accordance with human rights and democracy’.
Definition broadly blends the practices of different models of citizenship across Europe
All actions must be underpinned by the values of human rights and democracy
Different forms of citizenship found in Europe
• Liberal communitarian model• Local level volunteering and civic duty to support
community
• Civic republican model• National level participation in politics
• Critical/ cosmopolitan model• Promotion of Social Justice and Human Rights
Citizenship models in national policy
• Critical citizenship model - eastern europe -but never top priority anywhere
• Civic republican legacy (a focus on common values or political participation)
• General shift towards the liberal communitarian model with mostly right wing governments voted in recent elections emphasising small state and more volunteering and charity
‘state of play’ before the crisis
• A gap between older and newer democracies for adult participation is still found and not decreased in last 10 years
EVS 2008: ‘If there were to be a general election tomorrow would you vote?
EVS 2008: Have you taken a political action by signing a petition.
Table 2.8. Adults: Sign a petition Countries Change across time: EVS waves 1990, 1999, 2008
Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Malta, Slovenia, Spain
Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal, Northern Ireland
Austria, Czech Republic, Ireland, Netherlands, Slovakia, Sweden,
Great Britain
Estonia, Germany.
Poland, Romania.
‘state of play’ before the crisis
ICCS 2009: Intention to vote in a general election when an adult
ICCS 2009:‘Have you been involved in an environmental organisation?’
Young people from former communist countries highest increase in last 10 year whilst older and wealthy democracies continue to have less enthusiastic youngsters
Table 2.3. Youth: Participation in an environmental organisation
Countries Change across time: CIVED (1999) & ICCS (2009)
Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, England, Estonia, Finland, Greece,
Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia
Denmark, Sweden
Policy Trends and Barriers
• Economic crises and austerity
• Shift until before 2012 towards more centre right govenments across Europe
Trajectory of policy
• Shift before 2012 towards centre right across Europe (smaller role of the state)
• European countries civic republican traditions but their has been a shift towards liberal communitarian polices (from political engagement to volunteering and community)
• In the context of austerity this has on some occasions seen the replacement of paid jobs by volunteers
Context of Austerity • Active Citizenship not considered a high priority • Cuts both govenment and private sector • Cuts at all levels• Cuts for support to ‘hard to reach groups’• Challenge sustainability of policies and practice
that previously supported participation and engagement of citizens in decision making
• Uncertainty
Changes in civil society
• Civil society focused on fundraising to keep themselves afloat
• Change of focus of citizenship projects towards economic dimension • Citizenship curricular: financial capability,
Entrepreneurship, social innovation • Greater focus on volunteering and less on political
literacy
• Social Movements: Protests against cuts, ‘occupy’
Risks • Cut at the time when they are most needed• Periods of economic downturn previously lead to focus on own
survival, less tolerant towards difference, more open to populist parties
What can be seen so far…• Countries are looking inwards towards local or national concerns • Rise in some European countries of extremist and nationalistic
groups • Golden Dawn • True Finns
Effective strategies
Participatory Citizenship is primarily a learnt activity
Learning in all it diverse forms (from discussing politics with friends to formal education) relates to Participatory Citizenship
Learning improves quality of Participatory Citizenship (enhancing civic competences: knowledge, skills, attitudes & values)
Overcoming barriers to engagement
Different levels of learning and wealth increase inequalities in engagement
Strategies towards targeting disadvantaged youth:
Schools
Vocational Education & Training
Youth work targeted at hard to reach groups
In economic crises unemployed youth benefit from being engaged in decision making in their local communities
Situated learning: successful learning approach
Learning in a real life civic context:
e.g. influencing decisions that have real consequences and influence on the lives of young people: how their school is run, school budgets and decisions regarding their local community
This approach helps to develop self-efficacy
(the belief that you can make a difference)
Situated learning project: ‘A Penny for Democracy’ from Sweden
Opportunity to participate democratically in economic governance of part of school budget
Key success factors:
involved in developing proposals for funding
responsible for decisions on funding and these decisions were taken in a democratic way
could see the visible consequences of their decisions through the projects being realised
Other key success factors for projects
Collaboration between different types of partners can pool resources and experiences and spark innovation
Strategic and sustainable funding enables NGOs to focus on Participatory Citizenship and not on their own survival
Use of new technology can engage more (ensuring that citizens have the competence, confidence and access to use them)
European Union strategy
balanced in promoting both political participation as well as voluntary and community action in civil society
targeted in recognising and responding to the impact of the economic crisis at national and local level in member states
sufficiently flexible and long-term to encourage and promote collaborative working between EU institutions, member states and EU citizens
European Year of Citizens 2013
• A bottom-up approach with citizens involved in constructing and developing the programme and activities
• Opportunity for the EU institutions to listen to Citizens • Provide momentum for new Europe for Citizens
Programme and EP elections• Increase profile of Participatory Citizenship as a policy
priority• Needs sufficient funding to turn aims into reality for
citizens• Respond to the needs and interests of European
citizens
Europe for Citizens Programme 2014-2020
Build flexibility into the Programme so as to respond to changing contexts
In today's economic crisis:
Place more emphasis on the actions of civic participation over remembrance and identity
focus on sustainability & longer term funding for those involved in Programme actions and projects
EU 2020 Smart Sustainable & Inclusive Growth
Balance in policy emphasis between Participatory Citizenship, social cohesion & economic competitiveness so that values & practices of democracy flourish
Long term challenges of competitiveness & climate change should be grounded in active involvement of and participation of citizens in order to safeguard future of democracy in Europe
• Reports available on Europe for Citizens website: http://ec.europa.eu/citizenship/
• about-the-europe-for-citizens-programme/studies/index_en.htm
• Contact details:• Bryony Hoskins, University of Southampton • [email protected]• David Kerr, Citizenship Foundation
Effects of Austerity on Active Citizenship in Europe
• 6th December• Houses of Parliament
• 18.00-20.00 with reception• E-mail [email protected]
