This is a question with many answers. I think citizen education can be as basic as classroom behavior and as high-level as graduate student discussions of sociology and political economy. Are you asking for your own classroom?

My research is on the Nordic folk high schools where the ideal of democratic learning and learning for democracy have been central. The dialogue-based learning of the folk high schools played an important role in the early development of Nordic democracy. To interpret my own findings I need to understand how democracy and democratic values become a part of a student. Where does it start? How does it develop?

Thank you for the clarification. I'm not familiar with the Nordic folk high schools, so I just read a brief summary. It is fascinating.  In the United States, I think democratic values come from classroom behaviors at a young age and instruction on American history - it is nationalistic and patriotic. I'm more familiar with American Higher Education and adult education. In college, the process is more indirect through a broad liberal arts education. Of course, this is a sweeping characterization. American scholars tend to frame it as the public mission of education - to create informed citizens with common experiences and values. There is a lot of debate in the U.S. about how this idea might be changing and misunderstood. I'm not sure this is helpful for you or if you need information specific to Nordic democracies?

Thank you for your answer, Shane.

I am not so much looking for a specific answer as just voicing the question. The structures of citizen education are important aspects in the learning of democracy. The nationalistic ideals that are taught in many countries can seem almost anti-democratic at times like this.

I am interested in how a student becomes a democratic person. For the values of democracy to be a part of a person I would say that learning must involve more than the usual classroom setting. What is interesting with the concept of democracy is that it demands a learning that involves the whole learner. You don't learn democracy - you become democratic.

Johan - I agree that this is an important and timely conversation. I'm curious what can be done to encourage whole-person-democracy beyond the classroom.

The Nordic folk high schools that I study are built on a design for education where grades and exams are not a focus. Indeed, the Norwegian schools are forbidden by law to offer any kind of grades. The ideal is to educate the whole person in a democratic learning process where dialogue is central. 

If the ideals for education becomes a market oriented learning where competitiveness is encouraged this will affect the possibility for democratic learning and in turn for learning democracy. I would say that an educational institution where the learning ideals are not egalitarian but elitist will not be able to foster democracy.

Thank you, Ben.

Your two articles (and other work that you have posted) encompass much of the interest behind the posted question. The statement that "schools should embody principles of democracy for students as part of a sound education" summarizes in a illustrious way a pedagogical ideal of democratic education.

The model of education seen as common to the Nordic countries has traditionally held the ideal of equal access for all as well as an ideal of education for democracy (see attached article). Since the post war era the political parties and groups of Scandinavia have had a basic consensus behind these principles. In the last decade, neo-liberal educational ideals have expanded where marketization and competition are increasingly accepted. To what degree can the output of this process (which I see depicted in studies from other countries as well) be seen as a threat to democracy?

Article The Nordic Model in Education: Education as Part of the Poli...

Hi Ben.

I find your focus on democratic participation important. If we should teach democracy the acting out of democratic behaviour in the schools must be a central aspect.

In my last study, I looked at how students at the age of 19-20 reflect on their time as students in Norwegian folk high schools. Here I would say that one of the most important instigator for democracy is understanding and respect for the other. This meeting with the other is described e.g. on campus within the student community or in a travel experience where students describe a personal meeting with poverty. To me it seems that the respect for, and understanding of, the other as equally valuable is a learning that builds the groundwork for all democratic behaviour.

Values of Democracy are learned through socialization specifically through the kind of training that we receive at home as we grow through childhood, adolescence, young adulthood and beyond. If, for example, our parents ensure and encourage us to be courteous, kind and respectful to everyone, then we ar being prepared to appreciate and get along well with everybody without fear, favour or affection. If our parents in early years communicate to us that we are better than our schoolmates and that we should associate only with those who are like us in many ways, then we are likely if that becomes a habit to be discriminatory in our choice of friends. Thus we are less likely in adulthood to want to live in democracies and would revel in the fact that there are inequalities.

Qualitative research can be used to investigate whether or not some individuals have a democratic or non-democratic style. Such a study has to be covert so that participants are observed behaving as the would naturally do. One can observe some individuals who are usually relate well with everybody else irrespective of gender, ethnicity, level of education and age.One can observe others who are always involved in interpersonal conflicts or associate primarily with only certain people. Such observations should be made over a period of a few months. Questions should be asked of both groups about their childhood and adolescent socialization. This would allow you to say to what extent such socialization predispose some individuals to adjust well or fitt in to democracy or not.

Proper sense of values are best cultivated through Sports, Creative and Performing Arts. Through these avenues across time individuals can internalie the type of values needed in a democratic system.   

Thank you, Ben and Russel. There are clearly many interesting and important aspects to this question. As you point out Ben, the practical living out of democracy in the everyday life of education is problematic. It is easy to talk (or write) but the practice of democratic pedagogy is hard to achieve. Maybe it could be seen as a goal or aspiration that we never really reach but must keep up as an ideal.

Russell - I am also interested in how the choice of friends can be seen as a basic relationship later to be mirrored in our sense of democracy. Can this kind of learning seen in childhood friendships give a picture of how we learn democracy?