Journal of Social Science Education (JSSE - Universität Bielefeld)
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Civic learning in Czech educational debate: Changes of the concept in the 20th century between educational sciences and school practice
No full textHighlights:
- Civic education in interwar democratic Czechoslovakia as a way to civic emancipation and worldview tolerance.
- Active methods of civic education in education - the example of interwar Czechoslovakia.
- Political instrumentalisation and ideologization of civic education: the example of communist Czechoslovakia.
- 1968 and the Prague Spring: changes and breakdowns of the reform model of civic education in Czechoslovakia.
- Civic education in totalitarian systems: educational goals, curriculum, teaching methods, role of the teacher, extra-curricular education.
Purpose: The aim of this study is to reconstruct the development of civic learning within Czech debate during two periods: 1. the interwar period; 2. the communist era in Czechoslovakia.
Design and approach: The study is based on printed materials related to educational policy –laws, educational programmes, curriculum documents and teaching journals. Using a text-analytical and hermeneutic approach, it reconstructs the direction and “power of discourse” within educational policy concerning civic learning in Czech debate in the 20th century.
Findings: The first part of the study reconstructs the formation of the concept of civic learning seeking to link the national and cosmopolitan models of coexistence (the curriculum of civic learning, civic learning in the wider school life, the didactic concept of teaching and the implementation of active forms of teaching civic studies and education). The second part of the study analyses both the changes and stability (macrodidactic and microdidactic levels; curricular and methodological levels) of the ideological Marxist orientation of civic learning (as a school subject and as school life) in communist Czechoslovakia.
Research limitations: The report is based on the analysis of educational policy documents, i.e. primary sources of the “official” educational debate, only partially taking into account the levels of actors (teachers, pupils, parents), “transfer” and implementation from the political curriculum level (macrodidactic level) to the level of implementation of objectives and contents in teaching (microdidactic level)
Editorial
No full textOnce again, we have reached the end of yet another year and we can all take some time to reflect upon what has passed. And it has been a year with quite a lot of turbulence in our societies. One such disturbance concerns academic freedom. In our view, academic freedom is essential to the mission of universities, as it enables independent research, open debate, and the pursuit of knowledge without external pressure. Historically, this freedom has allowed universities to contribute critically to social, scientific, and cultural development. Today, however, academic freedom is increasingly challenged in many parts of the world through political interference, legal restrictions, and pressure on teaching and research agendas. Defending academic freedom remains crucial for safeguarding critical thinking, democratic values, and the integrity of higher education. As an independent journal, free from commercial interests, we aim to contribute – as well as we can – to the safeguarding of academic freedom. We thank all those who contribute to the Journal of Social Science Education and wish you a fulfilling 2026, both personally and professionally. In the final issue of 2025, we present four original articles, a new country report, and a book review. We wish you an enjoyable and rewarding read
Thank you to referees 2023/2024
Full text linkThe editors of the Journal of Social Science Education would like to thank the following peer referees who reviewed papers between January 2023 and December 2024. No scholarly journal can thrive without the support of people who donate their scientific expertise and time to review manuscripts. Your contribution as a reviewer has been vital in maintaining the high scientific quality of our journal, and your valuable feedback to authors has helped improve their work. We appreciate your contribution, especially given the increasing workload and time pressures in the current academic system
Partnerships between formal and non-formal educational settings: A way to implement a transformative and sociocritical education about environment and sustainable development
No full textHighlights:
- Study on environmental education and sustainable development within the field of social science education.
- Partnerships between formal and non-formal settings to support transformative and sociocritical education.
- Qualitative study involving 23 participants from France and Canada (Québec).
- Analysis reveals eleven conditions conducive to partnership.
- Recommendations for key people who could be helpful in developing a partnership.
Purpose: Current programs of study in France and Québec promote the integration of environmental education and sustainable development (EESD). This study aims to identify what conditions are suitable for establishing a partnership between settings in order to support a transformative and sociocritical EESD.
Design/methodology/approach: This qualitative study involved a total of 23 participants from formal and non-formal settings. Each participant took part in a semi-structured interview. Four themes emerged from the thematic analysis: a) definition, b) benefits, c) terms, and d) obstacles and facilitators of partnership.
Findings: The analysis identified eleven conditions conducive to successful partnership.
Research limitations/implications: The participants included in the study showed a strong interest in issues related to EESD. Therefore, not all opinions are represented. Our research team is currently investigating the collaborative dynamics of specific partnerships between settings.
Practical implications: This study highlights the role of key people in developing partnerships between formal and non-formal educational settings
Editorial
Full text linkWe are pleased to present the first issue of 2025 with four new original articles and a country report from the Czech Republic. Less pleasing is the societal development where political, social and economic structures – and democracy itself – are being questioned by populist movements and leaders. Naturally, such upheavals in general society have consequences for Academia. In mid-March, the JSSE was informed by the US Department of Education that the current administration and the Musk-led “DOGE” are – in an attempt to reduce government spending – slashing funding for the database ERIC, where educational research from all over the world is being indexed and made available for researchers and teachers. In their budget cuts, ERIC will now stop indexing many journals, and the JSSE is among them. We are probably only at the beginning of the process where US research will become increasingly pressured to follow governmental guidelines that please the current administration
Nurturing civic identity among Norwegian 15-year-olds: Challenges and opportunities for social science teachers
No full textHighlights:
- Identifies three combinations of civic identity and civic engagement among students.
- Discusses the complexity of the relationship between civic identity and engagement.
- Asking questions about the presumed bi-directionality of civic identity and engagement.
- Discusses how social science teachers can use civic education to promote civic identity.
Purpose: Depoliticisation of youth risks marginalising them from political participation. When youths are labelled as politically disinterested and democratically disengaged, they may view themselves as powerless. We investigate how Social Science teachers can utilise diverse expressions relating to democracy and political issues in the classroom to stimulate the growth of youth’s civic identity and counteract experiences of depoliticisation.
Design/methodology/approach: The article is based on interviews with Year 9 students in four Norwegian lower-secondary school. By utilising the four theoretical perspectives on identity formation identified by Verhoeven et al. (2019), we explore how students develop or reject civic identities.
Findings: We identify three separate categories of civic identity and engagement, with each posing specific challenges to Social Science teachers responsible for civic education.
Research limitations/implications: The study is limited by its size, and with only Norwegian data. However, it should give some direction for further research on how civic education may influence the relationship between civic identity and engagement.
Practical implications: The study is limited by its size, and with only Norwegian data. However, it should give some direction for further research on how civic education may influence the relationship between civic identity and engagement
Reclaiming emotion and reflection in education for democracy: A transformative learning perspective on the RFCDC
No full textHighlights:
- Competence-based EfD frameworks prioritise cognition over emotional–reflective learning.
- The Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture (RFCDC) shows vision–tools mismatch: holistic aims vs. operational descriptors.
- Emotions reduced to regulation; reflection to rational self-assessment.
- We propose revisions embedding affective–reflective learning in competences.
- EfD + TL: emotion and reflection key to competences and democratic agency.
Purpose: Education for Democracy (EfD) is framed through competence-based approaches like the Council of Europe’s Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture (RFCDC). We examine how emotion and reflection—central to transformative learning (TL) and democratic competences—are represented within the framework.
Design/methodology/approach: We conducted a semantic and qualitative collocation analysis of RFCDC Volumes 1–3, focusing on emotion- and reflection-related terms, triangulated across the competence model, descriptors, and implementation guidance.
Findings: While Volume 1 promotes holistic learning, operative elements narrow emotions to regulation and behaviour control, and reduce reflection to rational self-assessment. This creates a mismatch, revealing that cognitive and measurable outcomes dominate at the expense of transformative, embodied learning.
Research limitations/implications: As an interpretative corpus study, implicit references may remain underrepresented. Findings highlight the need to revise competence frameworks to embed affective–reflective dimensions more systematically.
Practical implications: Revising frameworks to embed emotion and reflection is essential to support democratic education that prepares adaptable, ethically grounded citizens able to thrive in uncertain contexts
Educators as gatekeepers of pluralism: Traces of agonistic pedagogy in Lithuanian democratic citizenship education
No full textHighlights
– Educators act as gatekeepers of pluralism, shaping democratic citizenship education.
– Agonistic pedagogy sees pluralistic conflicts as opportunities for experiential democratic learning.
Purpose: This article explores the concept of agonistic pluralism, its role in education, and educators’ pivotal position as gatekeepers of pluralism. It investigates why some educators embrace pluralism with broader boundaries while others impose stricter ones.
Design/methodology/approach: Semi-structured interviews with 13 educational experts were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis to uncover traces of agonistic pedagogy in citizenship education in Lithuania.
Findings: Educators, as gatekeepers of pluralism, shape democratic citizenship education by setting boundaries that either restrict or enable experiential democratic learning. Broader boundaries enable dialogue, critical thinking, and the ability to see others as adversaries rather than enemies, while strict boundaries, driven by fear or neutrality, hinder these opportunities.
Research limitations/implications: The study focuses on expert perspectives in Lithuania, excluding student input and direct observations and limiting generalizability.
Practical implications: Professional development, collaborative cultures, and leadership support can help educators adopt broader boundaries
Social science education in Iceland: a country report
No full textHighlights:
- Schools and teachers in Iceland enjoy considerable autonomy in their work.
- The National Curriculum Guides advocate for democratic education and social objectives.
- The National Curriculum Guides do not prescribe specific content to be taught.
- Teaching practices appear to be more teacher-centred, despite teachers’ intentions to the contrary.
Purpose: The article aims to provide an overview of the status of Social Studies within the Icelandic educational system.
Design/methodology/approach: As research on the teaching of social studies in Iceland remains limited, this article draws on a range of studies and policy documents to compile as comprehensive and authentic an account as possible at this time.
Findings: Schools and teachers in Iceland enjoy considerable autonomy in their work, as the National Curriculum Guides do not prescribe specific content. These guides emphasise democratic education and broader social objectives. Nevertheless, despite teachers’ intentions to the contrary, teaching practices tend to remain teacher-centred and relatively uniform.
Practical implications: The report identifies opportunities for improvement in both teacher education and school practices, in line with national education polic
Editorial introduction to the issue ‘Fostering democratic citizenship in the Nordic and Baltic countries’
No full textThis special issue collectively explores the multifaceted landscape of democratic citizenship education (DCE) in Europe, delving into critical aspects ranging from fostering civic identity in youth to navigating misinformation in the digital age, and from designing transformative pedagogies to addressing the complexities of assessment. Through a variety of research methods, including both quantitative and qualitative approaches, the studies of this issue analyse various possibilities and challenges to the development of democratic citizenship, with particular emphasis on the role of education and assessment for young citizens in schools and higher education institutions. Across these contributions, a compelling narrative emerges: effectively preparing young people for active, informed, and reflective democratic participation requires holistic, responsive, and ethically mindful educational approaches. The articles in this special issue underscore that democratic citizenship education is not merely about transmitting facts, but about cultivating a living, evolving engagement with democratic principles. This requires conscious effort from policymakers, school leaders, and especially educators to create environments that empower young people to critically navigate complex information, engage constructively with diverse perspectives, and recognise their own capacity to shape the democratic future