Citizenship in the context of European values: Recommendations for teaching in higher education

Vickers-Hulse, Karan; Carter, Jane; Whitehouse, Sarah

Abstract

This publication reflects the work of CitEdEV (Citizenship Education in the Context of European Values), a Jean Monnet Network funded by the European Commission and Charles University, Prague. It aims to provide guidance to those teaching in higher education with respect to ‘European values’. These values ‘underpin the nature of civic society in Europe’ (Ross, Chapter 1). They are enshrined in treaties and in law and apply to all in Europe, regardless of their formal citizenship status. However, these values are not monolithically set in stone, but are, in a formal sense, dynamically reviewed by judgements made by The European Court of Human
Rights, and informally, are negotiated through everyday lived-experiences. This negotiation is an on-going process from early childhood, where cries of ‘it’s not fair’ are commonplace, through to youth and adulthood, with more sophisticated deliberations around issues of social justice.

We may say that children and young people are on a ‘civic journey’ and that social institutions have a responsibility to help guide them on this journey. We believe that to maintain and develop a healthy democracy in Europe, it is important for all children and young people to have an understanding of European Values, and that all educational institutions have a role to play in developing this understanding with their students. It is with this view that recommendations for teaching in higher education are made, not as a
prescribed set of do’s and do not’s, but as considerations to be made within the context of their own academic discipline, institution, and country. Whilst this guidance has applicability across university courses, particular emphasis is placed on Teacher Education, and that of education for allied professions in early years and social pedagogy settings.

• Report Type: Project Report
• Online Publication Date: May 30, 2024
• Publication Date: May 30, 2024
• Deposit Date: Jun 3, 2024
• ISBN: 9788076034143
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/12032751
• Publisher URL: https://citedev.eu/wp-content/uploads/Teachers_Guidelines_Citizenship-in-the-Context-of-European-Values-Recommendations-for-teaching-in-higher-education.pdf