The Center for Applied Policy Research

Background - Civic Education in Germany

Establishing civic education in Germany was a reaction to the historical legacy of the National Socialist dictatorship. In order to build up a democratic culture and to ensure support for the young democratic institutions by the population after the experience of a totalitarian state, the school authorities in Germany were given the task of preparing people for citizenship. Civic education, therefore, became not only a prominent educational subject but also a cornerstone of the new democracy.

Since 1945 this concept has evolved and changed, so that the landscape of civic education in Germany is now manifold and unique. The historical development includes the following:

1. Re-education programs were implemented by the Allies after 1945, aimed at fighting a culture of intolerance in Germany.

2. At the beginning of 1950 Germany itself began to develop an educational system based on partnership and dialogic acting (dialogisches Handeln). Civic education focused primarily on social learning and based on the ideal of promoting harmony between individuals.

3. An outburst of rightwing extremist activities at the end of the fifties led to the institutionalization of civic education as a proper subject in German universities.

4. Influenced by the so - called 68-movement in Germany, the mainstream of civic education established (in 1968) new didactical principles under the title conflict-orientation and emancipation.

5. In the Beutelsbacher agreement (1976), tolerance as a key-element of civic education gained ground again The following principles of this agreement are still relevant today:
   * students should not be the objects of teachers’ judgement;
   * controversial issues in society have to be presented as controversial in the classroom;
   * students should be enabled to recognize their own interest.

6. It is recognised that civic education in East Germany is still faced with the need to overcome the heritage of an authoritarian socialist system.

7. In this new 21st century, civic education has been challenged by a new wave of xenophobia and racism.

8. Civic education in Germany today is devoted to educating young people who have grown up in a democracy to become responsible citizens and to assume active roles in the democratic process.
   

Educational Responses – The C·A·P

The Center for Applied Policy Research in Munich comprises many projects fostering democratic conscience and responsibility. It is unique in Germany in that it operates not unlike a US-American "think tank”, combining scientific research with practical implementation. It was founded in order to be a switchboard between individuals, society and the state and allow for a faster transformation of new ideas into society and politics. Currently it has a staff of about 60 researchers and practitioners.

The project Education for Democracy and Tolerance at the Center for Applied Policy Research is attempting to translate educational challenges into practical approaches by developing innovative model seminars for civic education. It includes within its responsibilities the provision of innovative workshops, practical teaching material and the training of facilitators. The programs and methods developed by the project are complemented by the experiences and programs of partners from different parts of the world, and some of these are being adapted for use in Germany.

The first programs in our project came from the ADAM Institute, Jerusalem, and the Anti-Defamation-League’s A World of Difference Institute, New York. Building upon that, a program centering around the notion of tolerance was developed in Munich: Achtung (+) Toleranz allows for coming to grips with the difficult notion of tolerance in professional backgrounds and institutional structures; this is being combined with a number of activities dealing with identity, prejudice and respect. Communication skills help the students to become aware of the many perspectives in cases of conflict.

While the various model programs have individual emphases, they share the objectives listed below:

• getting participants involved practically by offering interactive activities;

• realizing that ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ are categories that have to be questioned and given up in certain cases of conflict;

• linking the content of activities to group processes during the workshop;

• focussing on the inherent value of social processes rather than seeking quick solutions for conflicts;

• accepting the principle of the right to freedom for everyone;

• developing self-confidence and a stable identity;

• accepting that different perspectives and diversity represent an opportunity for personal enrichment;

• developing a sense of responsibility by realizing the consequences of both action and inaction;

• realizing the qualitative dimensions of democracy for everyday life;

• developing a readiness to stand up for one’s beliefs (Zivilcourage einüben).

Each of the programs has been adapted to the respective context and target groups which involve students, educators, administrative staff, the police, politicians and the army. Certified training modules allow for nationwide standards of quality and annual meetings of trainers are places of open feedback and new theoretical and methodological developments. So far about 1200 multipliers and an estimated 45000 participants could be reached via this initiative.

Evaluation

A comprehensive evaluation study for the three main educational programs has been conducted over a period of three years. It started with an intense discussion on the status of evaluation in the context of education for democracy and tolerance. This was a time of many discussions and conflicts and entirely new insights about what we're up to with the project. It became clear that evaluation also has to pay respect to the democratic and interactive approach the project is committed to.

Very little scientific research exists so far in this area and pragmatic and quantitative approaches based on assumed neutral and scientific standards are rampant. Thus a background concept of Participatory Evaluation has been developed that sets a frame for doing evaluation in the context of political education. Evaluation in this sense is understood to be a process of negotiation and interaction between various stakeholders and participants of the study. The data being collected are not neutral and objective but always subject to discussion. In this way everyone can construct a coherent result of an evaluation study which will lead to far-reaching action-oriented consequences in that everybody could participate. Evaluation done this way does not come from the outside but is an integral part of a project that also enhances the quality of the theoretical and conceptual reflection of the practical work being done.

The results of the evaluation are being published and provide the basis for the further development of the project. They have definitely deepened the self-understanding of the theoretical and educational activities and could also show the effects of our civic education on students. They pointed also to the the fact that the programs could be used more intensely in order to start changing structures and institutions beyond the sensitization of individuals.

Current developments

The fact that right-wing violence is still a great problem, especially in the Eastern parts of Germany, along with extensive media coverage and attention given to single incidents of violence against foreigners receives, have led to a number of ‘tolerance campaigns’ (e.g. "Tolerantes Brandenburg”), speeches by politicians and the call for joining forces in effors to promote democracy and tolerance (e.g. "Bündnis für Toleranz”). The new Betriebsverfassungsgesetz (Law on the constitution of companies) explicitly mentions tolerance and diversity and a new EU-Guideline on anti-discrimination is being converted into national law. Most recently tolerance has also come to be thought of as an important economics factor with respect to international competition.

Project homepages:
www.cap.uni-muenchen.de
www.betzavta.de

Index: Podium

Tolerance Matters- International Educational Approaches
by Seamus Dunn, Karl Peter Fritsche, Valerie Morgan

Is Participation the key?
by Michael Seberich

Taking the Network's workshops one step further
by Katrin Uhl

The Center for Applied Policy Research

The Nonviolent Peaceforce
by Nicholas Mele