CRITICAL EDUCATION AND INTERCULTURALISM IN THE TEACHING OF CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION: THE CASE OF GREEK PRIMARY SCHOOL EDUCATION

Theodoros Vavitsas

Abstract


The present research aims to investigate Interculturalism and the Emancipatory Interest in the textbooks of Citizenship Education in the Greek Primary School. Applying Habermas’ theory of Emancipatory Knowledge Interest as a theoretical framework, the research methodology used is interpretive content analysis. The results of the research showed that Intercultural Education is promoted by the textbooks of Citizenship Education in the Greek Primary School, mainly by the one taught in the 6th class, while the Emancipatory Interest is, also, reflected in many cases. The perspective of valorizing the Emancipatory Knowledge Interest derives not only from the textbook of the 6th grade itself, but also from the teacher's contribution, which is to be evaluated as equally crucial. Finally, although the subject of Citizenship Education contributes, clearly, to the reproduction of the dominant ideology, it seems that if we study the content of the textbooks in-depth and, in particular, the concepts it discusses, namely, freedom, justice, equality or solidarity, we can, definitely, identify opportunities for emancipation.

 

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citizenship education, critical education, interculturalism, Greek Primary School

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v9i5.4267

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