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recenziji ■ reviews
the authors’ words) an “ideal pedagogical approach to appropriately ed-
ucate our students as future democratic citizens” (Hyslop-Margison and
Thayer, 2009, p. xviii).
The book is divided into five chapters. The first chapter discuss-
es the current threats to democratic citizenship posed by the “monolith-
ic and globally pervasive ideology of neo-liberalism” (Hyslop-Margison
and Thayer, 2009, p. 1). Democratic choices are difficult, if not impos-
sible when citizens are unable to imagine possible social, economic and
political alternatives. The authors reveal how neo-liberal education pro-
grammes have exploited many of the tools of critical discourse and turned
them into instruments of exploitation. In the second chapter, the authors
begin to articulate their vision of what they understand as meaningful
democratic citizenship. They review a range of existing international con-
ceptions and policies related to the field and say that denying students the
critical exploration of social realities is not simply anti-democratic but an-
ti-educational and morally reprehensible. In the third chapter, the authors
look for arguments for critical pedagogy, providing the necessary praxis to
restore the democratic rights of students, workers and all citizens to par-
ticipate fully in the organisation and restructuring of democratic socie-
ties. They review several contemporary international citizenship models
and objectives and show how the majority of policies fall within the ‘thin
model’ of citizenship that is discursively focused on the market economy
and consumer objectives.
In the fourth chapter, the authors illustrate how critical theory can
transform traditional notions of citizenship and citizenship education by
reviewing perceived threats to formal political participation and analys-
ing why these ideas and solutions are presently inadequate. By focusing
on the work of critical theorists like Pierre Bourdieu, Zygmunt Bauman,
Anthony Giddens and Jurgen Habermas, they develop a case for a pro-
gramme of thick democratic citizenship. Education has a critical role to
play in bringing about changes in the rapidly altering material conditions
of a society that require an active political response originating in both
the education and civil realms. “As such, a program that educates for cit-
izenship and democratic participation within the context of global capi-
talism must re-evaluate what it means to participate as a citizen, to belong
to a community, and reflect on the need to empirically and theoretically
elucidate emerging models of citizenship and democracy based on these
understandings” (Hyslop-Margison and Thayer, 2009, p. 95). Citizenship
education based on critical theory is embedded within a transformative
framework that views democratic citizenship and society as fluid, dynam-
ic and flexible.
229
the authors’ words) an “ideal pedagogical approach to appropriately ed-
ucate our students as future democratic citizens” (Hyslop-Margison and
Thayer, 2009, p. xviii).
The book is divided into five chapters. The first chapter discuss-
es the current threats to democratic citizenship posed by the “monolith-
ic and globally pervasive ideology of neo-liberalism” (Hyslop-Margison
and Thayer, 2009, p. 1). Democratic choices are difficult, if not impos-
sible when citizens are unable to imagine possible social, economic and
political alternatives. The authors reveal how neo-liberal education pro-
grammes have exploited many of the tools of critical discourse and turned
them into instruments of exploitation. In the second chapter, the authors
begin to articulate their vision of what they understand as meaningful
democratic citizenship. They review a range of existing international con-
ceptions and policies related to the field and say that denying students the
critical exploration of social realities is not simply anti-democratic but an-
ti-educational and morally reprehensible. In the third chapter, the authors
look for arguments for critical pedagogy, providing the necessary praxis to
restore the democratic rights of students, workers and all citizens to par-
ticipate fully in the organisation and restructuring of democratic socie-
ties. They review several contemporary international citizenship models
and objectives and show how the majority of policies fall within the ‘thin
model’ of citizenship that is discursively focused on the market economy
and consumer objectives.
In the fourth chapter, the authors illustrate how critical theory can
transform traditional notions of citizenship and citizenship education by
reviewing perceived threats to formal political participation and analys-
ing why these ideas and solutions are presently inadequate. By focusing
on the work of critical theorists like Pierre Bourdieu, Zygmunt Bauman,
Anthony Giddens and Jurgen Habermas, they develop a case for a pro-
gramme of thick democratic citizenship. Education has a critical role to
play in bringing about changes in the rapidly altering material conditions
of a society that require an active political response originating in both
the education and civil realms. “As such, a program that educates for cit-
izenship and democratic participation within the context of global capi-
talism must re-evaluate what it means to participate as a citizen, to belong
to a community, and reflect on the need to empirically and theoretically
elucidate emerging models of citizenship and democracy based on these
understandings” (Hyslop-Margison and Thayer, 2009, p. 95). Citizenship
education based on critical theory is embedded within a transformative
framework that views democratic citizenship and society as fluid, dynam-
ic and flexible.
229
