Journal article

Authors list: Abendschön, S

Publication year: 2017

Pages: 450-461

Journal: Education 3-13: International Journal of Primary, Elementary and Early Years Education

Volume number: 45

Issue number: 4

ISSN: 0300-4279

eISSN: 1475-7575

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/03004279.2015.1115115

Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group

Abstract: 
Recent political socialisation research focuses almost exclusively on
the orientations of adolescents, even though the literature seems to
agree on the assumption that politically relevant orientations and
attitudes are acquired much earlier in the life span. This article
argues that it is essential to look at the beginning of socialisation if
we want to shed further light on the processes underlying the
development of democratic citizenship and therefore looks at children
aged six to eight years. It examines the influence of primary school
institutions on children's political learning by looking at three
important school contexts on children's political knowledge, (1)
teaching, (2) class, and (3) school context. The empirical analyses draw
on data from a German study that includes several hundred children at
the beginning and at the end of their first school year, as well as
their teachers. Even though individual factors can account for a good
portion of the variance, school factors are also important but depend on
the respective knowledge domain. The findings can contribute to the
ongoing discourse about a broadening of children's political and civic
rights and are meant to trigger a discussion about a re-orientation of
civic education in primary school.

Harvard Citation style: Abendschön, S. (2017) Children's political learning in primary school – evidence from Germany, Education 3-13, 45(4), pp. 450-461. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004279.2015.1115115

APA Citation style: Abendschön, S. (2017). Children's political learning in primary school – evidence from Germany. Education 3-13. 45(4), 450-461. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004279.2015.1115115