Democracy and togetherness: between politics and education

Introduction Democracy is a complex concept. There are numerous ways of understanding the concept of democracy, just as it covers a wide field of ideas, principles, and political values. On a general level, politicians, pressure groups, and educators agree on the fundamental principles of democracy; however, it is much more difficult to come to an understanding of the relative value of these principles and how to carry them out in practice. What might for one person be the most selfevident argument for a certain democratic value might appear controversial from another viewpoint. In recent decades, democracy and citizenship education has become even more complex. As a result of the process of globalization and an expanding knowledge economy, political values and the degree of democracy espoused by nation states in their labor markets, their institutions and their education system are no longer simply a matter of attitudes, principles and approaches towards society. Human rights, equality, justice, working conditions, fair trade, sustainability and so on have furthermore become labels that increase the value of a brand, service, commodity or even a particular nation. Hence, democracy and other similar concepts have become strategic concepts in the global competition (Christensen, 2009). Similarly, democracy and citizenship education have a political and strategic value that makes it possible to identify and reject unfamiliar and hostile ideologies. Additionally, citizenship education is recognized by national parliaments all over the world as an educational method to maintain and recreate national identity and social cohesion under pressure from globalization and migration (Osler & Starkey, 2006, p. 436). Despite the unquestionable values of democracy, it is important to recognize that it is a contested and often ambiguous concept (Osler & Starkey, 2006). Democracy in and through education and citizenship education make up an important battlefield for political and educational debates, since this is where young people’s sense of togetherness to a great extent is developed and where the attitudes of the future generation towards citizenship, politics, participation, solidarity are formed. What is the right balance between liberty and equality, freedom of speech and religious freedom, ideology and brand? And what is the right balance between democracy though education and democracy in educational practice and institutions? This will be a central theme of this article. Since the early 1990s, Denmark has worked with what is known as ‘the unified school’, which makes no distinction between pupils. In law, the primary purposes of school are to bring children up into democratic understanding and to develop the skills and qualities of each child. In these aims, democracy and togetherness are complementary preconditions. Togetherness is the driving force of democracy; just as freedom, equality and democracy are the driving force behind the sense of togetherness. There is an underlying belief among politicians and educationalists that this foundation to the school system has an unequivocal quality. The argument for the unified school system was based on the unquestionable virtues of democracy such as equality, solidarity, and