01-03-2002
01-03-2005
In the last decades, citizenship has (re)emerged as a central issue in the public, educational and scientific arena. As Lyotard (1999) stated, citizenship may be the ultimate meta-narrative in contemporary societies. However, debates tend to centre on a societal level of analysis (how do societies assign certain rights and obligations to groups of individuals?), neglecting group and individual levels of analysis. By emphasising a psychological perspective, this project will pay particular attention to these two levels. At the group level, individuals' participation in associations and social movements will be explored from the point of view of the quality of these experiences in terms of role-playing, guided reflection and support (Sprinthall, 1991; Lind, 1999). At the individual level, the project emphasises the 'individual construction of the political world' (Haste & Torney-Purta, 1992, p. 1), specifically in terms of conceiving and exercising citizenship.
The project addresses three questions related to conceptions and practices of citizenship.
The first involves exploring the relationship between dimensions of psychological development (e.g. cognitive complexity, identity) and citizenship. How do individuals construct meaning from the political world? Are there developmental-generational changes and differences in this process (e.g. complexity, differentiation)? Are these schemas of political understanding and action related to practices? We will use a sequential-longitudinal methodology with various age and generational groups (adolescents, young adults and adults from two generations) to answer these questions.
The second involves analysing how life experiences influence conceptions and practices of citizenship. Taking part can provide opportunities to fulfil different roles and activities, to update one's rights and duties, and eventually to question one's citizenship. However, the impact of these experiences can be mediated by factors such as autonomy and support. For this reason, a detailed analysis of these experiences is an essential component of this project.
The third analyses how the experience of social discrimination contributes to conceptions and practices of citizenship. Historically, large segments of the population have been excluded from the rights and duties of citizenship based on specific conventions - it will be. It is, therefore, important to understand how excluded groups construct meanings associated with citizenship. Women are the obvious example of exclusion and even today; they have little political involvement in Portugal. Homosexuals are a typically discriminated-against group that, in the last decade, has demanded the extension of citizenship rights and duties through associations. A comprehensive perspective on citizenship cannot fail to consider the point of view of excluded groups.
To answer these questions, the study combines qualitative and quantitative methodologies, including the active involvement of the ‘subjects’ in discussing the meaning of the results obtained.
PCEP - Participation, Communities and Political Education
FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
(POCTI/PSI/41310/2001)
CIIE/Faculdade de Psicologia e de Ciências da Educação da Universidade do Porto(FPCEUP), Portugal
Direcção Geral dos Assuntos Consulares e Comunidades Portuguesas, Portugal