Learning and Teaching in Critical-Democratic Citizenship Education

Wiel Veugelers

University of Humanistic Studies, Utrecht, the Netherlands, 2019

In his valedictory speech as professor of education at the University of Humanistic Studies Wiel Veugelers analyses developments in theory, policy and practice of moral education and citizenship education in the past few decades. He criticises the strong focus on the individual and its adaptation to society. Instead, he argues for a stronger link of autonomy with social concern and social justice, connecting the moral and the political, and a critical and dynamic concept of democracy.

Learning should be considered as a reflective, dialogical and democratic process of meaning giving. In guiding these learning processes, teachers should include different perspectives and introduce moral values as criteria in reflection and critical thinking. Schools should be as democratic and inclusive as possible. He argues for a return to the ‘sixties’ and their combination of personal and collective emancipation, or in more contemporary concepts: the combination of autonomy and social justice.

Wiel Veugelers was professor of education at the University of Humanistic Studies in Utrecht, the Netherlands, from 2002 to 2019.

You can download the book that includes the extended version of the valedictory speech at: 

https://www.uvh.nl/uvh.nl/up/ZqvqbucKC_Oratie-Wiel-Veugelers-webversie.pdf