Democracy between Spaces of Citizenship and Civic Competences: Two Explorations with Privileged Witnesses in Italian Context

Antonella Nuzzaci; Andrea Natalini; Paola Rizzi

doi:10.12797/Politeja.19.2022.76.08

Authors

Antonella Nuzzaci University of L’Aquila
Andrea Natalini University of L’Aquila
Paola Rizzi University of Sassari, shareEU Project Coordinator for Univeristy of L'Aquila

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12797/Politeja.19.2022.76.08

Keywords:

citizen, citizenship, democracy, educational citizenship, civic skills

Abstract

The contribution analyses the results of two surveys carried out by the Italian team within the international project #ShareEU – Shaping of the European Citizenship in the Post-Totalitarian Societies. Reflections after 15 Years of EU Enlargement, on aspects of citizens’ beliefs and attitudes towards European integration, citizenship and civic competences, including the exploration of concepts such as totalitarianism/authoritarianism, democracy and “democratic life”. The results show that adults are concerned with equipping young people with skills and attitudes that will help them to think and act as citizens, advocates of a citizenship they believe in, preparing them, from the primary level of education, to play a vital role in becoming agents of change rather than simply passive observers of events. The capacity of education to succeed in building respect in individuals for fundamental human rights and the values of an ethic of citizenship is emphasised. Among the agencies, the school is confirmed as the leading institution capable of promoting a culture of citizenship that increases the likelihood that students can become citizens in their values and actions, thus avoid ing the risk of falling into disengagement and iniquity. Democracy seems to be the bearer of fundamental human and common values and is characterized as an effective approach to improve the quality of life, even if the basic question still remains that of how to teach it.

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Author Biographies

Antonella Nuzzaci, University of L’Aquila

Is Associate Professor of Experimental Pedagogy at the Department of Human Studies at the University of L’Aquila, where she is Dean of the Didactic Area Council in Education and Social Work. She deals with problems of educational experimentalism in the field of evaluation and self-evaluation processes of the Higher Education System; methodological, reflective and digital skills in teacher training; relationships between new alphabetic forms (literacy and multiliteracies) and profiles of school population in the direction of a possible strengthening of the latter through the use of tangible and intangible cultural assets. She is the author of numerous national and international publications.

Andrea Natalini, University of L’Aquila

Is an expert in the fields of Political Studies and International Relations, with a focus on geopolitics, geostrategy and global security, paying particular attention to the historical, social, political and economic aspects of globalization. His interests include the citizenship issues at the European and global level in a historical perspective, taking into account the recent political development influencing the international relations. Publications: I Rapporti tra Aeronautica Italiana e Tedesca Durante la Seconda Guerra Mondiale (The Relations between Italian and German Air Forces During the Second World War), Cosenza 2004 and Origini e Sviluppo dei Velivoli Senza pilota (1848-1990) (Unmanned Air Vehicles Origins and Development 1848- 1990), Trento 2008.

Paola Rizzi, University of Sassari, shareEU Project Coordinator for Univeristy of L'Aquila

Is Associate Professor of Techniques of Urban and Regional Planning at DADU, University of Sassari, Italy; Visiting Associate Professor at UDDI, Thamassat University; Visiting Researcher and Scholar at DMUCH/Disaster Mitigation of Urban Cultural Heritage Research Center / Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, Japan; Former Associate Professor at DICEAA, University of L’Aquila; Visiting professor in different Universities as Ritsumeikan University, Kochi University, Jagiellonian University and Cracow Technical University, School of Architecture- University of Michigan among others. Rizzi is an Urban Planner and Designer and also hold a Master in Business Administration. She is co-founder and partner of SDVB9 an architectural and urban design studio in Switzerland and participate to several international architecture design competition. She deals in simulation and territorial analysis techniques, urban design and participatory planning. In the research field she’s undertaken some studies and planning of new tools for urban analysis and public participation to decision and planning processes, on new technologies and communication. The main focus is on a sustainable, inclusive and durable approach to urban design and planning; disaster mitigation in urban and spatial planning processes, special focus is on walkability in reconstruction after disaster and in the pre-disaster planning.

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Democracy between Spaces of Citizenship and Civic Competences: Two Explorations with Privileged Witnesses in Italian Context

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Author Biographies

Antonella Nuzzaci, University of L’Aquila

Andrea Natalini, University of L’Aquila

Paola Rizzi, University of Sassari, shareEU Project Coordinator for Univeristy of L'Aquila

References

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