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Reflecting on Democratic Citizenship Education: Compassionate and Imaginative Action, Educational Encounters, and Civic Reconciliation

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Title: Reflecting on Democratic Citizenship Education: Compassionate and Imaginative Action, Educational Encounters, and Civic Reconciliation
Language: English
Authors: Yusef Waghid (ORCID 0000-0003-2565-824X)
Source: Educational Theory. 2026 76(1):25-31.
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 7
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Evaluative
Descriptors: Democracy, Citizenship Education, Altruism, Imagination, Democratic Values, Educational Practices, Teaching Methods, Community, Human Dignity, Prosocial Behavior
DOI: 10.1111/edth.70059
ISSN: 0013-2004
1741-5446
Abstract: This article reflects on and extends my earlier arguments on democratic citizenship education by foregrounding three interrelated themes: compassionate and imaginative action, educational encounters, and civic reconciliation. I argue that education must move beyond a narrow reliance on deliberative reasoning by cultivating engagement that is also emotive and aspirational. Compassion and imagination, alongside reason, cultivate more inclusive and humane pedagogical practices. Democratic education is further conceptualized as an encounter rather than the pursuit of consensus, allowing dissensus to shape enhanced and more authentic engagements. Finally, I propose that civic reconciliation requires addressing historical injustices and embracing the African ethic of "ubuntu," which emphasizes communal relationships, mutual respect, and continuous renewal. Reconceptualized in this way, democratic citizenship education becomes an ethical and relational endeavor that not only informs but also heals, inspires, and sustains democratic life in diverse and unequal societies.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1495006
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Reflecting on Democratic Citizenship Education: Compassionate and Imaginative Action, Educational Encounters, and Civic Reconciliation
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yusef+Waghid%22">Yusef Waghid</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2565-824X">0000-0003-2565-824X</externalLink>)
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: This article reflects on and extends my earlier arguments on democratic citizenship education by foregrounding three interrelated themes: compassionate and imaginative action, educational encounters, and civic reconciliation. I argue that education must move beyond a narrow reliance on deliberative reasoning by cultivating engagement that is also emotive and aspirational. Compassion and imagination, alongside reason, cultivate more inclusive and humane pedagogical practices. Democratic education is further conceptualized as an encounter rather than the pursuit of consensus, allowing dissensus to shape enhanced and more authentic engagements. Finally, I propose that civic reconciliation requires addressing historical injustices and embracing the African ethic of "ubuntu," which emphasizes communal relationships, mutual respect, and continuous renewal. Reconceptualized in this way, democratic citizenship education becomes an ethical and relational endeavor that not only informs but also heals, inspires, and sustains democratic life in diverse and unequal societies.
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