Our activities can be categorized into various topical areas in which Demokrative has particular expertise, networks and experience. These topics are briefly described here with reference to specific projects and activities (not a complete list).
Democratic values and value-preferences
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Demokrative lies it's focus on sets of democratic values as well as the understanding and examination of individual value preferences. Our central approach is to address values and value controversies and to promote reflection of individual value preferences. Basic democratic questions are discussed controversially and on a scientific basis. Democratic values, such as the ability to tolerate ambivalence or respectful interaction with others, are understood and trained as democratic competences. For example, the reflection of Democratic values and value preferences is important in the following projects: |
Photo: Workshop Building blocks of democracy 2019 |
Democracy and politics in Switzerland
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The Swiss political system, the Swiss understanding of democracy and the landscape of civic education in Switzerland are central themes in Demokrative's educational offerings and networking activities. Fundamental democratic issues and democratic values are never treated in an abstract way, but are used as a magnifying glass to illuminate democracy and politics in Switzerland from different angles, to understand them better and to reflect them critically. In the international professional exchange we bring in specific experiences from Switzerland. Swiss politics and democracy are especially prominent in the following projects:
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Conveying democracy and learning how to convey it
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Demokratie lernen und lehren bedeutet für uns auch Weiterbildung von Praktiker:innen. Welche Kompetenzen brauchen Trainer:innen und Lehrpersonen, um Demokratiebildung gestalten zu können? Welches Wissen brauchen wir, um ein differenziertes und kritisches Verständnis unseres politischen Systems fördern zu können? Wie bereiten wir dieses Wissen für unsere Zielgruppen auf? Mit welchen Methoden schaffen wir einen Bezug zur Lebenswelt unserer Adressat:innen? Wie kann die Wichtigkeit von Demokratie vermittelt und erfahren werden? In der Demokratiebildung ist es uns ein Anliegen, Inhalt und Prozess miteinander zu verbinden und auch in der Umsetzung für gegenseitige Achtung und respektvolles Miteinander einzutreten. In folgenden Projekten und Angeboten bilden wir auch Praktiker:innen weiter |
Photo: Workshop for building blocks of democracy trainers 2021 |
game-based and experiential learning approach
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Games are activities with a defined framework that set goals for the players, impose certain rules of behavior, and require that the players actively interact. Games therefore create an experiential learning environment. The 'playing' itself is didactically embedded in an introduction and a reflection phase or de-briefing. This final phase is given special attention as it allows the players to share and evaluate their own actions and experiences. We want to enable innovative learning in our projects and therefore promote the approach of game-based engagement with civic education content. Click here for our projects and activities with a focus on game-based learning: |
Photo: Prototype Game Utopia |
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Participation
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Political participation and partaking are both the subject and the programme of Demokrative's educational offerings. Who has a say in what issues and where in a democracy? this is one of the most fundamental questions of democracy, and yet it is often not questioned. For example, in our democracy building block modules, we focus on the rights and challenges concerning political participation. Participation plays a crucial role in all of our offerings, as our programs are experience-based and action-oriented. Participants learn through their active involvement. They reflect on and evaluate their behavior and experiences. This enables and motivates political participation. Click here for our projects and activities: |
Photo: Workshop building blocks for democracy 2019 |
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Competencies for a democratic culture
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Demokrative bases its work and, in particular, its understanding of civic education on nationally and internationally recognized concepts. In this context, we have dealt in depth with the Council of Europe's reference framework for competencies for a democratic culture in recent years and refer to it when developing educational programmess. In a group of international experts and practitioners, we have developed recommendations for the application, implementation and further development of this instrument, and we accompany and advise colleagues with regard to the promotion of democratic competencies. In the following projects and publications we have used and analyzed the reference framework as a basis and working tool: |
Picture: "Butterfly" of the 20 competences for a democratic culture |
Digitalization and Democracy
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As in all areas of life, digitization is also becoming increasingly present in democracy and is thus developing into a central topic of political education. Demokrative is in dialogue with experts and activists, analyzing which democratic spaces are opening up digitally, which challenges digitalization will bring, and reflecting on which skills are necessary in this context. In our daily work, we strive to use high-quality programs that respect data protection and privacy, and we prefer transparent standards and open software ("open source"). Click here for our projects/activities:
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Screenshot: digital realization of the round table 2021 |
Education for sustainable development
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The current global challenges are so complex that ecological, social and economic aspects must always be included. Civic education therefore makes an important contribution to an education for sustainable development that follows a holistic approach and always takes these interactions into account. Our offers build knowledge and competencies that help to make collective decisions and thus solve societal problems through politics. We try to encourage our target groups to become more politically involved and participate, and to provide them with the necessary skills to make informed decisions and to understand their consequences for society and the environment. |
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