The purpose of the association Demokrative is to promote democratic awareness and to enable the broadest possible sections of the population to participate actively and responsibly in political processes.
Article 2, statute of Demokrative
Demokrative is operationally active in civic education. The activities of Demokrative contribute to achieving the purpose of the association, pursue no commercial purposes and are independent of political parties and religious denominations. The board selects new projects for the association's programme.
Currently, Demokrative is active both in the practice of civic education and in the field of professional and scientific exchange. The activities of can be grouped into various topics in which Demokrative offers particular expertise, networks and experience. In the following, these topics are briefly described; the descriptions include references to concrete projects and activities (list is not exhaustive). For information on the individual projects, see the drop-down menu Projects at the top of the page.
Values and value preferences
In addition to the democratic process, the Demokrative focuses on the democratic value framework and the examination of individual value preferences. Our central approach is to address values and value controversies and to foster the reflection of individual value preferences. Fundamental questions of democracy are discussed controversially and on a scientific basis. We understand and train democratic values such as the ability to tolerate ambivalence and a respectful treatment of others as democratic competences.
→ Democratic values lie at the heart of the project [Building blocks of democracy].
Swiss democracy
The Swiss political system, the Swiss understanding of democracy and the landscape of civic education in Switzerland are central themes in the educational projects and networking activities of Demokrative. We never treat fundamental democratic questions and democratic values only in abstract terms, but we use them as a lens to examine, better understand and critically reflect on Swiss democracy from different angles. In the international professional exchange, we contribute specific experiences from Switzerland.
→ Workshops in the project [Building blocks of democracy] often include a quiz about the political system of Switzerland.
Game-based learning
The aim of game-based learning is to create an experimental learning environment that encourages people to actively engage with politics and democracy, to experience processes and to reflect on values. With the project [Board Games in Teaching - The Research Topic Democracy as an Educational Game] (project period 2016-2018, see also [video]), Demokrative has taken its first steps in this area. More projects followed.
→ More about the projects [Let’s Play Democracy barometer] and [Demogames].
Political participation
Demokrative's educational offers create opportunities for experience and are action-oriented. Civic education thus enables and motivates participants of all ages to participate in politics. See also [Democracy is our topic, programme and goal].
→ Among others, the project [Building blocks of democracy] offers workshops, in which political participation and voting rights are both the topic and the didactical approach.
Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture
In its work and especially in its understanding of civic education, Demokrative relies on national and international reference documents (for details see [Democracy is our topic, programme and goal]). In this context, we have been looking more closely at the Council of Europe's reference framework for competences for a democratic culture. We refer to the framework in our projects and work with a group of international experts and practitioners to develop recommendations for the application, implementation and further development of this instrument.
→ More information on the NECE focus group here [networking]
Digitalisation and democracy
As in all areas of life, digitalisation is becoming more and more present in democracy and is thus developing into a central theme of civic education. Demokrative is in exchange with experts and activists, analyses which democratic spaces are opening up digitally, which challenges digitisation brings with it and reflects on which competences are necessary in this context.
→ [Round Table] 2019
Photo credits
Photo 1: Building blocks of democracy workshop at Polit-Forum Bern, photo by Susanne Goldschmid; photo 2: Building blocks of democracy workshop at vocational school Langenthal, photo by Demokrative; photo 3: card set Let's play Demokracy barometer, photo by Demokrative; photo 4: Building blocks of democracy workshop at Kantonsschule Solothurn, photo by Dominik Müller; photo 5: Demokrative Round Table 2019, photo by Sabine Jenni.