we welcome Dr Michael Johnston from the Victoria University of Wellington. He will discuss how education systems can better promotive active and informed democratic citizens.
Michael argues that doing so requires more than drumming a curated narrative about nationhood and nationalistic ideals into school curricula. Rather than recourse to “history wars” and the like, he recommends that education systems help young people to revere the cultural values that underpin liberal democracy – political equality, free speech and free expression. This requires promoting the contestability of ideas and ensuring that civic ideas are “culturally esteemed”, not just legally protected, so that future generations share enthusiasm for a flourishing liberal democracy.
