Citizenship Education and National Identity in Multicultural Contexts
Summary
Citizenship education in multicultural settings seeks to cultivate informed, engaged citizens while acknowledging the plurality of cultural backgrounds that shape modern societies. It encompasses curricular and extracurricular strategies to foster civic knowledge, critical thinking and participative skills, all the while negotiating the evolving meanings of national identity. In diverse classrooms, educators balance competing paradigms—assimilation, integration and interculturalism—to promote social cohesion without erasing difference. Central to this endeavour is the notion of belonging: pupils must not only learn about democratic institutions and legal frameworks but also feel recognised and valued as members of a shared political community. Current research highlights the role of inclusive curricula, dialogic pedagogy and community partnerships in bridging social divides. Practical applications range from collaborative service‐learning projects in urban schools to citizenship simulations in rural contexts, each designed to empower learners as active agents in shaping both local practices and national narratives.
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Citizenship Education and National Identity in Multicultural Contexts publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in citizenship education and national identity in multicultural contexts across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Multiculturalism: An approach to social organisation that recognises and values cultural diversity within a society, promoting inclusion and equity.
Fundamental British Values (FBVs): A framework emphasising democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, often applied in schools to foster a shared national ethos.
Ontological security: A sense of stability and continuity in one’s identity and social environment, enabling individuals to negotiate competing cultural demands.
Hegemony: The pervasive influence of dominant ideas or values in shaping beliefs and practices, often underpinning constructions of national identity.
References
- British values and British identity: Muddles, mixtures, and ways ahead. London Review of Education (2015).
- Empty Britain? Hegemony and ambiguity in British education policy. British Journal of Sociology of Education (2023).
- Reconciling British Values with Professional Identity: The Pursuit of Ontological Security Among Muslim Teachers in England. Religions (2024).
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