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Cunningham, Peter, Hoque, Aminul and Jacott, Liliana (2025) Recognition and representation of citizenship in marginalised communities in England and Spain: two cases illustrating the building of social and emotional citizenship. European Journal of Education Policy and Practice, 1 (2). pp. 1-27. ISSN 3051-1208
Since the 1990s education for democratic citizenship has been at the heart of European policy, with current policy that aims to enable individuals to act as responsible citizens and to fully participate in civic and social life. Alongside legal status and civic participation, feelings are an important dimension of citizenship and citizenship education, because they influence how individuals engage with their communities, societies, and the world around them. Citizenship education policy and curricula recognise diverse society and emphasise social inclusion. Yet, many individuals from marginalised communities feel that their citizenship is either undervalued, or not welcome by mainstream society. Historically disadvantaged groups in society commonly perceive that democratic acts of resistance are regarded with suspicion or interpreted as a threat.
This paper reflects on the experience of community educators working with two marginalised communities: namely, the British-Bangladeshi community in east-London, and the community living in Cañada Real, Madrid, a spontaneous settlement that has a quasi-legal status. We build on these examples, and our analysis, to articulate a pedagogical approach to citizenship that complements the current policy framework by incorporating narratives of resistance. Our analysis and recommendations highlight the important role of community educators in the recognition and representation of citizenship in marginalised communities.
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial 4.0.
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