Propaganda as a (new) challenge of civic education

Abstract

This paper argues that propaganda poses a (new) challenge to civic education. It examines the tension between education and propaganda in relation to civic education for adults considering (1) civic education as protection against propaganda attempts and (2) propaganda as a possible element of civic education. This paper explores didactical approaches and core principles of civic education that strive to both resist and deal with propaganda. The core proposal of the paper is to root civic education in the tradition of the German concepts of Bildung and Mündigkeit in order to contrast civic education with propaganda or manipulation.

Keywords

• Adorno
• autonomy
• bildung
• indoctrination
• instrumentalization of education
• Mündigkeit
• plasticity of human beings
• propaganda