Editorial: Testing and Diagnosing Social Science Literacy

Abstract

A year ago the Journal of Social Science Education 4/2010 invites to debate the foundation of social science literacy. What are the competences, and ‘what are’ the contents, and individual needs to understand the relations, systems and orders of society, economy and politics? What helps to make autonomously found decisions and responsible judgements in individual and social life? What kind of abilities are needed for autonomous action within ones own life in order to participate within the given frames of society, economy and politics, in shaping them or in creating new rules. Search and discussion of the relevant concepts and competences in the domain of social science education are going on. Nevertheless the research on testing and diagnosing social science literacy is carried as well – despite the absence of a consensus on content.