Citizenship and citizenship education: a critical discourse analysis of the Zimbabwe Presidential Commission Report

Title
Citizenship and citizenship education: a critical discourse analysis of the Zimbabwe Presidential Commission Report
Publication Date
2011
Author(s)
Sigauke, Aaron
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5743-7076
Email: tsigauke@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:tsigauke
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Sage Publications Ltd
Place of publication
United Kingdom
DOI
10.1177/1746197910397913
UNE publication id
une:11426
Abstract
Educational discourse, like other fields, is not neutral. Through policy documents it has ideological functions of transmitting dominant cultures and serving certain sectional interest groups. In Zimbabwe 1998 was characterized by radical political discontent as witnessed by a rise in student activism and the formation of the main political opposition party. It is during this same year that a government appointed commission recommended a citizenship education that would 'mould' young people so that they 'conform' to expectations of the 'adult society'. This article examines possibilities for other underlying ideological motives in the recommendation for citizenship education in the curriculum. It does so through a critical discourse analysis of a chapter on citizenship education in the commission's report. The article concludes that there are possibilities for other underlying motives in the recommendation for a citizenship education regarded as a cure for the perceived anti-social behaviour among young people.
Link
Citation
Education, Citizenship and Social Justice, 6(1), p. 69-86
ISSN
1746-1987
1746-1979
Start page
69
End page
86

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