Hoe word je een democratische burger? Over de complexiteit van democratisch burgerschap in een pluriforme, moderne samenleving

Abstract

To be able and willing to become a democratic citizen in a pluralist society, a person needs to develop a positive attitude towards democracy and diversity. This article discusses a couple of elements that are considered prerequisite for a young person to be willing and able to develop a 'true' democratic attitude. These elements, categorised in five dimensions of democratic citizenship, are the result of a literature study about features of democratic citizenship from several disciplines: sociology, psychology, philosophy, pedagogy and political science. This theoretical frame is part of an empirical study that investigated the way in which youngsters in Utrecht relate to their citizenship, especially towards the democratic and pluralist character of the Dutch society. The empirical study also investigates the validity of the theoretical frame.