Bernhard Claussen

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Bernhard Claussen (born April 7, 1948 in Hamburg ) is a qualified pedagogue , political scientist and university professor at the Institute for Didactics of Politics at the University of Hamburg .

activities

Bernhard Claußen is a freelancer at various institutions for social science further education and political youth and adult education, he also works with ETHICA (an interdisciplinary quarterly publication for responsibility in science, research, teaching and behavior), is a member of the professional association of German sociologists and in society's policy teacher. His work focuses on technical and didactic-methodical foundations of political education, theory and practice of political socialization as well as problem areas of a democratic political culture , political science , pedagogy and political dimensions of critical-emancipatory social theory .

Bernhard Claußen is editor / editor of the social science review of the study society for social science and political education.

Focus of work

Political education

content

The purpose of political education is to bring political issues closer to people. By broadening awareness , the characteristics and opportunities of political changes are to be made clear with the aim of gaining competence in the assessment and handling of politically relevant situations, primarily in the democratic regulation of public affairs . Objects are key problems that have an impact on life and influence people as a social and personal being ( Gerhard Wurzbacher ). These problems are discussed in discussion groups ( school lessons , evening courses, etc.). The functioning of institutions , regulations, procedures and content are discussed on the basis of these investigations . In this context, participation on an intellectual, emotional and operational level should be achieved.

position

Claussen primarily deals with the neglected topics of political education that are in the context of a discussion deficit in German democracy. He emphasizes the relevance of political education with regard to German reunification . According to Claussen, the reunification process is far from over; on the contrary, it needs much more attention and a more precise, detailed presentation, in the public and professional world. Otherwise there is a risk that unrecognized, as untreated, factors impair the association in a negative way. As neglected factors, he names economic and social standardization, accumulated and concentrated feelings and distorted perceptions on the part of East Germans and West Germans. The decisive factor, however, is the unity of the people, and that is why they must be involved, they must participate in the face of this tense challenge.

Another focus of Claussens concerns the environmental sector: He sees the genetic engineering discourse as neglected. While at the beginning of the 90s there was still discussion about the risks and advantages of genetic engineering, the discussion died out three years later due to economic interests (securing the location and competitiveness in international competition). Since the population's clear aversion to genetic engineering is also being ignored, Claußen sees not only neglecting the discussion as a danger, but also jeopardizing the meaning of such a discussion if its concerns are completely ignored.

Political socialization

content

Political socialization describes a lifelong, individually different and very complex process that, shaped by psychological and environmental factors, includes the emergence and change of political dimensions in the human individual. Every interaction between individuals and their political environment or the social, cultural, economic and civilizational environment influences the spiritual, emotional and operational disposition of these individuals.

One of the central questions of the subject is under what conditions and with what characteristics this either independent or collective development takes place. In the 1960s, the subject of political socialization established itself at American universities, and then increasingly also at German universities. Since then it has been used not only in political education, but also in political practice.

Especially in times of political system changes (breakdowns, upheavals, the emergence of non-governmental and international collectives), fundamental findings and objects of political socialization are an aid to cope with such restructuring (for example, new possibilities and instances in countries must be based on knowledge about and effects of socialization factors created with a formerly oppressed population who are, for example, committed to political education). The design, nature and orientation of such facilities is part of practical socialization.

Using the example of basic education at Mahatma Gandhi , Bernhard Claußen has promoted an educational approach in the scientific series "Studies on Political Didactics" that has meanwhile achieved worldwide importance in emerging countries and developing societies.

position

According to Claussen, social practice and the formation of scientific theories about political socialization are very problematic. In theory, one is faced with the problem that, due to the loosely linked to established sciences, political socialization as a cross-sectional task is rarely directly mentioned and, if at all, is mostly overlaid by the relation of the subject to the actual initial problem. Furthermore, a negative terminology prevails in the general public through association with unconventional, undesirable political thinking, or different understandings of politicization (politicization as increased intervention by the state, politicization as a secret educational measure by state institutions, etc.). Ultimately, there is no complete identification of oneself (of political socialization) as an instrument of political communication with the awareness of the scope and consequences of their influence. Practice faces the problem of the various areas of responsibility or socialization factors and their design. Claussen advocates using a broad concept of authority that typologizes the individual socialization factors in different classes. As there would be:

• Central authorities with primary and reinforcing effects to lay the foundations for politicization. These include basic living spaces that are or were accessible to every individual: family, school, cliques or friendships, workplace, access to or influence of mass media, etc.
• Instances with educational relevance as a direct or indirect addition to political socialization. These include institutions whose completion / attendance is by no means a prerequisite or compulsory: youth activities (sports clubs etc.), extracurricular facilities such as adult education centers, universities, state institutions for military or community service or also penal institutions or hospitals, etc.
• Instances of socialization standards (this includes all short-term or long-term living conditions that secure or threaten livelihood), with extreme influence on the central and pedagogically relevant authorities:

- the general economic conditions and your own economic situation

- the resulting lifestyle including access to various facilities, money-spending options, etc.

–Religious or cultural principles

Mostly these are factors that are omnipresent, but are not perceived as that, and the effects are also felt more indirectly.

• Elements of the political system that encompass the other instances and have a direct impact on political socialization. These include state institutions (which, for example, define the framework conditions for all of the above-mentioned bodies) and citizens 'movements (e.g. mass demonstrations that restrict the politicians' freedom of action), as well as regulatory principles such as parliamentarism. It is important that these instances are reality, i. In other words, they are not just a topic, they can be experienced directly, and only small elite groups are involved in them.

These authorities act on different people in different ways, with different strengths and at different times, and thus direct political socialization.

Works

• Preschool, Emancipation and Political-Social Education (1973)
• Materials on Political Socialization (1976)
• On the theory of political education in elementary and primary schools (1977)
• Social Education and Political Learning in Pre-primary Sector (1978)
• Aspects of Political Education (1979)
• Critical Education Science (1979)
• Political Socialization in Theory and Practice (1980)
• Methodology of Political Education (1981)
• Critical Political Didactics (1981)
• Political Learning through Visual Communication (1982)
• Handbook of Political Socialization (1982)
• Sex Education Controversial (1982)
• Didactic Concepts for Social Learning (1984)
• Political Education and Critical Theory (1985)
• Family circuses - cultural work without a net and a false bottom? (1986)
• Didactics and Social Sciences (1987)
• Development and testing of an informal test for political education (1988)
• Political Socialization of the Young in East and West (1990)
• Development of Democracy and Political Adult Education (1991)
• Politics in Teacher Training (1993)
• Copings (1995)
• Principles of Political Science (1995)
• Political Education and Women's Emancipation (1998)
• Political Personality and Representation (1998)
• Environmental Education Discourses (2000)
• Texts on political education I, II, III (2002)
• Political Education (2001)
• The politicization of man (2001)
• Political Crisis - Political Education in Crisis (2001)
• Politics - Education - Society. For Wolfgang Lobeda on his 70th birthday (2002)
• Family as a Political Issue (2002)

Web links

• Literature by and about Bernhard Claussen in the catalog of the German National Library