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Civics, Citizenship & Political Literacy Working Group

About

Formed at the AGM in 2014, the objectives of the Civics, Citizenship and Political Literacy Working Group are:

  • To support civics and citizenship for all students in New Zealand Aotearoa
  • To improve working relationships between teachers and the NZPSA - to consider how political scientists can help professional development of educators and support teaching and learning
  • To help inform national conversations about civics and citizenship in a period of rapid change

History

To enable the objectives of the Working Group, the tasks of the Working Group and the needs of schools were the focus of a two day workshop in August 2015 at University of Canterbury hosted by the Working Group and including representatives of the Social Studies Teachers Association, Education Advisors to the Ministry of Education and Electoral Commission, as well as allied researchers and student representatives. This meeting confirmed the immediate tasks presented and confirmed by NZPSA at the national conference in December 2015 to:

1. Develop a web page portal that directs readers to networks for citizenship, civics and political literacy and provides some brief exemplars of best practice teaching and community learning

2. Contribute to national conversations and strategic policy reviews about civics, citizenship and political literacy

3. Source funds and resources to support the capacity and capability of teachers of civics, citizenship and political literacy in local areas through teacher fellowships, local academic / student speakers

Events and Initiatives

The Civics, Citizenship and Political Literacy Working Group has hosted and participated in a number of events and initiatives.

  • In 2022 the working group made a formal submission to the Independent Electoral Review Panel calling for the voting age to be lowered to 16 in Aotearoa New Zealand (more below).
  • In 2020, in collaboration with the University of Canterbury Civics-Lab, the working group held two online workshops: 
    • Where to next with Civics, Citizenship and Political Literacy Education in Aotearoa NZ? 

We share our views about new curriculum developments. Panel members include: Prof Bronwyn Hayward (University of Canterbury), Prof Angus Macfarlane (University of Canterbury), Dr Bronwyn Wood (Victoria University of Wellington), Dr Lara Greaves (University of Auckland), Katie Potter (Cognition Education), Richard Thornton (NZ Electoral Commission), Alylia Denzeisen (Islamic NZ Women’s Council), and Josiah Tuamaili’I (Pacific youth leadership and Transformation). It can be viewed here

    • Where to next with Civics, Citizenship and Political Literacy Education in Aotearoa NZ?
A panel of experts share their views. Workshop speakers include: Prof Bronwyn Hayward (University of Canterbury), Gina Dao McLay (Make it 16 Campaign NZ), Dr Sarah Pickard (Université Sorbonne Nouvelle), Dr Jan Eichhorn (University of Edinburgh), Dr Andy Mycock (University of Huddesfield), Prof James Sloan (Royal Holloway University), Dr Lara Greaves (University of Auckland), and Dr Kate Prendergast (University of Canterbury). It can be viewed here.
  • A discussion paper, Our Civic Future: Civics, Citizenship and Political Literacy in Aotearoa New Zealand A Public Discussion Paper was released in November 2018, with a launch at Parliament (more below). 
  • The working group co-hosted a parliamentary national workshop on Civics, Citizenship, and Political Literacy on the 10th of October 2016. A write up about the workshop can be found here.
  • The working group made formal submissions to the review of the NZ Education Act December 2015, and attended a hui called by the Ministry of Culture and Heritage in February 2016 to discuss teaching and learning about citizenship.

Publications

Submission - Extending the Franchise to 16 and 17-year-olds

Read our submission to the 2022 Independent Electoral Review/He Arotake Pōtitangi Motuhake, calling for the extension of the franchise to 16 and 17-year-olds in Aotearoa New Zealand here.

Discussion Paper - Our Civic Future

Read our discussion paper that brings together contributions from researchers, educators and advocates working to improve the way we ‘do civics’ in Aotearoa New Zealand.

This discussion paper follows on from the 2014 working party and subsequent NZPSA workshops held between 2015 and 2017. It reflects the input and contributions of political and social scientists, community advocates, educators, business and young leaders who have worked as writers, or reviewers to summarise best practices for teaching civics, citizenship, and political literacy through-out life. We consider what governments, communities, schools and businesses can do to strengthen our democracy by supporting the citizen’s capacity to participate in public life. The choice of what sort of democracy we aspire to, and the values and skills we think are important for citizenship, are ultimately decisions and choices for the whole community. This report aims to inform public discussion about how to build resilience into our democratic system.

Read the report here, and the launch programme here

Key Terms

The following working definitions have been proposed for key terms:

What is Civics?

In political science, civics is used broadly to refer to the knowledge, skills and shared expectations of citizens who participate in, and sustain, democracies.

What is Citizenship? 

It is both a legal status and lived experience. In legal terms citizenship is conferred on those in a community who hold rights to make claims and seek support from a community (the right to vote, to assemble, the right to access to education, health and social needs for example) and in turn have legal responsibilities to sustain and maintain that community, (through for example, paying taxes, obeying laws, voting and becoming informed).

However citizenship is also the outcome of lived experience, of being, belonging and participating in a community, in ways that support, maintain and enable a community to function effectively.

What is Political Literacy?

The ability to understand and interpret information about how and why community decisions are made (or not made), to support citizens to think critically, and make informed choices or take action where necessary, (often in cooperation with others), to advance particular concerns and interests, while also considering the possible consequences and impacts of these choices and actions for themselves and others.

Membership

If you wish to the join the working group and be a part of our mailing list, please contact the Convenor of the Working Group, Dr. Helena Cook

Prof. Bronwyn HaywardTe Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury

Dr Therese ArseneauTe Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury

Associate Professor Maria BarghTe Herenga Waka–Victoria University of Wellington

Dr Patrick BarrettTe Whare Wānanga o Waikato | University of Waikato 

Dr Raven Cretney, Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato | University of Waikato

Professor Jennifer Curtin, Waipapa Taumata Rau | University of Auckland

Will Dreyer, PhD student, Te Herenga Waka–Victoria University of Wellington

Dr Bryce EdwardsTe Herenga Waka–Victoria University of Wellington

Morgan Godfery, Te Whare Wānanga o Ōtākou | University of Otago

Professor Bethan Greener, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa | Massey University

Dr Tom Gregory,  Waipapa Taumata Rau | University of Auckland

Professor Bronwyn HaywardTe Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury 

Professor Janine HaywardTe Whare Wānanga o Ōtākou | University of Otago

Dr Iati IatiTe Herenga Waka–Victoria University of Wellington

Dr Dean KnightTe Herenga Waka–Victoria University of Wellington

Dr Lindsey Te Ata o Tu MacDonald, Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury

Professor Donald Matheson, Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury

Associate Professor Kate McMillianTe Herenga Waka–Victoria University of Wellington

Dr Julienne MolineauxTe Wānanga Aronui o Tāmaki Makau Rau Auckland University of Technology 

Dr  Nicholas MunnTe Whare Wānanga o Waikato | University of Waikato

Professor Karen NairnTe Whare Wānanga o Ōtākou | University of Otago

Dr Sylvia Nissen, Te Whare Wānaka o Aoraki | Lincoln University

Dr Nigel Parsons, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa | Massey University

Professor Robert PatmanTe Whare Wānanga o Ōtākou | University of Otago

Dr Kate PrendergastTe Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury

Dr Tara RossTe Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury

Professor Richard Shaw, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa| Massey University 

Associate Professor Vicki Spencer, Te Whare Wānanga o Ōtākou | University of Otago

Professor Alex TanTe Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury

Dr Claire Timperley, Te Herenga Waka–Victoria University of Wellington

Associate Professor Jane Verbitsky, Te Wānanga Aronui o Tāmaki Makau Rau Auckland University of Technology 

Expert Advisors

Rachel Bolstad NZ Council for Education Research

Dr Jan Eichhorn, University of Edinburgh

Professor Angus Hikairo Macfarlane Māori Research, Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury

Dr Andrea Milligan, Te Herenga WakaVictoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

Associate Professor Carol Mutch Head of School, Critical Studies in Education, Waipapa Taumata Rau | University of Auckland

Dr Sarah Pickard, University in Paris - Sorbonne Université

Dr Bronwyn Wood School of Education, Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University Wellington

NZPSA Postgraduate Representatives

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