Towards a “democratic socialization” of elementary school students?

Towards a “democratic socialization” of elementary school students?

• Louis LeVasseur, Université Laval, Canada

• Stéphanie Duval, Université Laval (doctorante), Canada

doi : 10.18162/fp.2012.174

Résumé

Since the 1960s, democratized education has been established throughout Québec, along with the promotion of individualism and empowerment. However, some question whether the socialization modes currently used in Québec schools have been inherited from inherited religious beliefs—described as austere, impersonal, and restrictive—, or whether we have advanced to a new form of “democratic socialization.” This question is considered from the angle of dialogues and student participation in developing classroom rules. This article belongs to the research stream that criticizes the school as a place of confnement, where no real progress has been made in the last 50 years. On the contrary, it is viewed as a mismanaged system of uninspired teachers and shortlived methods. These critiques are more ideological in nature (or even biased) rather than proper sociological analyses.

Abstract

Since the 1960s, democratized education has been established throughout Québec, along with the promotion of individualism and empowerment. However, some question whether the socialization modes currently used in Québec schools have been inherited from inherited religious beliefs—described as austere, impersonal, and restrictive—, or whether we have advanced to a new form of “democratic socialization.” This question is considered from the angle of dialogues and student participation in developing classroom rules. This article belongs to the research stream that criticizes the school as a place of confnement, where no real progress has been made in the last 50 years. On the contrary, it is viewed as a mismanaged system of uninspired teachers and shortlived methods. These critiques are more ideological in nature (or even biased) rather than proper sociological analyses.