16. September, 17:00 CEST | Civics in the Hot Seat: Civic Education & Politische Bildung Under Pressure
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Civics and history education has received an enormous increase in attention recently from policy-makers, funders, and the general public in both Germany and the U.S. Similar societal challenges – racism and anti-Semitism, right-wing populism and extremism, political polarization and increasing mistrust of democracy itself – have led to increasing calls on civics as a solution. Political controversy, however, has accompanied these demands for more and better civic learning. In this panel and interactive conversation, we will look to see how debates are taking shape beyond our own national contexts by exploring the current political debates around civic and history education in the US and Germany and how individual actors and the field as a whole can respond to these challenges and opportunities. We will be joined by an expert panel:
- Dr. Helle Becker, Transfer für Bildung e.V.
- Saba-Nur Cheema, Bildungsstätte Anne Frank
- Shawn Healy, PhD, CivXNow
- Caroline Klibanoff, Made By Us
11. Oktober, 18:00 CEST | The Legacies of Reeducation in Germany and Beyond
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The US-led reeducation of German society in the post-World War II period is often considered the main impetus behind the foundation of “politische Bildung” in Germany. Based around the idea of an exceptional American democratic model, the postwar programs to reeducate and democratize the German population have had lasting (and sometimes unintended) effects – on both sides of the Atlantic. How relevant are the institutions, approaches, and theoretical influences borne of that period on civic education and society still today? As both Germany and the US struggle to reckon with systemic racism as well as their respective histories of colonization and enslavement, they also face anti-democratic sentiments and navigate civic education in increasingly diverse societies. In this context, it is worth revisiting the long-term and ambivalent impact of reeducation on society and the field today. In better understanding the motivations, conditions, and lasting influence of postwar reeducation, we hope to better understand how to confront the challenges of our time. We will be joined by Dr. Katharina Gerund of the FAU Erlangen-Nuernberg University to help us explore these vital questions.