by Eric Schneider (This paper was first published at the 1st Virtual Congress on World Citizenship and Global Democratic Governance, July 1-31 2006 Your COMMENTS This is an updated version with additional illustrations, links and resources |  |
"Positive Changemaking is Democracy: co-creating change for the Greater, Common Good."
The author understands democracy not as a goal but as a means of achieving a global, peaceful, just and sustainable civilisation.
The first part of this paper looks at democracy not merely on the level of a particular form of decision-making structures but on the level of "democracy-literate citizens"; citizens that do not understand only the ABC of democracy - legislative bodies, parliaments and voting methods, but more importantly: dialogue and decision-making formats and their contextual adaptation and application on any level of communal interrelation - for co-creative decision-finding and: consequent action. See also "Dialogues and Conversations" Heiner Benking, 2006, http://benking.de/dialog/dialogues-conversations. Of course, this requires sound awareness of priority issues appropriate of our times: the Greater Common Good.
The second part of the paper looks at what kind of education / learning / experience environments applicable in schools, youth environments and public nurture the creative, active democratic competence and mindset of a Fair Global Citizen.
Link to the paper:
