Högskolan i Skövde

Democracy is often handled as something that has to be learned through formal education. Moreover, there is a strong tendency to see the role of education as that of the preparation of children, young and adults for their future active participation in democratic life. A problem with this view is that it relies on the idea that the promise for a democratic citizenship is situated in the existence of an accurately educated citizenry; so that once all citizens have received their education democracy will be pursued. In this paper I will suggest an altered understanding of democratic life that may be considered as encouraged by Social Movements- activities. It will be argued that democracy is something that can be learned by a specific form of existence rather than by a specific set of educational conditions.