Russell F. Farnen Preface

19 Russell F. Farnen Preface This book is a direct result of two particular events (namely, the Research Committee on Political Education's panel contributions to the International Political Science Association's XV World Congress in Buenos Aires, Ar- gentina, July 21-25, 1991, and the IPSA/RCPE international round table conference, "Reconceptualizing Political Education and Political Socializa- tion for the 21st Century," held in Boca Raton, Florida, USA, January 7-11, 1992). The papers either distributed or presented at the latter conference comprise the bulk of this book, with only a few coming from the IPSA World Congress. Since not all of the contributions could be included in this volume because of space restrictions, only those which focussed on political culture, socialization, cognitions, and/or education are presented here for the sake of conceptual and theoretical unity. This book, then, would not have been produced were it not for these two conferences. Therefore, we are all particularly indebted to the panel chairs and organizers who gathered these groups of fine scholars and their profes- sional products together so that we may share the benefits of international research on a common set of themes. In this regard, we are all especially grateful to Professors Bernhard Claussen of Hamburg (FRG) and Suna Kili of Bogazici (Istanbul, Turkey) Universities for their conference organizing work, while they served as the RCPE chair and co-chair persons, respectively, until 1991. Professor Daniel B. German of Appalachian State Uni- versity (Boone, NC, USA) also assisted these efforts - gathering papers, diskettes, and mailing lists and attending to other conference planning es- sentials so that both these RCPE-sponsored activities came to pass. The result of these efforts has been a book representing views from ten countries (particularly those from the Netherlands, Germany, Hungary, and the Unit- ed States, which were the countries most fully represented at these meetings) on the major topic of reconceptualizing these four topical areas. 20 The publication of this book also affords us an opportunity to thank Eleanor and Elliot Goldstein of SIRS, Boca Raton, FL, USA, and members of their staff (particularly Jennifer Gulden, Rosemary Wilson, and Brenda Siebert) who co-sponsored the conference with Lynn University, Appalachian State University, and the University of Connecticut. This conference was excel- lently organized and superbly administered thanks to Ms. Goldstein's co- chairing and the SIRS Publishing Company (which made its dining and meeting facilities, transportation, and audiovisual equipment, and printing services available to conferees). The opportunity participants had to inter- act personally with members of the Boca Raton community (under Vice President Dr. Jennifer Braaten's leadership at Lynn University) was also both a memorable and unique experience, worthy of emulation in future meetings of this sort. It would also be professionally negligent to omit reference to the fine edito- rial, computer, and desktop publishing work of Ms. Martha D. Bowman, whose assistance and careful attention to orderly detail is much appreci- ated. Her work, like mine, was underwritten with the University of Con- necticut Research Foundation's generous help, without which assistance we would all have been hard-pressed, indeed. And, finally, to my wife, Christa, I thank her for the thoughtful gift of so much of her own time as well as our time together. Thanks also to Monika, Mike, and Erika Germaine (who shall surely inherit a better future) and to Tracey and Ted, and "Dexter" Farnen, my last three real fans. May also I take this opportunity to express to all of you dear people my heartfelt thanks for your enthusiastic support for these international ventures which so often take me so far away, yet keep you ever on my mind and always in my heart. West Hartford, CT, USA October 1992 21 PART I Setting the Context Russell Farnen 1 Introduction 21 A Basis for the Reconceptualization Process 21 1.1 Abstract 21 1.2 Part I: Setting the Context 21 1.3 Part II: Contrasting Political and Cultural Environments 22 1.4 Part III: Political Socialization 26 1.5 Part IV: Political Education 27 1.6 Part V: Reconceptualization, Integration, and the Future 31 1.7 Part VI: Summing Up 33 1 Introduction A Basis for the Reconceptualization Process 1.1 Abstract This chapter introduces the reader to the major sections, themes, and con- tent of the book, including its international, future-oriented, and thematic focus on politics, socialization, cognitions, and civic education, both using national and cross-national perspectives as a method of comparative analysis. 1.2 Part I: Setting the Context This book is divided into six parts, including two introductory and conclud- ing sections. The other four parts deal, respectively, with political culture, political socialization, political education, and the likely potential and future course of important developments in these areas. The primary focus of the volume is on concepts, emerging trends and topics, research fields, organizing frameworks, practical programs, cross-national comparisons, and 22 other recent international advances which have relevance to (and meaning for) the reconceptualization of politics, socialization, cognition, and education for civic purposes as we approach the fin de siècle. Practical and educational as well as social scientific and theoretical observations and propos- als are presented throughout the volume, but especially in parts V and VI. 1.3 Part II: Contrasting Political and Cultural Environments This section, the largest part of the book, lays out some of the unique and common political, economic, social, and cultural features providing a back- drop for socialization, learning, and educational experiences in Eastern and Western Europe, as well as Turkey and the United States. This background information provides a basic context to estimate the extent to which some of the imperatives for democratic government and education are present (or absent) in countries as diverse as Germany, the Ukraine, Turkey, or Slove- nia, for example. The Farnen/German study of political processes and institutions, communications, and education in seven Central and Eastern European countries summarizes responses from correspondents in these countries. They re- ported on pre- and post-1989 changes in three separate, but related, cultural sectors as well as on repressive forces, nationalism, and ethnic toleration. The significant growth in critical democratic tendencies was noted in all countries, except what was formerly Yugoslavia (where Communist Party control, threats of military force, restricted communications, and educational stultification combined with ethnic intolerance to produce a less-than- democratic character to that benighted area of conflict in the post-communist era). Minority toleration in eastern Germany also decreased, while in- dices of nationalistic fervor rose there and in all countries, except for Bul- garia and Romania. By far, Yugoslavia showed the least visible movement toward democratization, with big shifts seen in Bulgaria, the now-fracturing Czech and Slovak Republics, and Romania, and more modest gains re- ported in eastern Germany, Hungary, and Poland (which three states were further along this road in the first place). This baseline study also revealed that educational institutions were the slowest to change, following other so- cietal trends in the move toward democratization. This study also provides some useful summary information on politics and government in the East- ern region (except for the CIS area) as well as some comparative results drawn from Western European public opinion surveys. 23 The eastern German case study on the New Forum's role in the October 1989 Revolution, as well as its subsequent development in the Rostock area, provides us with a microcosmic analysis of one group's contribution to the growth of middle-class democratic and political institutions and processes in this part of a unified Germany. Schmidtbauer's historical account provides detailed proof that the New Forum citizens' movement was broadly participative and had as its goals a multi-party system, democratic socialism, social reconstruction, anti-fascism, and legitimacy for two separate German states. The Rostock Round Table actually seized political power from the Communist Party and governed the city from February through May 1990. Their "draft constitution" provided for a broad degree of citizen participation, initiatives, and veto power. Although this alliance in the "Bundnis 90" electoral coalition in May 1990 netted them a 10% share in the Rostock city government, they failed to have a great effect on the new city charter's character or mode of operation. Continuing political activity since September 1990 in the form of a new civil rights group (or "Citizens Table") has kept a spirit of local initiative, consultation, and pop- ular participation alive in Rostock, which has gradually incorporated a local tradition of continuing citizen involvement in its community politics, deci- sion making, and local political culture. The three chapters on Poland illustrate the continuing effect of previous political culture on recent political reforms, the retraining of university teach- ers for a new political/economic environment, and the reassessment of Pol- ish nationalism and its dimensions, including respondents' views on Hun- garians and

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