Should Patriotism Be Taught in State Schools?
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SHOULD PATRIOTISM BE TAUGHT IN STATE SCHOOLS? by CLARE GORDON BUNTIĆ A thesis submitted to the University of Birmingham for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department of Philosophy of Education School of Education University of Birmingham September 2017 University of Birmingham Research Archive e-theses repository This unpublished thesis/dissertation is copyright of the author and/or third parties. The intellectual property rights of the author or third parties in respect of this work are as defined by The Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or as modified by any successor legislation. Any use made of information contained in this thesis/dissertation must be in accordance with that legislation and must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the permission of the copyright holder. ABSTRACT The teaching of progressive patriotism, as an inclusive, open-ended and interpretive project, is needed in state schooling to counter significant threats to modern liberal democracies. This thesis argues that various forms of civic education, with a particular focus on England over recent decades, have not been adequate. It is argued here that these conceptions of civic education have all, in various ways, failed to provide enough vital force to engage the young in our increasingly complex and demanding plural democracies. An important affective dimension has been missing. Recent civic education has also failed to be sufficiently liberal by promoting an exclusive sense of national solidarity. It is argued here that these failures need to be addressed given the levels of informed, critical democratic engagement needed in our complex modern democracies and the real and growing threats they face. For example, our increasingly diverse and unequal liberal societies, operating within an era of globalisation, have spawned a rise in chauvinistic and emotionally potent conceptions of exclusive national identity. What is needed to counter this threat is a conception of patriotic education that adheres to liberal principles whilst developing affective affiliation to the country through a liberal, multicultural, democratic national building project. DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to my beloved Krešimir, Katie and Luka 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My deepest and sincerest thanks go to my supervisor, Professor Michael Hand, who has stood by me, pushed and pulled me through the agony - and some ecstasy - of this long venture. His endless patience, generous support and rigorous challenges have embodied the liberal values I aim to defend and have been both grounding and inspiring. Many sincere thanks go to my second supervisor Dr Ben Kotzee who provided valuable encouragement and insights at a crucial stage. Ruby Hake, my wonderful, eagle-eyed niece, who offered superb support at a critical time; thank you. Heartfelt thanks to you, my dear friend Dr Michele Paule, for the unshakeable faith and support over many years. My family have been the most extraordinary source of continual support and encouragement. My late father, Andrew Hake, continues to an inspiration and a role model. My mother, Jean Hake, has enormous respect for learning and has spurred me on. Thank you for providing me with the motivation, Mum. My parents-in-law, Jure and Katica Buntić are due deep thanks for their unconditional faith in me. It has been humbling. My beloved children, Katie and Luka, thank you for your belief, and for the fun and frolics. You are both a source of continual inspiration and admiration. To my beloved husband, Krešimir Buntić, who is a master of loving well, I express deep gratitude and admiration. How fortunate I am to be loved with such truthful perception and so unconditionally. Last, but by no means least, to Etta our faithful hound. Thank you for that chin on my lap just when I needed it. Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 1 Why the need for patriotic education? ................................................................................... 6 How I address the argument ................................................................................................ 15 CHAPTER 1: A REVIEW OF UK GOVERNMENT POLICY FOR CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION .................................................................................................................. 19 Citizenship education: a contingent concept and contested terrain .................................... 24 Some historical context to the civic education agenda ........................................................ 32 Civic education 1970s to 1997 ............................................................................................. 42 New Labour and citizenship education: 1997-2005 ............................................................ 46 Citizenship education 2005 - 2010: a greater emphasis on nation building ....................... 60 Coalition and Conservative approaches to civic education 2010 – 2016 ............................ 73 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 79 CHAPTER 2: WHAT IS PATRIOTISM? ......................................................................... 82 An overview of three views on the definition of patriotism .................................................. 84 What kind of love is patriotic love? ...................................................................................... 88 What is the object of patriotic love? ..................................................................................... 98 One’s country ..................................................................................................................... 104 A defence of the traditional definition: love of one’s country ............................................ 107 CHAPTER 3: WHY DOES LIBERAL DEMOCRACY NEED PATRIOTISM? ............. 109 What are the qualities of liberal democratic citizens? ....................................................... 110 Minimal tolerance of patriotism within liberal democracies ............................................. 112 Can liberal democracy’s need for patriotism be justified on remedial grounds? .............. 117 Liberal democracy’s reliance on pre-political, civic bonds ............................................... 120 Pre-political civic bonds .................................................................................................... 122 Civic bonds as liberal patriotic bonds ............................................................................... 127 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................... 128 CHAPTER 4: WHAT KIND OF PATRIOTISM IS NEEDED FOR FLOURISHING LIBERAL DEMOCRACY? ............................................................................................ 130 Tribal patriotism that threatens liberal democracy ........................................................... 132 Blind patriotism: our country right or wrong .................................................................... 134 Trait-based patriotism: loving one’s country only for its loveable qualities ..................... 135 Belligerent patriotism: love of country that comes at too high a price .............................. 137 Constitutional and civic patriotism .................................................................................... 140 Liberal nationalism ............................................................................................................ 148 Patriotism as a national-cultural dialogue ........................................................................ 152 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................... 155 CHAPTER 5: IS PATRIOTIC EDUCATION COMPATIBLE WITH LIBERAL EDUCATION? ..............................................................................................................157 Two broad conceptions of liberal education: education that ‘liberates’ and politically liberal education ................................................................................................................ 158 The first broad conception of liberal education: liberating education .............................. 160 The second broad conception of liberal education: liberal political education ................ 169 4 Reconciling the broad conceptions of liberal education .................................................... 175 Arguments claiming that patriotic education is illiberal ................................................... 176 Patriotic education as liberal education ............................................................................ 187 CHAPTER 6: PATRIOTIC EDUCATION IN CONTEXTS OF STRUGGLE FOR LIBERAL DEMOCRACY .............................................................................................. 195 What is nation building? .................................................................................................... 200 Teaching for war ................................................................................................................ 203 Post conflict liberal democratic nation building and patriotic education ......................... 205 Patriotic education for nation building in Croatia ...........................................................