European Education – the Key to Raising European Citizens? Chances and Challenges of Political Education in German Secondary Schools

Sammanfattning

The formation and existence of a European identity has been subject of a heated debate for decades among scholars. It is often seen as crucial for the support of the European Union. This paper argues that European identity is the result of a process of identification with the EU and/or Europe which is especially important for young people to familiarise themselves with. The analysis investigates curricula and textbooks used in German secondary schools in the federal states of Baden-Wuerttemberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Thuringia regarding theoretical knowledge (Europabildung) and practical skills (Europakompetenzen). It aims at answering the question to what extent the textbooks shape identification processes towards of a European identity. The challenges and deficits which become visible in the analysis are complemented by exemplary alternatives of European education outside of school.