“The book by Vasiliki Missiridi is a particularly welcome addition to the discussion surrounding the requirements of democratic education. Drawing from the actions of the two leading European institutions, the study serves as a reminder of the responsibility for democratic political inclusion and the organized coexistence of citizens based on fundamental European values as an apprenticeship in the virtues of democratic communal life.” DIMITRIS N. CHRYSOCHOUS, Professor of Theory and Institutions of European Integration at Panteion University.

“The book by Ms. Missiridi constitutes an important contribution to the field of citizenship education and political socialization, as it captures contemporary reflections, dilemmas, and issues in both the Greek and European contexts through specific examples. In particular, it highlights the aims, tools, and challenges faced by key stakeholders in formal education in promoting democratic education and fostering European consciousness and active citizenship.

The study is based on significant primary and secondary material that illuminates the different models and examples of citizen education and highlights the contradictions and different educational and pedagogical paradigms in combination with the national, European, and global context. This specific scientific work sheds light on a particularly sensitive issue concerning the role of education and school knowledge, the position of the educator, and educational practices in the field of cultivating political perceptions and values.

Today, this issue is particularly timely and necessitates vigilance and action due to the increasing populism, the discussion about post-truth, and the overarching political, social, and economic crisis. The topic of citizen education is once again emerging as a subject of discussion and a field of resistance to the ongoing crisis, radicalization, and the manifestation of racist, stereotypical attitudes and behaviors.

Key axes of this new citizen education are the media and digital perspective, participation through specific educational actions, the cultivation of democracy and human rights within the school environment itself, and the interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approach.” DESPOINA KARAKATSANI, Professor at the Department of Social and Educational Policy, University of Peloponnese