GOV127100 Politics in Everyday Life Chapter 4: Citizenship PDF

GOV127100: Politics in Everyday Life Chapter 4: Citizenship Porsche Ruengvirayudh, PhD Chapter 4: Citizenship Citizenship Political Culture and Citizenship Citizen and Democracy Global Citizenship Objectives Understand definition and characteristics of citizen Vi...

GOV127100: Politics in Everyday Life Chapter 4: Citizenship Porsche Ruengvirayudh, PhD Chapter 4: Citizenship Citizenship Political Culture and Citizenship Citizen and Democracy Global Citizenship Objectives Understand definition and characteristics of citizen View relation between citizenship and democracy development Understand definition and characteristics of global citizenship Introduction Citizenship has become issue that world society pays attention to again by relating it with increasing interest in state policies such as welfare, education, public health, and labor (job) market. This is because citizenship has been involved in issues about basic problems prior to discussing state policy. Introduction (Cont.) There are at least 3 relevant basic issues: 1. Who should be included as members of society? This is relevant to issue regarding which group should be the goal of state regarding policy or who should state be responsible for. 2. To what extent those who are members of society should get benefits and have duties? 3. What is their understanding of identity of being members of society? What should be characteristics of that identity? (Aleinikoff & Klusmeyer, 2010, pp. 1) This issue is related to creation of nation-state that is criticized from multicultural trend, which is arguing against trend of creating nation by creating mainstream of culture. Introduction (Cont.) This chapter is about basic understanding of development of thought about citizenship, characteristics of citizen that has been shown and developed since Greek including other characteristics that are NOT citizen but are shown and mixed in society and have become political culture of that society. In addition, characteristics of global citizenship, which are NEW characteristics of humans in globalization dominating social life of humans more and more, will be discussed. This has catalyzed trend regarding creation of national citizen that is still existing, especially in countries that CANNOT adapt to modern world. Political Culture and Citizenship Political Culture and Citizenship Political Culture means set of values, attitudes, feelings, and beliefs of people related to politics, political processes, including political interpretation that has impact on political behaviors of those people and interaction with other groups of people in society. Political culture is the combination of dimensions regarding political psychology and political sentiment. Studying and understanding political culture of each group of people in society leads to prediction of political dynamic. It is also important indicator of developmental level of democracy in society. Political culture is important result of socialization that is process of transferring components of political culture to young generation through social institutions such as family, religion, school, and media (Barrington, 2013, pp.65-69). Political Culture and Citizenship (Cont.) These processes are to cultivate and shape thought and belief of young generation so that they can be a part and have behaviors that are consistent with current political system. However, under globalization that information is wide open, perception of young generation will be expanded, thus resulting in a variety of attitudes and set of values. This has become option, which makes young generation could have political culture that is different from previous generation. This situation in some society leads adaptation of society overall, and it develops political internationality. On the contrary, in some society, this leads to disagreement between extreme conservative side that insists on maintaining old values and those who are ready to face changes because they believe it will lead to better things. Political Culture and Citizenship (Cont.) In political science, political culture get studied a lot in the context of democracy development. Studying political culture in pioneer time was initiated and got interest widely in 1963. From Gabriel Almond and Sydney Verba’s “The Civic Culture,” both used comparison of political culture of many democratic countries (i.e., the US, the UK, West Germany, Italy, and Mexico). Based on conclusions of this study, they found that characteristics of political culture that are pure model could be categorized into 3 types: 3 Types of Political Culture parochial _ not believing that they can influence politics and think that politics is not relevant to them 1. Parochial Political Culture: People vaguely perceive existence of federal government. They do NOT feel that politics is relevant to them, nor do they perceive that they could influence politics. 2. Subject Political Culture: They view that they do NOT participate in political processes, but they are impacted by government policy. They do NOT realize that they could have a role in protecting or expanding their benefits through participating in policy processes. 3. Participant Political Culture: They believe that they could participate in political system and could push policies that benefit them and restrain those hurting them. 3 Types of Political Culture (Cont.) Main suggestion of this study was democratic regime would have the strongest stability in society with attitudes of Parochial Political Culture and Subject Political Culture. This could create appropriate balance to a group with Participant Political Culture. This combination is called Civic Culture. In countries with this political culture, people are enthusiastic about politics enough to express their opinions to rulers, but NOT too much that they can refuse decision that they disagree (Winkler, 2018). Citizen and Democracy Citizen and Democracy Citizen is NOT a standalone term, but it is used together with polis or state. Citizenship is role of people when joining as a member or being a part of state. When speaking of role of joining as a member, Focus on social benefits Relate to role, duty, and responsibility benefiting society, stability, and development of city (e.g., pay taxes to develop city, respect law so that society has order, participating in activities to develop city in many aspects) Citizen and Democracy (Cont.) City with strengths and development will be source of returning in personal benefits of each citizen: Being protected by law, receiving complete welfare, and getting to fully show their performance. To be perfect citizen, we need to learn our duties for society. At the same time, we need to learn our rights that we will receive from joining this polis or state. Citizens need to know how to be ruler and how to be those who are ruled because all of us are in both statuses at all times. Citizen is a form of relation with others who are also in the same polis or state. Citizen and Democracy (Cont.) Minogue (2559) described characteristics of relation among citizens in Athens to point out equality, reasoning, and persuasion, which are political foundation. He also emphasized integration of city/state and citizen that “Each citizen is different in wealth, beauty, and intelligence. However, they are equal as citizens because citizens are reasonable. The only relation appropriate among living things with reasons is persuasion … Greeks respect state law without no one to force them to. They are proud to do so. Their identity is bound with state they live in. The worst fate is exile, which terminates the status as citizen” (Minogue, 2000/2559, p. 27- 28). Citizen and Democracy (Cont.) In Plato’s view shown in his writing “Laws,” he mentioned citizens with moral. The most important characteristic of citizens is having a keen desire to become a perfect citizen. Also, he pointed out that citizenship does NOT occur naturally, but it occurs from cultivation through education which is heart of state creation and development. This is to create at least one part of moral in citizens--Keen desire to become a perfect citizen. Plato pointed out that education is “a training which produces a keen desire to become a perfect citizen who knows how to rule and be ruled as justice demands” (Pangle, 1988). Citizen and Democracy (Cont.) However, citizens’ participation is NOT always good. Some academics in Political Science and Social Sciences pointed out that extreme citizenship or too much participation could also have negative impact. In Almond and Verba’s (1963) comparative study “The Civic Culture,” they found that citizens who were overtly active were obstacles of democratic development because this will destroy political stability. Effective participation should be just sufficient. That is, participating in political activities consistently but not too much that it destroys state power. Citizen and Democracy (Cont.) In Huntington’s (1968) “Political Order in Changing Societies,” he viewed that overtly active citizenship could reduce government stability. Especially, gathering of citizens who have NOT been through effective establishment and management or do NOT have strong sense of institution will be catalyst in increasing tension to society more than institutionalized societies, which are channel to express their political views. This decreases tension in society. Case Study: Creation of Citizens and Creation of Modern Thai State In King Rama 5th time, which is transformation to modern state, important change was creation of citizens, slaves, and commoners who belong to their owners. The change was to make them become citizens directly related to Siam state. Under Monarchy, it means direct relation with King. Citizens during first period of Thailand were created to be civil servants equally under structure of political institution of modern state. Structure that was created was creation of modern military that changes how owners enlist their labors in the past to enlisting them to King’s military. Economically, everyone has become labors in system and needs to pay taxes to treasury, foundation of court of justice was formed by changing from practice used in the past to the use of code of laws. Case Study: Creation of Citizens and Creation of Modern Thai State (Cont.) In addition, during creation of citizens, there was attempt to shape some characteristics through the reform and management of monks who have important role in managing education. This reform is the same as education reform. There was creation of standardized curriculum for each level of school in temples. (In the past, schools in Thailand were in temples.) There was curriculum and content aiming to cultivate characteristics for citizens. For example, “The Etiquette” Book was written to be used in curriculum. The content aims to teach appropriate manners, nice habits, unselfish, trustworthy, and stay away from temptations. These are all important to be citizens. Case Study: Creation of Citizens and Creation of Modern Thai State (Cont.) Moreover, creation of quality of citizens regarding health was focused, which was the first time that state paid attention to people’s health. The first school of medicine and hospital were founded, which was Siriraj Hospital. There was management about city sanitation. The first census was done. Establishing these political and social institutions was a tool to limit the number of people born with creation of modern state. These institutions also support citizenship that just happened, which is important foundation of creation of Siam Nation in future (คริส เบเคอร์ และผาสุก พงษ์ไพจิตร, 2557, น. 107-115). Global Citizenship Global Citizenship In the past, agricultural production was the main way of life in the world. Human relation was limited among family members or neighbors in village, and they could live peacefully. On the contrary, expanding relation to other villages, cities, or cultures in different continents was very difficult. There were only a few people who could do so, and this way of life was NOT what most people desired. Later, industrial production led to wider interaction. Industrial factory has become place where people spent most of their time together with people from other cities and cultures. Global Citizenship (Cont.) Labor movement from rural areas to cities was usual way of life. Scope of human relation was expanded from family or village to those who live in the same state. This happened at the same time as formation of Nation-State and Citizenship. Center of relation of people in society was at Nation, and State has become important medium in managing relation of people in society. Nowadays, Global Citizenship has become important issue. It is getting more important as the world has become more globalized and disrupted from continual development of Information Technology. Global Citizenship (Cont.) This led to wide relation that never happened before. Each person is NOT tied and loyal to any national identity. Source of income are from many careers and countries. Traveling to countries either for work, travel, or education is normal. This way of life has to face a variety of thoughts and practices of people from many nationalities. Or, it is way of life among diversity of cultures. Nowadays, global citizenship is getting more important. Humans need to respond to this change and develop characteristics of global citizenship.  Global Citizenship Model activate *Altruism- self-less concern for the well-being of others competence _ the ability of do something successfully and efficiently Characteristics of Global Citizenship Morais and Ogden (2011) pointed out that global citizen, especially in context of undergraduate education, should have these 3 universal characteristics (Morais & Ogden, 2011, pp. 445–466 ): 1. Social Responsibility: Aware of justice and world’s disparities Understand social issues and relevant incidents Having sympathy and pay attention to other people’s benefits These are from understanding in cultural diversity. Understand issues from point of view from different culture See relation between ourselves and incidents happening anywhere in the world that it is relevant and have impact on our lives, which is personal responsibility that we have to be a part of. Characteristics of Global Citizenship (Cont.) 2. Global Competence: Aware of ourselves regarding limitations and competence in interacting with those with different cultures Able to communicate cross cultures successfully Well-versed in world’s issues and changes such as environment, poverty, war, violation of human rights at global level, and trend of democracy development. Characteristics of Global Citizenship (Cont.) 3. Global Civic Engagement Enthusiastic in participating in world’s civic institutions in many forms including donation and volunteer to be a part of problem solving at global level. NOT indifferent in expressing their political opinions to the public, especially issues regarding global problems Be a part of local movement, which is a part of global problem solving such as local environment campaign. Conclusion Citizenship occurred together with occurrence of city. That is, citizenship is one component of city. Therefore, city movement and development will occur when citizens are involved, which are responsibility and public role. On the contrary, city and public that are developed will protect and allocate welfare to citizens, which are rights receiving in return of performing duties as citizens. Participant Political culture is the heart of city development and democracy development calling for participation as well. Conclusion (Cont.) However, in global changing context, citizenship is NOT limited to roles and duties related to city, citizenship has been expanded the scope of relation to Nation-State. During globalization, global citizenship has become the goal having more wide open characteristics and calling for different participation. Keywords Keywords Citizenship: Characteristic important for creating political community that is strong. Citizens are those who are aware of their rights and duties towards the public and enthusiastic to participate in public activities. Political Culture: Set of values beliefs of a group of people related to politics, political system including political interpretation that has impact on political behaviors of that group of people. Keywords (Cont.) Civic Culture: Sufficient political participation. NOT too much that it leads to destroying stability of political society. Global Citizen: Identity of person that is NOT dominated by national identity that person was born and raised, BUT related to universal values. Being aware of rights and responsible for global issues. References Aleinikoff, T. A., & Klusmeyer, D. (Eds.). (2010). Citizenship today: global perspectives and practices. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press. Barrington, L. (2013). Comparative Politics: Structures and Choices (2nd ed.). United States: Wadswroth, Cengage Learning. Minogue, K. (2559). การเมือง: ความรูฉ้ บับพกพา [Politics: A Very Short Introduction] (กษิ ร ชีพ เป็ นสุข, ผูแ้ ปล). (น. 27-28). กรุงเทพฯ: โอเพ่นเวิลด์ส พับลิชชิ่ง เฮาส์. (ต้นฉบับพิมพ์ปี ค.ศ. 2000) Morais, D. B., & Ogden, A. C. (2011). Initial development and validation of the global citizenship scale. Journal of studies in international education, 15(5), 445-466. Pangle, T. L. (Ed.). (1988). The laws of Plato. University of Chicago Press. Winkler, R. J. (2018). political culture. Retrieved June 28, 2022, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/political-culture คริส เบเคอร์ และ ผาสุก พงษ์ไพจิตร. (2557). ประวัติศาสตร์ไทยร่วมสมัย: A History of Thailand (พิมพ์ครัง้ ที่ 2). (น. 107- 115). กรุงเทพฯ: มติชน. Chapter 4: Citizenship Questions?