LEARNING CITIZENSHIP IN THE COMMUNITY: Young Adults, Participation and Democracy

This chapter focuses on young adults’ experiences of learning citizenship in the community. This is particularly pertinent in Scotland today as young adults 16 and 17 years old will be allowed to vote for the first time in Scottish elections (although not in UK national elections).¹ However, it is not the specifics of young adults and the right to vote that we address in this chapter but the broader one of learning citizenship and democracy. Biesta (2011) argues that we all need more opportunities to practise democracy rather than being taught to be citizens. Whilst we agree with this, it