Active citizenship in culturally and religiously diverse societies (ACT)

In debates on citizenship in Europe, the need for active participation among citizens is increasingly stressed. But do normative ideas of what active citizenship is reflect people's lived experiences in present-day Europe? In Europe's culturally and religiously diverse societies, citizens have different frameworks for how they act in and interact with their close and distant surroundings. This increasing diversity leads to diversified citizen participation that must be studied if the current participation agenda is to remain relevant. The ACT project posed 3 research questions: 1) What are the implications of diverse virtues and values on the motivations of citizens to give voice to societal concerns and take an active role in public affairs? 2) How do shifting understandings of 'society' and 'community' and shifting experiences of belonging impact the locations in which active citizenship practices take place? 3) Which tensions and contestations arise in debates on what it means to participate as an active citizen in society? ACT was a collaboration between the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), the Department of Philosophy at the University of Tromsø and the Department of Political Science and Government at Aarhus University. The project team at PRIO completed the collection of empirical data on local, national and transnational active citizenship in neighborhoods in Oslo and Copenhagen; through life histories, semi-structured interviews, Focus Group Discussions and participant observation. A total of 112 (life history and semi-structured) interviews were conducted. The large majority (80) took place in Oslo. Six focus groups in Oslo and six in Copenhagen were completed. Besides the general data collection researchers at PRIO decided to focus on three 'cases' or 'arenas': Christian parish, Muslim youth initiative, Individuals with a refugee background. In Denmark, research was carried out on Muslim participation in Danish public debate. The ACT project studied active citizenship both as a disciplining discourse and as empowering action. Our study shows that the discourse on civic virtue and participation is strong in Norway and Denmark and the informant want to live up to these norms but challenge two aspects: first, the focus on civic engagement as only taking place in formal, public spaces; and second, the idea of active citizenship as contributing to a common good that is apolitical, non-partisan and areligious. Another central finding is that socio-economic differences between neighborhoods play a greater role in explaining civic engagement than national differences. The ACT research team produced a total of 24 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters that integrate this empirical data with theoretical models of (active) citizenship in philosophy, political science, anthropology, geography and feminist studies. Furthermore, 2 monographs (1 published and a PhD to be delivered summer 2019) and an edited volume were produced. The project has also resulted in four published policy briefs. In the four project workshopsand during two writing retreats, constructive interdisciplinary exchanges that aimed to build on both inductive and deductive approaches have played a central role. The international conference 'Active Citizenship Today', hosted by UiT, took place in June 2016 with an international group of 40 participants. The event attracted renowned international scholars of philosophy, political theory, anthropology and geography, among others. Following a call for papers and a competitive process, discussions during the two days in Tromsø focused on political-philosophical conceptualizations and lived experiences of active citizenship. In June 2017, we held a smaller academic workshop where 20 selected participants were invited to present draft papers on tensions and contestations in debates on what it means to be a good citizen and how lived experiences of citizens today challenge existing models of democracy. The ACT team has furthermore engaged with societal relevance in a range of ways. First, we operated with a User Board of 24 members with a multitude of expertise and experience from different arenas related to civic engagement in Oslo. Second, we organized a workshop in February 2017 where 20-25 participants through interactive exercises explored the theme 'narratives about diversity in Norway'. Third, a larger round-table Conference on the same theme was held in September 2017, with around 75 participants, where practitioners hosted a range of practical workshops that explored alternative tools, stories and actions around diversity. Fourth, the final ACT conference took place in Oslo in October 2018, for which 105 researchers, policy makers and practitioners signed up. At this conference a selection of the project?s main findings was presented and discussed in interactions between the project team and relevant stakeholders.

-

In debates on citizenship in Europe, the need for active participation among citizens is increasingly stressed. But do normative ideas of what active citizenship is, reflect people's lived experiences in present-day Europe? While the low electoral partici pation of young people is often highlighted as an indication of reduced civic participation, various studies show increased social media use leads to increased political and social debates and mobilization. And while politicians often lament the lack of c ivil-political engagement among immigrants particularly, many new citizens volunteer, work as activists, take up political causes, or set up associations in both their countries of residence and origin. In Europe's culturally and religiously diverse socie ties, citizens have different frameworks for how they act and interact with their close and distant surroundings. We argue that this increasing diversity leads to diversified citizen participation that must be studied if the current participation agenda i s to remain relevant. ACT is a collaboration between the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), the Department of Philosophy at the University of Tromsø (UiT) and the Department of Political Science and Government at Aarhus University (AU). It studies pre sent-day civic 1) motivations; 2) locations; and 3) contestations. The project collects empirical data on (local, national and transnational) active citizenship in neighbourhoods in Oslo and Copenhagen. ACT consists of a) a review of conceptions of active citizenship in philosophy, political science, anthropology, geography and feminist studies; b) empirical data collection on experiences of active citizenship; and c) an integrated approach to theoretical models of citizenship and empirical findings. The project will produce one monograph, eight academic peer-reviewed journal articles; three conceptual working papers and three policy briefs.