Social Paradigm Shift and Alternative Learning: The Potential of Education for Democratic Citizenship

Abstract

Considering the trend of globalization and other global changes, the direction of Japanese society should be towards “a society that is tolerant of diversity and loosely cohesive”. What can language researchers do when they consider “new learning and teaching” within this context? This paper clams that “education for democratic citizenship” as proposed by Germany and the Council of Europe has a possibility as “alternative learning and education”. I will also argue how we can localize it into Japanese society.