Abstract
In recent years there has been a resurgence of interest in citizenship education, particularly in the schools. One area, however, that has remained conspicuously absent from the discussion is citizenship education for adult immigrants. This paper reports on the results of studies examining citizenship education for adult immigrants in Canada from 1947 to the present. We conducted interviews with policy-markers and citizenship applicants, reviewed relevant documents, and surveyed program providers across Canada. We conclude that current trends in Canadian citizenship policy are in keeping with larger trends in globalization and consumerism and propose that the Canadian government increase its civil investment in immigrants if the country is to develop an informed and active citizenry.
Résumé
Depuis quelques années, un regain d’intérêt se fait sentir dans le domaine de l’éducation civique, particulièrement dans les écoles. Par contre, une composante brille par son absence à la discussion: l’éducation civique pour immigrants adultes. Cet article présente les résultats d’études portant sur l’éducation civique pour immigrants adultes au Canada entre 1947 et le présent. Nous avons entrepris des entrevues auprès de décideurs et de demandeurs de citoyenneté, examiné des documents pertinents et enquêté des fournisseurs de programmes de par le Canada. Nous en concluons que les tendances actuelles des politiques en matière de citoyenneté au Canada sont en harmonie avec les tendances plus globales de mondialisation et de consumérisme. Finalement, nous proposons que le gouvernement canadien investisse davantage dans l’éducation civique des immigrants pour promouvoir le développement de citoyens avertis et actifs.
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Joshee, R., Derwing, T.M. The unmaking of citizenship education for adult immigrants in Canada. Int. Migration & Integration 6, 61–80 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-005-1002-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-005-1002-9