Authors

Cindy Yovanov, Ph.D. candidate, School of Education, Drexel University

Abstract

Background: Democratic education in Norway emphasizes values like tolerance, cross-cultural understanding, and collective responsibility, yet significant gaps exist in understanding how these principles transfer from K-12 schooling to community dialogue spaces addressing societal challenges like racism, antisemitism, and Islamophobia. Despite Norway’s commitment to democratic education, rising social tensions suggest that formal education alone may be insufficient for developing authentic democratic engagement.

Purpose: This pilot study investigates how public dialogue facilitators in Norway observe community members utilizing their previous knowledge of democratic principles in facilitated dialogue sessions.

Methodology/Approach: Using an interpretive qualitative design grounded in Communities of Practice (Lave & Wenger, 2011) theory, semi-structured interviews were conducted with two experienced public
dialogue facilitators in southern Norway. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase thematic analysis approach, focusing on how dialogue participants move from peripheral to full democratic
participation.

Findings/Conclusions: Facilitators observed that dialogue participants initially approached dialogue through institutionalized debate practices learned in formal education, characterized by competitive argumentation and reliance on external authority. Through sustained engagement, dialogue participants transformed toward more authentic democratic approaches marked by personal responsibility, collective accountability, and genuine listening, with facilitators identifying specific “turning points” in this transformative process.

Implications: These findings illuminate how democratic learning extends beyond formal education into community spaces where previously learned principles are reconstructed through dialogical practice. This
pilot study contributes to peace education literature and suggests that facilitated dialogue serves as a bridge between institutional and experiential democratic learning, offering insights for educator development and democratic curriculum design.

Keywords: Democratic Education, Public Dialogue, Peace Education, Communities of Practice, Norway