International records / OpenAlex research

Opportunities or risks for civic education in electoral democracies? Evidence from Nigeria

Drawing on theory and evidence from Western societies, many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa implement civic education at school to foster political knowledge, engagement, as well as pro-democratic attitudes and behaviour. Yet instead of increasing participation as in established Western democracies, research focusing on adults in African electoral democracies suggests that citizens with higher socio-economic status, more knowledge, and adherence to democratic norms, are more likely to retreat from institutionalized politics given their increased awareness of the flawed nature of the political …