What does 'active citizenship' mean for Erasmus students?. Issue 1 (2nd January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Golubeva, Irina; Gómez Parra, Mª Elena; Espejo Mohedano, Roberto
• Is Part Of: Intercultural education. Volume 29:Issue 1(2018)
• Page Start: 40
• Page End: 58
• Publication Date: 2018-01-02
• Subjects: Erasmus students -- (active) citizenship -- civic growth -- intercultural -- transnational mobility; Ethnic relations -- Periodicals; Social policy -- Periodicals; Pluralism (Social sciences) -- Periodicals; Minorities -- Social conditions -- Periodicals; 370.11705
• DOI: 10.1080/14675986.2017.1404741
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1467-5986

Abstract

Abstract: Since ERASMUS (European Region Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students) was launched there has been a constant debate about the civic significance of this mobility programme. The purpose of this article is to analyse the understanding of active citizenship by Erasmus students. In order to discover Erasmus students' perceptions, values, beliefs and attitudes regarding the issue under discussion, original data were collected from 174 students who participated in our survey in March 2014. By applying a statistical analysis, the most and the least important criteria for being considered an active citizen have been extracted from the answers of our respondents. In addition, we studied their attitudes towards and knowledge of the European Union (EU). We found that their understanding of 'active citizenship' echoes with the definition of the concept provided in the research literature.