Description:
The educational system plays a role in the broader political socialisa-tion process. Even if this role is contingent, an important questionremains as to how schools contribute to the integration of newgenerations in political life. This article aims at improving empiricalknowledge about this contribution. In many Western countries suchpolitical education seems to focus on formal structure of institutions,constitutional frameworks, discussions of current issues and for-mal rights of citizens. The Norwegian national curriculum outlinesa different political education, focusing on critical analysis of the po-litical system, encouragement of many forms of political participa-tion, examination of policy-making processes and policy contents.To what extent are these purposes of a critical, activist citizenryimplemented at the classroom level? This question is analysed usingboth qualitative and survey data. The analysis suggests that formal-ism does not dominate Norwegian political education. Political par-ties, elections, comparison of party programs are most commonlythe key elements in a political education closely related to the citizenideals of competitive elite democracy.