Conference Program

The teaching of civic education is universally recognised as a key driver in the formation and education of constitutionally aware citizens.

In recent decades, new pedagogical challenges have emerged in this field, and consequently new opportunities have arisen. These have been addressed both through Law No. 92/2019, which introduced a specific curricular subject with a substantial number of teaching hours, and through the successive national guidelines, the most recent of which were issued by Decree No. 183 of 7 September 2024.

The new guidelines identify three fundamental conceptual pillars: the Constitution, economic development and sustainability, and digital citizenship. They acknowledge that the study of civic education can no longer be confined solely to the dimension of civil rights but must extend to multiple aspects of social life, including technological development and environmental issues.

It is therefore necessary to reflect on whether the pursuit of these new educational objectives risks overshadowing another aspect that, even in the recent past, has been considered fundamental by several members of the scientific and civic community (for example, Aldo Moro). In particular, it is worth considering whether the educational project, even in the absence of explicit guidance, should continue to value the historical phases that have shaped the evolution of our society.

This contribution therefore aims to analyse whether, and to what extent, it is beneficial to integrate both a historical-critical approach and an ethical-critical perspective into the teaching of civic education. This analysis also incorporates the viewpoints of students—future teachers—attending the Laboratory of Planetary Citizenship and Environmental Sustainability Education offered within the Primary Education Degree Programme at Suor Orsola Benincasa University of Naples.

The exploratory study is prompted by a reflection on what aspects of the Ventotene Manifesto remain relevant today—such as the values of freedom, rights and democracy, cooperation among states, European integration, and solidarity among peoples—and proceeds to critically examine some of the major contemporary challenges, including the crisis of the European Union, the resurgence of nationalism, armed conflicts, and climate change.