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Values, and especially social values, have been defined in the Oxford English Dictionary - (7) (in pl.) one's principles or standard's; one's judgement of what is valuable or important in life (1996, p. 1595). Analysis of social values is an important theme in the study of socialisation in education - and forms part of a nexus between citizenship, identity and values. In fact all three strands of citizenship education (1) social and moral responsibility, (2) community involvement, (3) and political literacy - contain a number of values. It should be mentioned here that interpretation of the meaning of values can be as ambiguous as those of 'citizenship' and 'citizenship education'. Significantly, from a political perspective the question that 'we' need to ask is: whose values are being promoted and why? The ambiguity of the term 'value' is the cause of much confusion when politicians and experts discuss the subject of ethnic integration and social cohesion. As one man's set of worthwhile values might well be another man's sense of loss of identity; for example the debate on the full-face veil worn by a minority of Muslim women has ignited a debate in the UK on the themes of 'freedom of dress', cultural integration, assimilation, and 'security'. (We should note that many of the recent so-called 'national debates' are partly manufacfured by the British media (in both television and national newspapers) and British politicians for reasons we will not discuss here). The abstract term 'value' has meant that the essence of its meaning is open to interpretation and reinterpretation. Any interpretation becomes much more complex when the factor of multiculturalism and multinational states-societies are added to the mix. Values have been defined as central to the 'beliefs and purposes' of an individual or society - The concept of values is a term used by social scientists to refer to generalised, abstract ideas held by human individuals or groups about what is desirable, proper, good, or bad. Differing values are an important aspect of the diversity of human cultures. What individuals values is strongly influenced by the culture of the society in which they happen to live (Bloomsbury Guide to Human Thought: 'Values', xreferplus.com). David and Julia Jary Dictionary of Sociology (1999) highlight the comments made about structural-functionalist,Talcott Parson's stance, that values play an integral part in the social glue that binds the various social communities and groups - Criticism of this view (structural-functionalist in nature) is that it overstates the extent to which social integration depends on shared values and understates the importance of political or economic power...Most sociologists recognise that societies can exist even though riven by value divisions, and that an adherence to prevailing beliefs and values is often expedient or pragmatic rather than deeply held...Equally, however, most sociologists also acknowledge that naked economic or political force is rarely the sole basis of social integration...and that values usually play an important role...Marxist theories which posit a dominant role for ideologies in the maintenance of social power are also criticized for overemphasizing the role of internalised beliefs and values (Jary & Jary 1999: 717). |
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There is no British constitutional statement expressing specific social values. The topic of British - English values is ambiguous and contested. This will continue to be the case, especially as Welsh and Scottish nationalists seek greater autonomy from Westminster - London. Interestingly, the notion of 'Englishness' will most probably become a topic of debate in the near future as other members of the UK seek more political power and attempt to express their identity (often with strong historical claims and associations). The dilemma that all countries face is the position of ethnic communities within their societies, and how to bond people within a pluralist state. Equality of citizenship within the law is important - but just as important is political and economic equality for all citizens - as this provides actual evidence that the rhetoric (and 'propaganda') of government is matched by the 'quality of life' for all citizens.
The key question on values is: who has the authority to determine which values are representative of the peoples of Britain? (H. Starkey 2000, 51). The Hansard Society - a partner in the construction of the Crick Report (1998) recommended the following values for inclusion in the 1998 report on citizenship education -
Programmes should be established to promote political discourse and understanding, as well as encouraging young people to engage in the political process. -
Further, they should encourage tolerance and respect for individuals and their property, irrespective of the person's gender, race, culture,or religion. -
They must encourage young people to behave honourably and with integrity, as well as promote respect for the law. Young people must be encouraged to develop leadership and team skills in order to promote self-discipline and self-motivation. -
They should be encouraged to take pride in themselves and the communities to which they belong, as well as to see themselves as citizens of the world .(Source: The Crick Report 1998, 20). In 1998, the 'New' Labour government advocated the following values - -
...decency, social justice, reward for hard work, the importance of strong communities and families, and rights being matched with responsibilities (H. Starkey 2000, 51). The National Advisory Group on Personal, Social Health Education (PSHE) (1999) used the values formulated by the National Forum for Values in Education and the Community. It reads - -
We value truth, freedom, justice, human rights, the rule of law and collective effort for the common good. -
In particular we value families as sources of love and support for all their members, and as the basis of a society in which people care for others (para 3.12, 8) (H. Starkey 2000, 51).
For all that, during the 1990s many teachers in England, were unsure as to their role in the,"...civic, moral and social development of their pupils" (Arthur et al 2001, 4). This is further complicated by the multicultural make-up of many inner-city school environments; as each child is also socialized by the family unit in which they reside. The goal of modern British society - if it is possible - is to synchronise values learnt within the family and school. In this case, expect the government - whatever its colour - to emphasize the responsibilities and duties of the individual and family - and for these individuals and families to 'conform' to British values - as noted above. |
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Social values
