Breathing democratic air: North Korean refugees’ journey to sociocultural learning about democracy

Abstract

This study investigates the acquisition of normative knowledge and values about democracy by North Korean refugees in the United States through everyday experiences and academic concepts. Drawing on Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, which posits that knowledge is socially constructed and forms the basis of a society’s culture, an analysis is conducted on the sociocultural learning experiences of democracy among North Korean refugees. Utilizing Clarke’s situational analysis of interview transcripts, various scenes of sociocultural learning about democracy and the interpretation of these experiences by North Korean refugees compared to their past in North Korea are uncovered. A common space (e.g. ESL courses) for teaching refugees about democracy can serve as a valuable platform for non-traditional, adult refugee learners, regardless of their educational background, affordability or status. The study’s findings underscore the significance of providing refugees with opportunities for democratic education in a new cultural context, with potential implications for democratic citizenship education.