From the local to the supranational: curriculum reform and the production of the ideal citizen in two federal systems, Germany and Spain

Abstract

This paper examines the Europeanization of citizenship education policy through a comparative analysis of two European states, Germany and Spain, with strong traditions of regional control of education policy. While previous studies have tended to focus on national responses to and implementation of EU initiatives, they often disregarded the complex relationship regional actors have with national state and supranational actors. Using evidence from interviews and a detailed framing analysis of citizenship education curricula, textbooks, and policy documents, this paper looks specifically at Catalonia and Bavaria to explore the conception of the ‘ideal citizen’ within and across local education practice(s), regional policy imperatives, central state‐level citizenship education policy, German and Spanish federal policy related to citizenship and immigration, and EU educational initiatives.