Citizenship Education and Embodied ways of Knowing: What can be learned from the voices of Ghanaian youth in schooling and education?

Abstract

This article examines Ghanaian youth voices about issues of personal and moral character development through the teachings of local embodied ways of knowing and how such ways of knowing further inform our understanding of discipline and the socialization of Ghanaian youth to become responsible citizens.  We briefly explore the theoretical and methodological underpinnings of researching moral character development, the question of discipline and the relations to youth and citizenship responsibilities through youth voices. We argue youth voices show complex understandings of embodied ways of knowing relating to questions of citizenry, discipline, character, moral, and respect.  The paper hence offers insights toward reforms needed in educational delivery (teaching, learning and instruction), as well as values of education to address the question of youth voice, decolonization, discipline, and embodied ways of knowing, so as to enhance the possibilities of coming to know citizenry, character, moral and community.