Civic statistical literacy for democratic education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52041/iase25.155Abstract
Democracy depends on public reasoning grounded in evidence. For democratic societies to thrive, citizens must be able to understand socially relevant data, assess the credibility of sources, and participate in informed public debate and decision-making. In the contemporary information environment, these capacities are increasingly challenged by misinformation, selective availability of data, and unequal access to information. This paper argues that civic statistical literacy—understood as statistical literacy oriented toward democratic participation—requires more than technical skills. It highlights critical evaluation of data quality, source credibility, and contextual interpretation as core competencies. Beyond an individual perspective, the paper examines how structural conditions—such as access to data, data ownership, and the organization of information ecosystems—shape democratic culture and constrain or enable civic participation. We propose a conceptual framing of civic statistical literacy that connects individual competencies with societal and institutional dimensions of democracy, and discuss implications for democratic education.References
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