VALUES AND CODES OF CONDUCT IN EUROPEAN EDUCATION: FROM MORAL CUSTOMS TO SOCIAL COHESION

This article examines the long historical trajectory of normative texts aimed at shaping the moral behavior of young people, from medieval monastic education to the contemporary technocratic forms of pedagogical discourse. Focusing on the term "moral customs" (chrēstoētheiai), as it is conceptually rendered within theological, pedagogical, and cultural contexts, the analysis explores their function as vehicles of a normative discourse capable of forming models of identity and subjectivity. Moral customs are comparatively situated alongside mores (moral norms), which, despite their different origins, also operate normatively within educational processes. The analysis traces historical examples, from the educational structures developed in religious and aristocratic environments of early European society to later systematizations of moral codes through normative handbooks addressing the family, the classroom, or public administration. In every historical phase, these texts act as mirrors of regulated identities: the ideal of the noble, the obedient believer, the nationally responsible student, the disciplined citizen. Despite variations in the form and communicative strategies of normative discourses, shaped by historical circumstances and cultural parameters, their fundamental function remains unchanged: they assist in molding individuals according to behavioral standards deemed acceptable and necessary for the smooth functioning of society. In the 21st century, this discourse does not disappear but transforms as it adapts to new communicative and technological conditions. Ethical principles are incorporated into skills and citizenship programs and into digital platforms, thereby shaping new forms of guidance. This study aims to contribute to the reflection on the role of moral rules in education, not as mechanisms of compliance, but as tools for the formation of moral consciousness. The analysis highlights the enduring character of these educational forms and explores whether the discourse on moral behavior expresses a social consensus or, conversely, operates as a mechanism of power and discipline.