The Plurality of Legislative Education Practices in Social Studies Lessons: Focusing on “Legislative Education without Legislation”

This study critically reflects on the limitations of conventional law-related education and the growing problem of legalism. As an alternative, it explores legislative education as a way to help students grow into active “agents of norm formation” within diverse normative systems. Rather than restricting the concept to parliamentary lawmaking, the study asks whether legislative education can also encompass “social participation activities that do not produce laws.” To investigate this, the research analyzed classroom cases of legislative education and examined teachers’ perceptions. The findings show that “legislation without legislation” is not only possible but already practiced as a means to counter legalism and to teach the principle of subsidiarity. In practice, teachers emphasized that law should be used only as a last resort, actively explored non-legislative methods such as petitions, campaigns, and civic actions, and encouraged students to deliberate and participate as norm-forming agents. As a result, legislative education should not be viewed as a separate instructional model, but rather as a conceptual and practical “approach.” It moves beyond simulating parliamentary procedures, instead cultivating civic competencies required in today’s society, where soft norms are increasingly important. Ultimately, “legislation without legislation” offers a new direction for democratic citizenship education by challenging legalistic thinking and fostering critical, active engagement with law and norms.