Sense-making of citizenship norms by teachers in Türkiye: Conservative, liberal or critical?

Citizenship education is critical in the development of national identity and the spread of global democratic values, as viewed through various ideological lenses. This study looks at how sixteen citizenship education teachers in Türkiye interpret citizenship norms. Drawing on Weick’s sense-making theory, this study investigates the interaction of cognitive and contextual factors that influence teachers’ citizenship norms. The data from semi-structured interviews were analysed using conservative, liberal and critical perspectives on teachers’ citizenship norms. The study’s findings show that teachers’ understanding of citizenship is primarily influenced by conservative norms, which are shaped by individual and social factors, with a limited representation of critical perspectives. The study contributes significantly to a deeper understanding of the ideological limitations of citizenship education and its ability to facilitate the transition to a democratic conception of citizenship.