Blog Posts

Democracy isn’t simply a technical process that involves you learning about its history, principles, rules and institutions. Democracy is a way of governing and a way of relating to each other that is a here-and-now experience.

Collaboration, reflection, the exploration of democracy-as-becoming, and a visit to Lisbon

Collaboration, reflection, the exploration of democracy-as-becoming, and a visit to Lisbon

The AECED project thrives on collaboration, reflection, and the exploration of democracy-as-becoming. Across different contexts and institutions, our partners engage in building transformative educational practices that enhance democracy through aesthetic and embodied learning (AEL). This blog brings together reflections from three of our six partner institutions. Here, our German, Croatian, and Finnish teams each offer unique insights into how democracy can be reimagined, enacted and nurtured in diverse educational settings. In addition, we share a glimpse into the work put into progress at our most recent consortium meeting, which was hosted beautifully by our AECED Portugal partners at the Universidade Aberta, coordinated by the University of Lapland and led at UAb by Professor Cláudia Neves.

The Pomegranate Tale

The Pomegranate Tale

AECED colleague Karine Oganisjana, Riga Technical University, shares her tale of democratic sensibility and transformation inspired by a pomegranate’s journey.

Commoning Workshop

Commoning Workshop

The German team of the AECED project, in cooperation with the German Commons Institute, conducted a practical workshop on the applications of the Pattern Language of Commoning at the beginning of October 2024.

Seminar for Secondary Teachers in Latvia

Seminar for Secondary Teachers in Latvia

Latvia’s role in the AECED project focuses on integrating arts-based and embodied learning methods, like drama and collage, into civic education and study disciplines to enhance democracy-focused teaching.

AECED workshop at Creative Research Methods conference

AECED workshop at Creative Research Methods conference

By Dr Suzanne Culshaw At the end of June, the UK AECED team had the opportunity to lead a workshop at the Creative Research Methods conference at the University of Hertfordshire (UH). The conference had been designed to be an accessible, central point for creative...