Abstract

PINTO, Manuel; PEREIRA, Sara; NAVIO, Catarina  and  FILLOL, Joana. The controversy surrounding the subject “Citizenship and Development”: what the media said and left unsaid. Media & Jornalismo [online]. 2023, vol.23, n.43, pp.9-36.  Epub Dec 31, 2023. ISSN 1645-5681.  https://doi.org/10.14195/2183-5462_43_1.

Citizenship and Development has been a compulsory subject in the 2nd and 3rd cycles of Basic Education since the 2018/19 school year, while in the 1st cycle and in Secondary School it is a transversal curriculum component. In 2020, a family from Famalicão invoked their right to conscientious objection and refused to allow their two teenage children to take the subject. The issue, which had attracted media interest, gained even more public attention that same year when two manifestos with opposing views were published and signed by several public personalities. This study aims to analyse, characterise and question the media coverage of this case by examining the printed and online versions of six national newspapers (Correio da Manhã, Diário de Notícias, Expresso, Jornal de Notícias, Observador and Público) from 1st to 30th September 2020, the period when visibility and public discussion were at their peak. The analysis of the 148 items indicates that all the newspapers covered the case, offering mostly opinion pieces. It also shows there were more male writers than female and no voices from the school (children and adults) made themselves heard. Most opinions published were in favour of the subject, and this article helps to understand the views on school and on education which are at issue in the exchanges.

Keywords : citizenship and development; journalism; mediatization; education; school.

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