Democracy faces an existential crisis. Widespread public dissatisfaction, the erosion of democratic norms, and the global rise of authoritarian regimes put the future of liberal democracy at stake. With support for authoritarian models growing, universities remain among the few institutions with the freedom, capacity, and respect to equip citizens with the abilities required to make democracy work. This Research Topic, “Learning for democracy,” aims to show why and how higher education must take an active role in promoting democratic learning, share successful practices, and set a new agenda for action research to strengthen democratic systems.
The 11 articles in this Research Topic cover a wide geographic and thematic range, from the digital public discourse in Europe to teacher education in Chile and civic engagement in Indonesia, the Middle East, and beyond. Together, they explore how education can bridge the gap between theory and practice.
Conceptual foundations and the student experience
The Research Topic begins by revisiting foundational democratic theories and applying them to modern educational contexts. Shih provides inspiration by revisiting John Dewey's ideas, framing democracy not just as a form of government but as a mode of associated living and communicated experience. Building on the conceptual nature of engagement, Heid et al. provide a rigorous conceptual analysis of student participation in the classroom, questioning whether and how these micro-level interactions serve as a legitimate basis for broader democracy education.
Several papers examine the specific factors that drive or hinder student participation within higher education. Lin et al. investigate the personal and institutional determinants of civic engagement, highlighting that student involvement is a product of both individual motivation and the institutional environment. This is complemented by the work of Watfa and Ait Ali, whose research demonstrates the mediating effect of university citizenship promotion in transforming national loyalty into active student political participation.
Navigating conflict and social risks
A significant portion of the Research Topic addresses how education functions in societies facing social fragmentation or the aftermath of conflict. In the context of intergroup tension, Hellerstein and Sindiani present “the roaming course,” a program for fostering intergroup relationships among Arab and Jewish students within physical education teacher education. This illustrates the power of shared physical activity in building democratic empathy. On a systemic level, Adan utilizes a “4Rs framework analysis” to explore the role of peace education in promoting social justice and sustainable peace in post-conflict societies, providing a structural lens for democratic reconstruction.
Modern democracy also faces threats from within the digital and cultural spheres. Picarella examines the intersections of the digital society, specifically how “cancel culture” and “fake news” distort contemporary public discourse, presenting challenges for educators trying to foster rational democratic debate. In Chile, Marolla-Gajardo highlights risks to democracy by analyzing the beliefs of teachers regarding the transmission of hate speech within teacher education, emphasizing the urgent need for pedagogical interventions against intolerance.
Local contexts and national identities
The Research Topic also provides deep dives into specific regional challenges. Two papers focus on Indonesia: Sarbaini discusses the challenges and opportunities of enhancing civic education for nationalism in Indonesian higher education, balancing national identity with democratic values. Meanwhile, Muhammad et al. offer an original research case study on rational choice and political imaging during legislative elections in East Luwu, providing empirical evidence of how democratic processes play out in resource-rich mining areas.
A core theme emerging from these diverse studies is the need for better social models to drive change. Alexander proposes that we view institutions as social models and “dynamic theories.” This hypothesis proposes that social and political sciences can increase their impact by moving beyond observation and analysis to using research to actively inform and improve practice.
Conclusion
Each paper in this Research Topic explores different models of learning for democracy, whether for student participation in the classroom, intervening against hate speech, bridging differences through physical education, or institutional support for civic education for university students. By working with practitioners to develop the evidence-based models of provision scholars.
In conclusion, the papers in this Research Topic demonstrate that while democracy is under pressure, universities and educators are developing innovative methods—from intergroup “roaming courses” to the “4Rs framework”—to strengthen it. The common thread is that learning for democracy must be an active, institutional priority that connects classroom participation with civic responsibility. In this way the academic community can equip the next generation to navigate digital misinformation, overcome social conflict, and revitalize democratic norms worldwide.
Statements
Author contributions
TA: Writing – original draft.
Conflict of interest
The author(s) declared that this work was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
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Summary
Keywords
action research, civic education, democracy, higher education, learning for democracy, social models, student participation
Citation
Alexander T (2026) Editorial: Learning for democracy. Front. Polit. Sci. 8:1957512. doi: 10.3389/fpos.2026.1957512
Received
03 August 2026
Revised
28 August 2026
Accepted
04 September 2026
Published
25 September 2026
Volume
8 - 2026
Edited and reviewed by
Hermann Abs, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany
Updates
Copyright
© 2026 Alexander.
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Titus Alexander, titus.alexander@mcr1.poptel.org.uk
Disclaimer
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.