Educational Research - the Ethics and Aesthetics of Statistics

8 European Citizenship and Evidence-Based Happiness 123
data according to which governments and institutions evidence their accountability
to the citizen-consumer, and the means through which universally applicable measures
are sought according to which comparisons can be made and benchmarks set at
a global level. Despite the possibility of global indicators for active citizenship and
well-being, the ways in which statistics are used by various agencies create distinct
comparable entities within that. The presentation of statistics on Europe through
reports and graphics makes Europe tangible to its citizens as well as its allies and
competitors, and further refines the ways in which Europe will seek to make itself
accountable and visible to its citizens in order to encourage active citizenship, within
the prescribed parameters.
The understanding of the political presented in the rationale for the indicators of
active citizenship indicates a broad understanding of the ways in which individuals
engage with politics today, referring to volunteering and signing petitions, for
example, as well as party membership and voting. Biesta (2009) argues, however,
that this presents a depoliticised form of citizenship as it is closely allied with an
understanding of citizenship in terms of competencies and individual benefit rather
than collective concern or action. I will turn now to consider how the discourses of
happiness and well-being are becoming apparent in the school curriculum, which
illustrates how such competencies for active citizenship are encouraged. The example
given below of an aspect of the UK school curriculum derived from the ideas of
Daniel Goleman illustrates how the concern for well-being and self-improvement in
terms of which the adult as a privatised citizen is addressed is applied to the children
and staff in the school. In light of the way in which “active citizenship” is operationalised
and measured the ways in which citizens (children and adult staff alike)
are asked to express themselves can be seen to produce a particular form of subjectivity
through a particular use of language and forms of conduct that prescribe ways
of relating to ourselves and to others.
8.4 “Learning to Be Together”; “Keep on Learning”;
“Learning About Me”
The three statements above are three “themes” taken from the recently introduced
Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning curriculum in England and Wales. The
introduction of the SEAL programme is explained in relation to the weight of new
research evidence, and the work of Daniel Goleman is directly cited as part of this.
It reads:
Goleman (1996) popularised the term “emotional intelligence” in his book of the same
name and made the case that emotional and social abilities are more influential than
conventional intelligence for all kinds of personal, career and school success. Since this
book appeared in the mid-1990s, work has developed at an extraordinary pace, in psychology,
neuroscience, education and other disciplines. This work has demonstrated, from
a variety of perspectives, that social and emotional skills are at the heart of positive
human development, effective social groups and societies, and effective education. (DCSF;
http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/66405?uc=force_uj)