From Werewolf to Democracy: Teaching Respect, Responsibility, and Discernment for Active Citizenship

Have you ever played the game ‘Werewolf’? For those who are unfamiliar, the game begins by secretly assigning roles. A group of players is divided into werewolves and villagers, with the werewolves knowing who they are, while the villagers start the game with no information. During the day, the villagers must work together to identify and vote out the werewolves among them. At night, the werewolves secretly choose a villager to eliminate. The aim of the game is either for the werewolves to eliminate all the villagers or for the villagers to successfully vote out all the werewolves.

While Werewolf is often used as a party game, it was actually created by psychology student and teacher Dimitry Davidoff in 1987 to test his theory that an informed minority has a much higher chance of winning against an uninformed majority. If you’ve played the game, you know it can be incredibly difficult to find the werewolves, as they try to blend in with the villagers. There’s a lot of blaming, very little evidence to back up most claims, and many times, the game turns into a witch hunt.

Much like a game of Werewolf, a lack of civics education leaves students vulnerable to manipulation and less capable of making informed decisions as active citizens. The latest statistics show Australia’s civics scores are well below the standard, revealing students may be ill-prepared to take up their roles as active citizens. Civics and citizenship go beyond understanding how our parliamentary system works; rather, it helps students understand their rights and responsibilities as members of Australia’s democracy and shape the future ahead.

While many commentators attribute the decline in civics scores to a lack of teacher training or insufficient emphasis on this learning area within the Australian curriculum, it may also reflect a broader decline in key habits such as respect, responsibility, and discernment. These key habits are crucial for fostering a society where citizens are engaged, informed, and fair. They can help to shape individuals who contribute positively to their communities and democracy.

Respect in civics education teaches students to understand the dignity of others while being able to value diverse perspectives and understand the importance of dialogue. A respectful citizen listens to others’ viewpoints, even when they disagree. This mindset is essential for maintaining a functioning democracy, where differences can be debated constructively, and all voices are heard, especially when making decisions that affect the entire community.

Responsibility is crucial for active citizenship. Civics education encourages students to recognise their duty to contribute to society, whether by voting, participating in community activities, or engaging in social justice issues. By fostering a sense of responsibility, individuals understand that their actions affect the collective wellbeing of those around them and that being an informed citizen is essential to making fair decisions for their society.

Discernment empowers individuals to think critically and evaluate information carefully. In a world where we are constantly bombarded with information, it helps students distinguish what information they should pay attention to and what they should disregard, ensuring they can make informed decisions that benefit society rather than falling prey to manipulation or bias.

Much like the game werewolf, our students must learn to use respect, responsibility, and discernment to make informed decisions and avoid manipulation. By building these good habits through civics education, we can create a more just and informed society.

What are your thoughts on the role of civics education in preparing students to make informed decisions? Let us know in the comments below!