When we ask students in the classroom what democracy is all about, we usually hear: “Elections, political parties, and above all: the majority decides!” At first glance, for many students this seems to have little to do with their own everyday lives. To many, democracy sounds like the Bundestag, election posters, talk shows and politicians – not like school, social media or family. As a result, democracy quickly becomes something that adults ‘up there’ organise – and not something connected to their own experiences, conflicts and opportunities for action.

At the same time, however, it is clear to everyone in the room that a commitment to democracy is not only socially and educationally desirable within the classroom. For some, this unspoken expectation in the classroom even leads to demonstrative rejection, as a provocation against what is considered ‘right’ anyway.

Yet even if no resistance is evident, the problem remains: when democracy appears primarily as an abstract ideal, it often remains unclear what it means in everyday life and what is actually at stake. And this carries all the more weight when anti-democratic forces are gaining influence, claiming to be the norm, and digital spaces reward outrage.

We took this as an opportunity to develop a new modular workshop that focuses on democracy in everyday life and allows participants to experience what it feels like when we make decisions together, seek compromises and sometimes (have to) make sacrifices. For we are convinced that we learn the most about democracy precisely where joint decision-making processes are consciously experienced, differences are made visible and conflicts are negotiated.

In the European Hanseatic Museum in Lübeck, we found the ideal partner for this: we have already developed several exciting formats for the museum. In this case, the aim was to create a workshop that could be run as a full-day event or in shorter 90-minute sessions within the museum’s premises, led by museum educators. An exciting – and not entirely straightforward – task! After all, bringing democracy to life as a practical experience in a school classroom also carries the potential for conflict and frustration, and, above all, requires time for reflection!

In an introductory phase, we approach the concept of democracy from various angles: as a form of government, as a way of living together in society, and as an attitude in everyday life. In a module on democratic decision-making processes, participants then compare different ways in which groups can reach decisions. It becomes clear that democracy is not simply a matter of ‘everyone voting’. It is also about who is heard, the criteria used to make decisions, and who is affected by those decisions. During a trial run at a Berlin school, it became clear right from the start that what the students considered the most democratic option on paper was not necessarily their favourite, or even the fairest way to reach a decision.

In the second module, the workshop draws on key ideas from the Betzavta approach. Betzavta means ‘together’ and was developed at the Adam Institute for Democracy and Peace in Jerusalem. The approach views democracy education primarily as experiential learning: to this end, a space is created in which participants jointly reflect on social and institutional power relations, values and decision-making processes.

One of the aims of the approach is to transform conflicts between democratic principles – which may seem abstract – into tangible dilemmas. The approach therefore deliberately works with situations in which different interests, needs and values clash. It is not the conflict itself that is the problem; rather, what is crucial is how it is addressed, and that as many perspectives as possible are recognised and taken into account. In our workshop, the focus is on the tension between the majority and the minority. In an interactive role-play exercise, participants experience how democratic voting can disadvantage minorities. The exercise highlights that majority decisions are a central democratic principle, but do not automatically protect against discrimination and exclusion.

The third module also focuses on understanding that democracy is not free of conflict. On the contrary: in a positioning game, participants discuss their stance on controversial issues. The concepts of respect, tolerance, acceptance and dissent help them to articulate their views as precisely as possible. The workshop concludes with participants formulating their own responses to statements they wish to challenge, thereby also allowing space for dissent and criticism.

Following the pilot run and a training session for the museum’s staff, we are keen to see how the workshop goes down at the museum and look forward to further sessions at and with schools.