CONSTITUTIONAL LITERACY AS A PRECONDITION OF CIVIC LITERACY:

CONSTITUTIONAL LITERACY RESULTS OF HIGHER EDUCATION TEACHERS IN THE CITY OF RIJEKA

Abstract

In occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia (22/12/1990 – 22/12/2020) our starting premise is that an underdeveloped political culture contributes to suboptimal functioning of constitutional democracy in our country. Given the well know link between civic and constitutional literacy, the latter being the essential ingredient of the former, we have developed a general measuring instrument of constitutional literacy and conducted a research of constitutional literacy among the highly educated citizens of the City of Rijeka. The sample consisted of 44% (N=561) higher education teachers of the University of Rijeka, the Polytechnics of Rijeka and Private University College PAR.

Data analysis leads to the following conclusions. There is a substantial interest for the content, functioning and interpretation of our Constitution. However, the existing knowledge on the Constitution revealed only basic levels and common points at the same time demonstrating deeply concerning lack of knowledge in relation to real life constitutional reflections and recent constitutional events. The major examples are the following: above 46% of examinees does not know how the executive is formed (i.e., what the majority for its investiture is), above 42% is not aware of the marriage referendum and 70% does not know that the EU law has primacy over the member states national laws.

At the same time, and more encouraging, an adequate level of self-criticism and self-awareness of constitutional (il)literacy has been established, as well as the relevant self-initiated readiness for (on-line) education on the matter.