<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The paper compares discussions in 12 groups of university students (6 Slovak and 6 Scottish) equal in sex and age. The participants discussed the same problem - how to control the spread of HIV/AIDS and respect medical confidentiality (MC). Systematic comparisons revealed striking differences between the two national groups. The Scottish discussants were more cooperative than the Slovaks; they devoted more attention to analysing the problem and to creating a shared understanding of it. Although there was a temptation to contravene MC and the individual rights of those infected with HIV in both the Slovak and Scottish groups, only the Scottish discussants came to the conclusion, collaboratively and through argumentative exchange, that such proposals would be counterproductive in controlling the spread of HIV or in protecting public health. In the Slovak groups even participants who were opposed to discriminative proposals were not able to convince their fellow discussants that MC should not be contravened. Links are drawn between the findings and critical pedagogy and inclusion.</p></abstract>

The paper compares discussions in 12 groups of university students (6 Slovak and 6 Scottish) equal in sex and age. The participants discussed the same problem - how to control the spread of HIV/AIDS and respect medical confidentiality (MC). Systematic comparisons revealed striking differences between the two national groups. The Scottish discussants were more cooperative than the Slovaks; they devoted more attention to analysing the problem and to creating a shared understanding of it. Although there was a temptation to contravene MC and the individual rights of those infected with HIV in both the Slovak and Scottish groups, only the Scottish discussants came to the conclusion, collaboratively and through argumentative exchange, that such proposals would be counterproductive in controlling the spread of HIV or in protecting public health. In the Slovak groups even participants who were opposed to discriminative proposals were not able to convince their fellow discussants that MC should not be contravened. Links are drawn between the findings and critical pedagogy and inclusion.

Scottish and Slovak university student discussions about stigmatized persons: A challenge for education – moving towards democracy and inclusion

Institute for Research in Social Communication, Slovak Academy of Sciences Dúbravská cesta 9 841 04 Bratislava 4 Slovakia

Journal of Pedagogy

The paper compares discussions in 12 groups of university students (6 Slovak and 6 Scottish) equal in sex and age. The participants discussed the same problem...

Scottish and Slovak university student discussions about stigmatized persons: A challenge for education – moving towards democracy and inclusion

Published Online: Dec 31, 2013

Page range: 188 - 207

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jped-2013-0010

Keywords
critical pedagogy and pedagogy of inclusion, small discussion groups, argumentational thinking, stigmatization, HIV/AIDS, medical confidentiality

This content is open access.

Scottish and Slovak university student discussions about stigmatized persons: A challenge for education – moving towards democracy and inclusion

Published Online: Dec 31, 2013

Page range: 188 - 207

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jped-2013-0010

Keywordscritical pedagogy and pedagogy of inclusion, small discussion groups, argumentational thinking, stigmatization, HIV/AIDS, medical confidentiality

This content is open access.

Keywords
critical pedagogy and pedagogy of inclusion, small discussion groups, argumentational thinking, stigmatization, HIV/AIDS, medical confidentiality