“Is it a civics lesson?”: centering the local to encourage political engagement

Purpose Civic education in the US has historically centered the nation-state. This is often disempowering for marginalized students who exist outside the national narrative and political sphere. Design/methodology/approach This year-long ethnographic study considers what counts as civic education in the US Virgin Islands, a territory of the US. This paper draws on critical theory and critical pedagogy to understand ways teachers in a politically and culturally marginalized space can reimagine civic education. Classroom observations, interviews and curriculum content analysis are used as data. Findings The findings suggest that teachers centered the local by surfacing the unjust political relationship between the US and its territories and incorporating local history, civic engagement, resistance and culture to politically empower their students. Originality/value This research will contribute a deeper understanding of the possibilities for civic education to be empowering for those who are marginalized and often excluded from the national political arena.