Fracking, Bildung and a Lack of Democratic Citizenship in Communities: What can South Africa Learn from Poland?

Abstract

Fracking is a widely contested phenomenon, and considerable attention has been paid to its effects on the environment and people. The concepts of Bildung and democratic citizenship in poor communities where there is fracking have not been explored, although people are the most vulnerable to its effects. This article is prompted by how the lack of democratic citizenship in resource-extraction areas has led to protests. This article discusses the lack of democratic citizenship in communities that are threatened by fracking in South Africa and it draws lessons from the Polish case study. The article responds to questions on the importance of democratic citizenship for communities under the threat of fracking, how the lack of democratic citizenship on fracking been a challenge in Poland and South Africa and it provides the significance of the concept of Bildung to promote democratic citizenship in communities faced by fracking.