This proposed mixed-methods study examines how secondary-school teachers in Nigeria understand
and facilitate classroom discussion of political and social issues. Political Science Education provides an
especially useful disciplinary foundation for studying whether students encounter politics as memorized
institutional knowledge or as a structured practice of reasoned, evidence-informed, and respectful
participation. The study will investigate teacher beliefs, instructional routines, perceived risks, and student
experiences of discussion. It is designed to contribute an African perspective to scholarship on
democratic education while aligning with research on controversial-issue pedagogy, affect in political
discussion, civic learning, social studies inquiry, and teacher education.