The Bildung Theory—From von Humboldt to Klafki and Beyond

Abstract Bildung is a complex educational concept that has connections to both the Enlightenment and Romanticism. It has its roots in the late eighteenth century in Germany and has had a central place in educational philosophy and policy in central and northern Europe since then. In the history of education, one can identify at least five educational theories with reference to the basic ideas of Bildung: (a) Wilhelm von Humboldt’s classical Bildung, (b) liberal education, (c) Scandinavian folk-Bildung, (d) democratic education, and (e) critical-hermeneutic Bildung. In this chapter, we discuss the development of the concept of Bildung as a humanistic theory and its relevance for science education. We show how Bildung, when it comes to science education among other disciplines, emphasizes both personal subjectification and skills for socio-political action. In doing so, we relate contemporary interpretations of Bildung to issues of scientific literacy, education for sustainability, and transformative learning.