Heuristics of Global Citizenship Discourses towards Curriculum Enhancement

Abstract

Global citizenship has become a frequently invoked slogan. While its aura generates much interest and broad affiliation, perspectives about why, how, and to what degree a global citizenship has and will manifest are discordant and underdeveloped. The lack of clarity about global citizenship is of particular concern to curriculum scholars and practitioners since schools are viewed as primary agents for socializing youth as citizens and are increasingly shaped by global forces. Despite exhortations to teach for global citizenship, the persistent lack of clarity about what that means confounds efforts of curriculum theorizing and implementation. This paper offers heuristics to sort through visions of global citizenship from five distinct discourses: neoliberal, nationalist, Marxist, world justice/governance, and cosmopolitan. This analysis recommends global citizenship curriculum, both its theorizing and engagement, be imbued with two epistemic capacities in order to enhance the development of global citizenship curriculum: hermeneutics/dialogue and placed being.

About the Author

William Gaudelli is associate professor of social studies and education at Teachers College, Columbia University. His research areas include global education, visual media, and teacher education/development. Gaudelli has published a variety of pieces in journals such as Teaching Education, Theory and Research in Social Education, Society and Culture, with forthcoming articles in Teachers College Record and Teaching and Teacher Education along with two books. Gaudelli can be contacted at gaudelli@tc.edu.