Start Date
10-8-2010 10:30 AM
End Date
10-8-2010 12:00 PM
Description
We have reached a point in the evolution of global citizenship where the call to action is no longer critical, it is imperative. Sustainable change is the cornerstone of the effort to bring communities together to prioritize needs and implement intelligent growth. Development must be transformative, not palliative. Those who engage in education abroad have the unique and promising opportunity to address global issues and become active participants in the development process. Younger citizens often choose to pursue opportunities both small and large that contribute to safeguarding dignity while advancing growth. Students are often better positioned and more effective than policy makers in furthering activism and advocacy due to their passion, energy and open mindedness supported by the environments in which they work—namely, their universities. The growth and learning that occurs beyond the traditional classroom walls through experiential models can have an enduring impact on a young person’s future direction and life goals. Implicit in the nuanced experiences students face abroad is a dissolution of the ‘us’ and ‘them,’ an amelioration of divisive borders and a sense of acceptance that one is part of a global community. Often what follows is the realization that the student has a responsibility in shaping the future. To this end, therefore, many study abroad destinations offer students an opportunity to learn from ancient practices passed down through generations. This opening into relational rather than intellectual engagement leads to tenable solutions for social change. The visceral experience of cultural immersion promotes Bennett’s transition from ethnocentric to ethnorelative and, in doing so, creates seasoned and prepared global citizens ready to take action and contribute to a better future. Finite, tangible tools for young global citizens – from re-entry advocacy campaigns to armchair activism – will be discussed, and possible adaptations for diverse learning environments will be explored.
Included in
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Commons, International and Comparative Education Commons
Toward an Action-Oriented Approach to Global Citizenship: Tools for the Young Global Citizen
We have reached a point in the evolution of global citizenship where the call to action is no longer critical, it is imperative. Sustainable change is the cornerstone of the effort to bring communities together to prioritize needs and implement intelligent growth. Development must be transformative, not palliative. Those who engage in education abroad have the unique and promising opportunity to address global issues and become active participants in the development process. Younger citizens often choose to pursue opportunities both small and large that contribute to safeguarding dignity while advancing growth. Students are often better positioned and more effective than policy makers in furthering activism and advocacy due to their passion, energy and open mindedness supported by the environments in which they work—namely, their universities. The growth and learning that occurs beyond the traditional classroom walls through experiential models can have an enduring impact on a young person’s future direction and life goals. Implicit in the nuanced experiences students face abroad is a dissolution of the ‘us’ and ‘them,’ an amelioration of divisive borders and a sense of acceptance that one is part of a global community. Often what follows is the realization that the student has a responsibility in shaping the future. To this end, therefore, many study abroad destinations offer students an opportunity to learn from ancient practices passed down through generations. This opening into relational rather than intellectual engagement leads to tenable solutions for social change. The visceral experience of cultural immersion promotes Bennett’s transition from ethnocentric to ethnorelative and, in doing so, creates seasoned and prepared global citizens ready to take action and contribute to a better future. Finite, tangible tools for young global citizens – from re-entry advocacy campaigns to armchair activism – will be discussed, and possible adaptations for diverse learning environments will be explored.