Taking Global Citizenship Education Local A Response to the Crisis of Multiculturalism, Democracy, and Citizenship

This chapter provides an analysis of the unresolved dilemmas of diversity in education and it claims that global citizenship education offers a valuable angle to look at diversity issues from a broader perspective than multicultural or civic education. The chapter argues that in post-national and super-diverse societies, diverse citizenship should be regarded as a global and multifaceted identity. After a brief introduction that brings global citizenship education discussion into the realm of comparative education, the chapter conceptualizes global citizenship education as a holistic educational view combining citizenship and sustainability, human rights and environment, the social sphere, and the biosphere. Using this inclusive conceptual framework global citizenship education’s domains and competences are addressed in the light of diverse models. The chapter concludes with 13 practical suggestions to take global citizenship education local, based on local experiences and practice, embedded in the Sen and Nussbaum’s capability approach.