SERVICE AND SOCIAL IMPACT
Sevenoaks School ’ s mission statement in Horizon 2032 is ‘ to provide students with the knowledge , understanding and confidence to be world citizens , empowered to make a difference ’. Whilst we build our students ’ capacity to ‘ create their world ’ ( Freire , 1970 ), it is vital that their empowerment does not , inadvertently , impose values upon those less equipped to influence decisions or lead change .
Applying postcolonial theory to global citizenship education
Cat Davison , Director of Service & Social Impact
‘ People are fulfilled to the extent that they create their world ’ ( Freire , 1970 ).
Global citizenship education : The background
The UK national citizenship curriculum specifies enabling students to understand ‘ the different ways in which a citizen can contribute to the improvement of their community ’ ( KS4 ), although there are not clear references to notions of global responsibility ; however , schools have increasingly framed their education as aiming to develop ‘ global citizens ’. The term ‘ Global Citizenship Education ’ has been recognised by some scholars as a ‘ place of arrival ’ of other areas of education such as development education , global learning , environment education , human rights education , education for equality , and sustainability education ( Mannion , Biesta , Priestley & Ross , 2011 ).
Some suggest that the multiplicity of meanings or a ‘ lack of a concrete definition ’ of the term ‘ global citizen ’ means that it is employed as an ‘ empty signifier ’ ( Zemach-Bersin 2007:19 ). Many go further to suggest that the concept may even contribute to what Andreotti terms as the ‘ civilising mission ’ of the west ( Andreotti , 2011 : 166-167 ) as ‘ the very possibility of ‘ being global ’ is unbalanced ’ due to the differing levels of connectivity globally ( Dobson , 2005 : 259 ). Indeed , Andreotti ( 2006:70 ) questions : ‘ Whose globe ? Whose citizenship ?’
50