Fostering a Global Imaginary: The Possibilities and Paradoxes of Japanese and Canadian Students’ Perceptions of the Responsibilities of World Citizenship

Abstract

This article presents the results of a pilot study comparing how high-school students in Canada and Japan ( n=194) understand and imagine the responsibilities of ‘world citizenship.’ Analysis of the results of our study indicate that despite similarities in perceptions between students in the two nations, significant differences exist in how Japanese and Canadian students construct a global imaginary of citizenship – particularly in terms of the extent to which students have a hopeful attitude towards the future and view themselves as active participants in the resolution of global issues. These results suggest that educational policy makers in Canada and Japan currently involved in curriculum reform that emphasizes internationalization and intercultural dialogue, must be mindful of the possibilities and paradoxes inherent in attempts to foster a global imaginary of citizenship among their students.