Teaching for Social Justice, Diversity, and Citizenship in a Global World

TLDR

Racial, ethnic, cultural, and language diversity is rising worldwide due to immigration, challenging assimilationist citizenship models and prompting new conceptions of citizenship and citizenship education. Citizenship education should balance unity and diversity, foster students’ clear identification with cultural communities, nation‑states, and the global community, and equip them with the knowledge, attitudes, and skills to promote a more democratic and just nation and world.

Abstract

Abstract Racial, ethnic, cultural, and language diversity is increasing in nation-states throughout the world because of worldwide immigration. The deepening ethnic diversity within nation-states and the quest by different groups for cultural recognition and rights are challenging assimilationist notions of citizenship and forcing nation-states to construct new conceptions of citizenship and citizenship education. A delicate balance of unity and diversity should be an essential goal of citizenship education in multicultural nation-states. Citizenship education should help students to develop thoughtful and clarified identifications with their cultural communities, nation-states, and the global community. It also should enable them to acquire the knowledge, attitudes, and skills needed to act to make the nation and the world more democratic and just.