An Asian Perspective Based on the Current Status of Global Citizenship Education in China

• In Event: Anti-Diversity, Repression and Neo-Mercantilism : Can Global Citizenship Education Survive?

Abstract

China’s nationwide educational campaign for the ‘new era’—a term introduced by the Xi Jinping administration—strikes a balance between emphasizing an international outlook and fostering a strong sense of nationalism. Drawing on compulsory curriculum documents and interviews with 45 youth educators, this study examines recent developments in citizenship education and their relevance to fostering international understanding among China’s new generation of citizens. The results show that China has clearly developed its own approach to cultivating an international orientation for a new generation. This international outlook is not equivalent to cosmopolitanism or global citizenship, even though students are encouraged to gain knowledge about the international community and recognize cultural differences. The Chinese experience highlights the complexity involved in balancing local citizenship values with the goals of global citizenship education, and suggests the importance of cultivating self-reflexivity and openness as essential components in fostering a globally minded approach to citizenship learning.

Author

• Zhenzhou Zhao, Education University of Hong Kong