Secondary Schools the Designated Drivers for the Promotion of World Citizenship?! A research on the support for world citizenship at ten secondary schools in the province of Gelderland
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2010-02
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en
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Abstract
While already quite a lot has been written on world citizenship and its importance, the current
literature lacks an insight on the public support for such a „new‟ form of citizenship.
Therefore, this research intends to establish the support among a particular important group
with respect to world citizenship, namely secondary schools. World citizenship proponents
often perceive secondary schools as an ultimate channel to take up facets of world citizenship.
Assuming that when learned at a young age, these pupils will be inspired for the rest of their
lives. Since such a trend can also be witnessed in the Netherlands, ample room is given to find
out how schools respond to such an inclination.
In order to investigate the level of support among this group, ten secondary schools in
the province of Gelderland have been visited. At each school a geography teacher, a member
of the school board, and a class of pupils were questioned on knowledge, attitude, and
behaviour towards world citizenship. The results of this data gathering process showed that
overall the schools are still a bit hesitant when the (structural) implementation of world
citizenship is concerned. Though individual opinions deviated, both towards more optimistic
and aversive stances, world citizenship proponents, like NGOs, educators, and politicians,
have still quite some work to do be for they are able to realise their goal.
While this research sees the importance of a world citizenship education, it also
recognises that in the current Dutch climate such an education is hard to realise. Not only the
political tug-of-war between those suggesting a more international focus, due to the rise of
interconnected processes, and those appealing for the focus on the national, for the sake of
preserving national citizenship traditions and customs, make world citizenship a contested
item. The school arena is also not ready yet to truly implement world citizenship, simply
because of the lack of teaching hours, curricula guidelines, and proper teaching material.
Maybe if these obstacles are overcome, overall support will grow and world citizenship will
become within reach. This research therefore recommends, instead of approaching and
convincing schools on a individual basis, making world citizenship a piecemeal offer, that
those concerned with a world citizenship education should team up and come with a joint
initiative that is well-considered, well defined, feasible, and supported by most in the school
arena.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen