Global Citizenship Education: Curious Teachers, Critical Classrooms

Brighid Golden (2023) Global Citizenship Education: Curious Teachers, Critical Classrooms, Dublin and Limerick: The DICE Project and Irish Aid.

Over ten years in the making, Global Citizenship Education: Curious Teachers, Critical Classrooms is envisaged by its co-author and editor, Brighid Golden, as an accessible starting point for students and teachers to critically engage in global citizenship education (GCE).  Golden is an experienced educator in development education, having initially worked as a primary school teacher and then for the past decade as a lecturer in initial teacher education (ITE).  As such, she readily acknowledges the importance of developing strategies that support critical engagement with a subject rich in complexity, controversy and contentious issues.  The book is an ambitious one, as Golden aims to integrate the knowledge, expertise and praxis of various voices working within the Irish context, and though it was written with the Irish education system in mind, it has universal appeal.  While GCE academics and educators will undoubtedly find value in the book, it is targeted at primary school teachers, and builds on previous publications such as Teaching for Social Justice and Sustainable Development Across the Primary Curriculum (Kavanagh, Waldron and Mallon, 2021), by explicitly outlining pedagogical approaches to use in relation to GCE.

The book, accessible as a free online resource, comprises forty-one chapters across three sections with contributions made by twenty-four authors, from both traditional academic and non-academic backgrounds.  There is a comprehensive eight-page glossary of key terminology, as well as appendices and links to useful websites and videos accompanying each chapter.  Statistics are used sparingly but very effectively throughout the book to highlight specific realities.  Dave Redden of Avid Design deserves credit for his exceptional work on the book’s design, which captivates readers with its vivid and colourfully crafted visuals, making each page a visual delight.

Part I provides background knowledge on essential concepts in GCE such as critical thinking, anti-racism, interculturalism and action.  In this section, Golden presents GCE, an umbrella term encompassing fields such as intercultural education, education for sustainability, and human rights education, as a pervasive educational approach committed to global social justice, equity, and human rights.  Referencing Andreotti (2006), Golden argues that the move from a ‘soft’ to a more ‘critical’ engagement with GCE, necessitates a critically reflective process focusing not just on the acquisition of knowledge, but developing the values, attitudes and skills necessary for active citizenship.  In the tradition of critical pedagogy, Golden views teaching as a powerful form of activism and believes that early integration of GCE in education is crucial for creating a just and sustainable world.  Consequently, the central message outlined in this section of the book, emphasises the imperative for educators to adopt a critical perspective in their approach to GCE. 

Part II explores different dimensions of global inequality, examining its underlying causes and the societal frameworks perpetuating it.  It champions collective responsibility through education and collaboration to address all forms of inequality.  A compelling discussion on structural inequality examines systemic causes of global poverty, including colonialism, neoliberal globalisation, exploitative trade, and environmental degradation.  Additional chapters critique Western-centric human rights education for not addressing deep societal inequalities and highlight challenges in implementing and monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals.  The subsequent chapter advocates for solidarity and justice over pity and charity to tackle global poverty.  The concept of citizenship is then explored with an emphasis on inclusive education that reconciles global and national identities, while migration is discussed with a focus on empathy and human rights within Ireland's context.  The plight of Irish Travellers is detailed, exposing health disparities, discrimination, educational disadvantages, and poor living conditions experienced by this ethnic minority.  Gender issues are then examined from biological and societal perspectives, emphasising the importance of promoting equality and understanding of diverse gender identities. 

In the chapter on sustainability, a strong case is made to embrace the circular bioeconomy and learn from indigenous practices that prioritise circularity and ecological harmony to resolve the inherent contradiction between economic growth and sustainability in a neoliberal context.  Using cocoa as a case study, the imbalanced value chains between the global North and South are critically outlined in the chapter on trade justice.  The chapter on climate justice reminds us that those least responsible for greenhouse gas emissions often bear the brunt of their impact, and it calls for collective action that prioritises the needs and rights of those most affected.  The final chapter on conflict underlines the importance of educational and communal approaches to conflict resolution and the collective responsibility of societies and governments in promoting peaceful coexistence.

A hallmark of a critical pedagogy approach is the emphasis on learners taking ownership of their education, making it more personally meaningful and contextually relevant (Shor and Freire, 1987).  Part III of the book, with keen sensitivity to the modern demands placed on primary school teachers, outlines practical methodologies and resources to promote critical engagement with GCE, while continually encouraging teachers to develop their own resources tailored to their unique classroom environments.  In the spirit of Maxine Greene (1995), class novels, picture books, images and videos are recommended as resources that can cultivate empathy and stimulate critically reflective discussions on complex topics.  Harnessing the power of the arts is also proposed as a medium for students to imagine future worlds. 

The book is bursting with ideas and practical suggestions, and it could easily have been split into two volumes — one for theory and one for practical methodology, much like Peter Worley’s recent series Corrupting Youth (2021a and b).  This might have compromised Golden’s aim, however, to ‘present in one place, in an accessible manner’ what she believes to be the ‘most important considerations’ (Golden, 2023: i) for developing one’s approach to GCE.  Examining diverse perspectives is fundamental to GCE, and Golden deserves commendation for uniting a wide array of voices for a common purpose.  While the book’s multitude of perspectives is undoubtedly a strength, the diverse writing styles and approaches unavoidably result in some inconsistency in tone.  For example, there are chapters on the topics of human rights, citizenship, climate justice and reflection, that are disappointingly light on both content and argument and leave the reader wanting more.  These contrast markedly with chapters discussing critical thinking, anti-racism and structural inequality that will offer a genuinely eye-opening experience for readers, especially teachers who believe they are already engaging in best practice.  That being said, while specific chapters lack critical depth or sufficient detail when compared to others, all chapters contain multiple hyperlinks to resources and videos for those seeking further information or guidance, demonstrating the meticulous editorial work behind the book. 

Certain authors are unapologetically forthright in advocating for specific actions regarding GCE and provide a decisive list of dos and don’ts, leaving no room for ambiguity.  This didactic approach is incompatible with the spirit of the book and somewhat ironic considering the same authors finish their chapter with the observation that, ‘we can’t learn anything if we insist that we already know everything’ (Halfaoui and Donnelly, 2023: 122).  While this instructive stance may resonate with readers seeking clear guidance to navigate the complexities of GCE, others might favour the less prescriptive but equally insightful approach taken by the book's additional authors. 

In sum, this book successfully balances theory and practice, providing actionable ideas and valuable insights into the various facets of GCE.  It aims to impact the heart, head and hands of its readers who will most likely use it as a freely accessible resource to dip into for inspiration and practical guidance.  Ultimately, this book should be regarded as an important addition to the literature in this area, significantly empowering curious teachers to approach GCE with a more critical perspective.

References

Andreotti V (2006) ‘Soft Versus Critical Global Citizenship Education’, Policy and Practice: A Development Education Review, Vol. 3, pp. 40-51.

Golden, B (2023) ‘Preface’ in B Golden (ed.) Global Citizenship Education: Curious Teachers, Critical Classrooms, Ireland: DICE Project.

Greene, M (1995) Releasing the Imagination: Essays on Education, the Arts, and Social Change, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Halfaoui, R and Donnelly, V (2023) ‘Intercultural Education’ in B Golden (ed.) Global Citizenship Education: Curious Teachers, Critical Classrooms, Ireland: DICE Project.

Kavanagh, A, Waldron, F and Mallon, B (eds.) (2021) Teaching for Social Justice and Sustainable Development Across the Primary Curriculum, Abingdon: Routledge.

Shor, I and Freire, P (1987) A Pedagogy for Liberation: Dialogues on Transforming Education, South Hadley, MA: Bergin and Garvey.

Worley, P (2021a) Corrupting Youth: History and Principles of Philosophical Enquiry (Big Ideas for Young Thinkers Book 1), London: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers. 

Worley, P (2021b) Corrupting Youth: How to Facilitate Philosophical Enquiry (Big Ideas for Young Thinkers Book 2), London: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers. 

Simon Brennan lectures in Philosophy of Education and Ethics in Mary Immaculate College, Limerick and Philosophy of Music, Trinity College, Dublin.  Simon has an academic background in philosophy (BA) and music (M.Ed.) and is also an experienced primary school teacher (PGCE), having worked as an educator in five countries. Simon is completing his PhD at MIC, Limerick, which is funded by the Irish Research Council.  His current research interests include philosophy with/for children, global citizenship education, higher order oral language acquisition, aesthetic and music education.