Importance of Becoming a Global Citizen

Importance of Becoming a Global Citizen

Globalization is among the trends that have resulted in economic, social, and cultural growth in different countries worldwide. For instance, various countries and organizations have embraced the exchange of ideas across countries to promote growth and sustainability. Globalization has also led to increased competition for jobs and opportunities in the global business environment, leading to the rise of global citizenship. The link between globalization and global citizenship is explored based on the role of citizens from different countries in implementing global programs and solving global issues. Although there is no concrete definition of global citizenship, understanding the difference between globalism and globalization, the benefits of being a global citizen, areas where theorists disagree about the definition of global citizenship, the most important outcomes of global citizenship, the development of global citizenship and the general courses that may influence someone to become a global citizen, can offer a clear picture of the concept of global citizenship.

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The Distinction between “Globalism” and “Globalization”

Globalism is the idea that the events in one country impact other countries socially, economically, and politically (Papastephanou, 2005). Conversely, globalization is a broad concept that may be defined based on people’s perceptions. According to Stucke (2009), some people view globalization as ruthless exploitation by organizations, and others view it as a strategy for creating economic development for all nations worldwide. Reysen & Katzarska-Miller (2013) argue that globalization includes adopting global citizenship, which is the caring, awareness, and appreciation of cultural diversity while supporting social justice and sustainability and taking responsibility. Based on these two perceptions of globalization, it is evident that globalism focuses on creating a sense of belonging among individuals worldwide by promoting global citizenship, whereas globalization focuses on creating interdependence between the populations, cultures, and economies in different countries.

Benefits of Being a Global Citizen

Globalization is the structural evolution of the global economic system functioning in multifaceted conflicts with space and time compression stimulated by technological advancements and communication. Therefore, technology plays a vital role in shaping globalization and global citizenship. Being a global citizen requires awareness of the different cultures worldwide to peacefully coexist with the people in different countries. Being a global citizen in the world of advanced technology can help me meet my professional goals of working for a multicultural company by enabling me to be aware of and appreciate various cultures worldwide. Being a global citizen in the world of advanced technology can also benefit my success in meeting my personal and academic goals. For instance, I can use technology to learn about various cultures worldwide, thus enhancing my awareness and appreciation of cultural diversity, which is one of the foundations of strong global citizenship. Cultural awareness will enable me to expand my social circle and network because I can interact with people from different cultures and exchange ideas and experiences with them for personal and professional development. I can also use technology to get involved in global communities that offer scholarships to global citizens, thus advancing my education in different fields linked to my career path.

Causes of Disagreement between Theorists about the Definition of Global Citizenship

Reysen & Katzarska-Miller (2013) argue that confusion about the definition of global citizenship emerges from drawing the definition from diverse perspectives and disciplines. The authors argue that philosophy theorists may focus on morality and ethics, education theorists may emphasize global awareness, whereas other theorists may consider the concept untenable and idealistic because of the lack of solid legal recognition of global membership. The authors suggest that based on global awareness, intergroup empathy, normative environment, environmental sustainability, valuing diversity, responsibility, and intergroup helping themes, global citizenship can be defined as caring, consciousness, and accepting cultural diversity while encouraging social justice and sustainability and a sense of responsibility to act. However, I would define global citizenship as a person’s understanding of other people’s cultures, their role in supporting the culture and its values, and the willingness to respect different cultural values, norms, and beliefs in an environment with people from different cultures.

Outcomes of Global Citizenship

Level of Responsibility to Act

Responsibility to act includes accepting a moral obligation or duty to act for the good of the world. Global citizens must be willing to participate in addressing global issues to create a conducive environment for everyone worldwide. According to Bhargava (2006), global issues include issues that affect many people in different parts of national boundaries whereby every issue is of vital concern, indirectly or directly, to all or most countries worldwide and has implications that need a global regulatory approach. Responsibility to act is more important than other outcomes because failure to collaborate in addressing global issues can negatively impact globalization. For example, if global issues such as climate change, education inequality, financial stability, terrorism and armed conflict, and violation of human rights are not addressed, there would be no social justice, intergroup empathy, value for diversity, intergroup helping, and environmental sustainability.

Valuing Diversity

Valuing diversity creates a foundation for globalization by prompting a good relationship among people from different cultures (Mofid, 2017). Therefore, valuing diversity influences a person’s willingness to learn about other cultures, thus influencing the growth of global citizenship. According to Fei (2015), cultural awareness is one of the factors that influence global citizenship. Therefore, global citizens need to learn about the cultural beliefs, norms, and values of different cultures worldwide, thus promoting intergroup empathy, social justice, intergroup helping, and a high level of responsibility to improve the world.

Personal Development of Global Citizenship

Development of Responsibility to Act

The COVID-19 pandemic shaped the development of my global citizenship. During the COVID-19 pandemic, one of my friends who works as a nurse called me one night and expressed concerns about her mental and physical well-being because of the sudden increase in workload at her workplace. I decided to take action and help where I could. I came across an agency on the internet recruiting psychologists and healthcare providers to work in the regions experiencing a severe shortage. I developed a high level of responsibility to act because I had the knowledge and expertise needed to offer the required care. Therefore, I contacted the agency and was assigned to a healthcare facility in California, although I was not living in the US then.

Development of the Value for Diversity

I began valuing diversity when I began working for a multinational company. I did not have experience working with people from different cultures when I joined the company. However, I realized that the only way I could avoid conflicts with other employees was to learn and appreciate their culture. Therefore, I enrolled in a cultural awareness program within the organization and developed the skills and capabilities needed to coexist with people from different cultures.

General Education Courses That Influenced Me to Become a Global Citizen

Foreign language is one general education course that has influenced me to become a global citizen. The course made me develop an interest in learning more about the cultures of different countries, thus enhancing my appreciation for other cultures. I speak more than one language, thus making it easier for me to communicate with people from different cultures. According to Palmer (2018), communication is essential in global citizenship because it enables an individual to participate in addressing global issues. Therefore, I can easily express myself in different languages when sharing information and ideas in a global setting.

The arts and humanities course is another general course that has influenced me to become a global citizen. The course gave me a better understanding of human behavior, the structure of societies, and how people in various societies interact. The course made me develop an interest in understanding the impact of culture on human behavior and how people interact in an environment that consists of people from different cultures. Therefore, I began reading various books and articles on different societies worldwide and their norms, which could impact my interaction with them. The arts and humanities course also helped me understand the structure of diverse societies and my role in those societies.

Conclusion

Various theorists have defined global citizenship differently because they draw the definition from diverse perspectives and disciplines. Understanding the difference between globalism and globalization, the benefits of being a global citizen, areas where theorists disagree about the definition of global citizenship, the most important outcomes of global citizenship, the development of global citizenship, and the general courses that may influence someone to become a global citizen can offer a clear picture of the concept of global citizenship. The most important outcomes of global citizenship include a responsibility to act and valuing diversity. These outcomes can be developed through general courses and a person’s experiences. It is also important to focus on the perceptions of globalization when defining globalization and globalism. For instance, some people view globalization as ruthless exploitation by organizations, and others view it as a strategy for creating economic development for all nations worldwide. This leads to the conclusion that it is evident that globalism focuses on creating a sense of belonging among individuals in all countries worldwide by promoting global citizenship, whereas globalization focuses on creating interdependence between the populations, cultures, and economies in different countries.

References

Bhargava, V. K. (2006). Global issues for global citizens: An introduction to key development challenges. World Bank.

Fei, X. (2015). Globalization and cultural self-awareness. China Academic Library. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-46648-3

Mofid, K. (2017). Globalization for the common good. Globalization & Identity, 27–31. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203790670-5

Palmer, Z. (2018). Enabling global citizenship in intercultural collaboration. Citizenship and Advocacy in Technical Communication, 41–61. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203711422-3

Papastephanou, M. (2005). Globalization, globalism, and cosmopolitanism as an educational ideal. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 37(4), 533–551. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-5812.2005.00139.x

Reysen, S., & Katzarska-Miller, I. (2013). A model of global citizenship: Antecedents and outcomes. International Journal of Psychology, 48(5). https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00207594.2012.701749

Stucke, K. (Writer). (2009). Globalization at a crossroads [Series episode]. In M. Stucke & Claudin, C. (Executive Producers), Global issues. https://fod.infobase.com/OnDemandEmbed.aspx?token=39350&wID=100753&plt=FOD&loid=0&w=640&h=480&fWidth=660&fHeight=530.

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Importance of Becoming a Global Citizen
[WLOs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5] [CLOs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Prepare:

Prior to beginning work on this assignment, read the A Model of Global Citizenship: Antecedents and OutcomesLinks to an external site. Article and watch the Globalization at a CrossroadsLinks to an external site. Video. Go to the UAGC Library and locate one additional source on global citizenship that will help support your viewpoint, or you may choose one of the following articles found in the Week 1 Required Resources:

Importance of Becoming a Global Citizen

From Globalism to Globalization: The Politics of ResistanceLinks to an external site.
Globalization, Globalism, and Cosmopolitanism as an Educational IdealLinks to an external site.
Transnationalism and Anti-GlobalismLinks to an external site.
Reflect: Please take some time to reflect on how the concept of global citizenship has shaped your identity and think about how being a global citizen has made you a better person in your community.

Write: Use the Week 1 Example Assignment Guide Download Week 1 Example Assignment Guidewhen addressing the following prompts:

Describe and explain a clear distinction between “globalism” and “globalization” after viewing the video and reading the article.
Describe how being a global citizen in the world of advanced technology can be beneficial to your success in meeting your personal, academic, and professional goals.
Explain why there has been disagreement between theorists about the definition of global citizenship and develop your own definition of global citizenship after reading the article by Reysen and Katzarska-Miller.
Choose two of the six outcomes of global citizenship from the article (i.e., intergroup empathy, valuing diversity, social justice, environmental sustainability, intergroup helping, and the level of responsibility to act for the betterment of this world).
Explain why those two outcomes are the most important in becoming a global citizen compared to the others.
Describe at least two personal examples or events in your life that illustrate the development of global citizenship based on the two outcomes you chose.
Identify two specific general education courses.
Explain how each course influenced you to become a global citizen.

The Importance of Becoming a Global Citizen

Must be 750 words in length (not including title and references pages) and formatted according to APA style, as outlined in the UAGC Writing Center’s APA Style resource.Links to an external site.
Must include a separate title page with the following:
Title of paper
Student’s name
Course name and number
Instructor’s name
Date submitted
For further assistance with the formatting and the title page, refer to APA Formatting for Word 2013Links to an external site..
Must utilize academic voice. See the Academic Voice links to an external site. Resource for additional guidance.
Must include an introduction and conclusion paragraph. Your introduction paragraph needs to end with a clear thesis statement that indicates the purpose of your paper.
For assistance on writing Introductions & ConclusionsLinks to an external site. as well as Writing a Thesis StatementLinks to an external site., refer to the UAGC Writing Center resources.
Must use at least one credible source in addition to the two required sources (video and article).
The Scholarly, Peer Reviewed, and Other Credible SourcesLinks to an external site. The table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source for an assignment. The Integrating ResearchLinks to an external site. The tutorial will offer further assistance, including supporting information and reasoning.
Must document in APA style any information used from sources, as outlined in the UAGC Writing Center’s In-Text Citation GuideLinks to an external site.
Must have no more than 15% quoted material in the body of your essay based on the Turnitin report. References list will be excluded from the Turnitin originality score.
A separate references page must be included that is formatted according to APA style. See the Formatting Your References ListLinks to an external site. Resources are in the UAGC Writing Center for specifications.