Learning for Cosmopolitan Citizenship: Theoretical debates and young people's experiences

Abstract

Since citizenship is a contested concept, education for citizenship is also a site of debate and controversy. This article explores the limitations of education for national citizenship, and reflects on the deficit models of young people which are often presented in justifying citizenship education. Extending political theorist David Held's model of cosmopolitan democracy, the authors propose the term education for cosmopolitan citizenship. They explore the features of education for citizenship in the context of globalisation, noting that citizenship education addresses local, national, regional and global issues. Such a perspective is critical in preparing young people to live together in increasingly diverse local communities and an interdependent world. The authors report on research carried out with young people living in multicultural communities in Leicester, UK, to explore understandings of community and levels of civic engagement. They explore the multiple identities and loyalties of these young people and identify sites of learning for citizenship in homes and communities. Drawing on these findings, the article concludes that a re-conceptualised education for cosmopolitan citizenship needs to address peace, human rights, democracy and development, equipping young people to make a difference at all levels, from the local to the global.