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1981
Volume 6, Issue 2
  • ISSN: 1751-1917
  • E-ISSN: 1751-1925

Abstract

Do young people of today feel themselves to be global citizens? If so, what is it that they care about? Is it politics, poverty, climate change or issues relating to children? Understanding young people's views is important if schools are to be responsive to their needs and prepare them for life in a rapidly changing world. This article reports on a study into the hopes and fears of over 600 children and young people from a range of schools in the UK for the future of the global community. The sample was drawn from three age groups: eleven, fourteen and seventeen. It indicates the extent to which young people feel optimistic about the future, informed about current global issues, and motivated to act for change. The UK study was part of a larger study involving Poland and Spain. Comparisons are made with findings from these countries and with earlier UK studies (Hicks and Holden 1995; Holden 2007). Findings demonstrate that UK pupils are concerned about global issues relating to the environment, war, poverty, and injustice but that they are often misinformed about the causes and possible solutions. They want to be involved in working for change but action tends to centre around school-initiated fund raising or low level environmental activity. Participation is adult-initiated rather than pupil led. The findings have implications for policy makers and practitioners engaged in education for citizenship and global education. Listening to what young people have to say reinforces the need for a global dimension in the curriculum which is responsive to their concerns and helps prepare them as active and informed global citizens.

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/content/journals/10.1386/ctl.6.2.123_1
2011-06-01
2025-02-15
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  • Article Type: Article
Keyword(s): CITIZENSHIP; CONFLICT; ENVIRONMENT; GLOBAL; PARTICIPATION; SOCIAL JUSTICE
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