Optimism against all odds: global citizenship education from an anthropological perspective
Global citizenship calls above all for humility
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam has made global citizenship a central concept in its strategic plan, but what does global citizenship still entail when many parties evidently pay no heed to the rest of the world? The genocide in Gaza, Sudan, and Congo appears to be able to take place with impunity, and irreparable damage is being inflicted on the global ecosystem. It requires an unwavering optimism to continue believing in global citizenship. In his inaugural lecture, Professor of Global Citizenship Education Freek Colombijn addresses the question of what global citizenship means from an anthropological perspective: a certain attitude, skills, and a sense of belonging are three core aspects of it.
Anthropology seems to be the discipline par excellence to prepare students for their responsibility as global citizens. Central to this lecture is the idea that those who are privileged must be aware of this and step aside to make room for others in the middle.