“Global citizenship education: Teachers’ and students’ concepts of global citizenship in Greece and Sweden ”
Vassileios Symeonidis
Pages 113 – 142
Abstract
Global Citizenship Education has recently emerged as an approach that fosters global citizenship and helps to understand global phenomena of social, political, economic and environmental nature. This article aims to comparatively examine how the educational systems in Greece and Sweden approach global citizenship. Based on a comparative case study design, research data are collected through semi-structured interviews with teachers and focus groups with students aged 11-12 years old in public compulsory education schools. Thematic analysis was employed to present findings, revealing teachers’ and students’ perceptions. The findings were interpreted according to a theoretical model of categorising global citizenship. The main findings indicate the prevalence of a moral and an environmental conception of global citizenship, evidenced in teaching about human rights and sustainable development. A critical conception appeared to be missing, since teachers’ and students’ perceptions revealed a superficial understanding of global issues.