Theoretical and Empirical Foundations of Critical Global Citizenship Education

Book excerpt: In the first volume in the Critical Global Citizenship Education series, Torres combines theoretical and empirical research to present an original perspective on global citizenship education as a vitally important way of learning in a globalized world. In examining the requirements for effective global citizenship education and education reform, he investigates pathways to citizenship-building at the local, national and global levels and urges development of teaching methods, teacher education, and curriculum within a social justice education framework. Taking into account post-colonial perspectives, political realities at play, and practical implications, Torres provides a succinct but comprehensive understanding of how global citizenship education can expand the concept of civic education in a global society and interrupt inequality. This volume considers the ways that global citizenship education has been incorporated and is used by international institutions, governments, and the academy, and provides a clear framework for anyone struggling to make sense of the tensions and complexities of global citizenship education today.