Global Citizenship

Curriculum guideline

Effective Date:
Return to Course
Print Guideline
Course
GLGC 1101
Discontinued
No
Course code
GLGC 1101
Descriptive
Global Citizenship
Department
Global Learning Global Citizenship
Faculty
Language, Literature & Performing Arts
Credits
3.00
Start date
End term
Not Specified
PLAR
Yes
Semester length
15 Weeks
Max class size
35
Course designation
None
Industry designation
None
Contact hours

Lecture: 2 hours/week

and

Seminar: 2 hours/week

 

Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Seminar
Learning activities

Learning activities will depend on the delivery mode: in-person, online, hybrid, or guided study. Methods may include:  

  • Lectures
  • Peer-led seminar 
  • Discussion groups
  • Inquiry-based projects 
  • Guest speakers 
  • Small-group work 
  • Field experience 
  • Field observation  
  • Independent study 
  • Video or audio presentations 
Course description
This course meets the Global Citizenship course requirement of the Global Competency Certificate. Students are introduced to global competencies and issues. Students will explore the worldviews of others, reflect on their own cultural experiences, and take multiple perspectives while exploring issues related to sustainability and intercultural conflict and harmony. Depending on the specific course offering, students may engage in intercultural activities or take this course as part of a study-abroad experience.
Course content

1. Key Concepts of Global Citizenship  

a. Globalization

    • Definitions 
    • Support and critiques 

b. Global Citizenship 

    •  Definitions 
    •  Competencies 
    •  Support and critiques  

2. Worldviews and Intercultural understanding

a. Key concepts and definitions: 

    • Worldviews and paradigms – definitions 
    • Culture and intercultural definitions and models for understanding 
    • Perspective-taking  
    • Unlearning and reframing experience 

 b. Cultural self-awareness  

    • Identifying our own cultural lenses and worldview  
    • Linking behavior and judgement to cultural lenses  
    • Challenging one’s worldview via perspective-taking and experience.  

c. Intercultural communication 

    • Basic frameworks for understanding intercultural communication differences (e.g. high context, low context, in-between, direct, indirect)
    • Identifying our own communication preferences 

 3.  Global Issues and Institutions: Knowledge to Action  

a. Introduction to select global issues

b. Critical perspectives on the role and purpose of international governmental and non governmental organizations (i.e. Foundations, UN, UNESCO, Red Cross, etc.) 

 c. Local/global relationship 

    • Identifying organizational positions 
    • Linking local action to global issues 

 d. Taking action 

    • Localizing global citizenship to your context 
    • Planning for action  
    • Critical perspectives (for example performative global citizenship; volunteerism and voluntourism; soft vs critical global citizenship)   

 4. Sustainability global citizenship 

a. Definitions 

b. Sustainability Frameworks: mainstream and critical (e.g. anthropological, Indigenous, UN sustainable development goals)  

c. Selected topics in sustainability 

    • Environmental 
    • Economic 
    • Social (cultural) 
    • Political 

 
Learning outcomes

Upon completion of this course, sucessful students will be able to: 

  • Define global citizenship and global competencies. 
  • Demonstrate a basic knowledge of sustainable development concepts and models. 
  • Present a global issue from more than one perspective or worldview.  
  • Relate a global issue to specific local actions. 
  • Self-assess interpersonal and intercultural communication ability.  
  • Demonstrate critical thinking to support a position on a sustainability issue.  
Means of assessment

Assessment will be based on course objectives and will be carried out in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. Instructors may use a student’s record of attendance and/or level of active participation in a course as part of the student’s graded performance. Where this occurs, expectations and grade calculations regarding class attendance and participation must be clearly defined in the Instructor Course Outline.

Regardless of format, the assessment will include a minimum of three separate assessments and include: 

  • Understanding of global competencies 
  • Evidence of a critical thinking and perspective-taking 
  • A reflective element relating self, experience, and global competencies.  

The following is an example assessment format for this course: 

Reflection journal 

10-20% 

Seminar presentation 

10-20% 

Case study or research project 

15-30% 

Final Paper 

20-35% 

Discussion participation 

0-10% 

Total 

100% 

 
Textbook materials

The instructor may choose a textbook such as:  

Sterri, A. B. (2014). Global Citizen - Challenges and Responsibility in an Interconnected World. Brill/Sense. 

Bashir, H., & Gray, P.W. (2015). Deconstructing Global Citizenship: Political, Cultural, and Ethical Perspectives. Lexington Books. 

Or compile a reading list of relevant articles/materials for this course.  

Prerequisites

None

Corequisites

None

Equivalencies

None