Global Citizenship: Macro & micro perspectives

Shân WareingUniversity of the Arts London

10 Feb 2012

“... the development of the graduate attribute of global citizenship in universities... rarely accompanied by debate about the different ways in which this concept can be understood”

“We aim to generate a theorized direction for global citizenship as a graduate attribute and an underpinning pedagogic direction for its encouragement”

Macro perspectivemultinational corporations

Micro perspectiveexperiences of individual students

different disciplinesdifferent nuancesdifferent distinctions and

assumptionssome things unsaid, others in the

spotlight

Scherer, Andreas Georg, and Palazzo, Guido (2008) ‘Globalization and Corporate Responsibility’, in the Oxford Handbook and Corporate Social Responsibility, edited by A. Crane, A. McWilliams, D. Matten, J. Moon, and D. Siegel. Oxford: OUP

Giddens: (1990:64) “the modes of connection between different social contexts or regions become networked across the earth’s surface as a whole”

P3

the ‘nation state loses much of its political steering capacity’ (Beck 2000, Habermas 2001, Strange 1996).

‘subjects of state regulations, especially business firms, have expanded their activities beyond national borders’

‘new social and environmental challenges emerge ... transnational in scope ... cannot be regulated or governed unilaterally

New actors and institutions ... gain political influence

We observe new forms of governance below, above and beyond the nation state (Beck 2000, Zürn 2002).P4

The globe has ‘shrunk’ because of:post war economic order of free and

open trade technology and reduced transport

costs migration, heterogeneity, new values

& lifestylesp5-6

‘we observe the emergence of new social movements, civil society groups, and NGOs which... create new identities for people who lose the backing of their traditional home culture and their reliance on the capacity of official state agencies to resolve issues of public concern’P6

 ‘Today, large multinational corporations

have become very powerful economic and social agents’ with ‘the latitude to choose locations and the legal systems under which they will operate’ (Roach 2005, Scherer, Palazzo, and Baumann, 2006).

P7

The market discourages altruism: ‘corporations that do not earn a high enough profit are sanctions with disinvestment’P8

‘we find ourselves in a world society without a world state and without a world government’ (Beck 2000)

  ... ‘with globalization, business firms

become political actors that have social responsibilities beyond their economic role, and that mere compliance to the law and rules of common decency is not the appropriate response to the new challenges’

P9

‘being enmeshed in the tradition of neoclassic thinking, the theory and practice of CSR still builds upon the idea of an intact nation state that provides a stable context for market activities’ (e.g. Shell’s ‘neutrality’ over Ken Saro Wiwa’s arrest in Nigeria in 1993 over the loss of oil profits to the Nigerian economy and pollution of the country)P9

‘Multi nationals expected to resolve ethical questions (e.g. relating to child labour, fair wages, slave labour, deforestation) on their own’P16 E.g. De Beers diamonds; granite slabs for European kitchen surfaces; Wal Mart

CorporationsStart human rights initiativesEngage in public healthCommence self-regulation initiativesP17

A justification for CSR which links it to profitability

OrPublic and private actors are

creating a new world order of trans-national regulation: global governance

GenuineExcitingWorthy Clear Thoughtful Touchy feely Realistic

Aim 6 ‘Within the next 10 years, the higher education sector in this country will be recognised as a major contributor to society’s efforts to achieve sustainability...’