Development Opportunities

“Global Citizenry for the 21st Century” Interdisciplinary Conference

Sponsored by: California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Date: Sunday, November 15, 2009

The 21st century has ushered in new opportunities as well as great challenges to global citizenship. The current economic crisis clearly illustrates the relationships of interdependence that characterize our world today. We are increasingly facing not only the promise of globalization but also its limits. Heft and Nussbaum raise the question of individual responsibilities in this new global world. What are the practical and theoretical implications of global citizenship to communities and nations? The convergence of cultures may entail conflict, but are cultures always in conflict until one eventually wins? Or, can we see conflict as the beginning of true convergence, as part of growth that results in pluralism as defined by Said? Good citizenship is local and it is global; it requires the ability to transcend boundaries, whether concrete or imagined, literary or philosophical, to resolve issues that separate individuals and communities, governments and nations, religious and political groups.

This conference encourages interdisciplinary dialogue about global citizenship in all its variations and manifestations. Some of the questions that the conference would like to engage in include:

What is global citizenship?
What are the practical implications to work, play, and business in the global context?
How do we teach, foster, and prepare global citizens?
What are the skills and competencies of a global citizen?
What are the ethical, philosophical, economic, social, political and environmental responsibilities of global citizenship?

• View Additional Information on the “Global Citizenry for the 21st Century” Interdisciplinary Conference Development Opportunity

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