Educating Citizens in an Age of Globalization, Migration, and Transnationalism: A Study in Four European Democracies

This study explores how globalization, migration, and citizenship education intersect in four northwest European democracies. In this study of secondary schools serving students from immigrant backgrounds in Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom (England and Scotland), I interviewed teachers and students and observed civic-related lessons. Using a socio-cultural, ecological theory of civic education in an era of transnationalism and attending to the historical and socio-cultural contexts in the four countries, I focused on transnational students and the content and teaching methods prevalent in their social studies classes, as well as whole school civic practices. I found transnational student identities were complex, fluid, and situational, and the students frequently communicated across national borders with relatives in their heritage countries and worldwide diasporic communities. Teachers and schools approached civic education in ways that reflected national pedagogical cultures; yet, across countries, teachers identified similar opportunities and challenges in preparing transnational youth for participatory democratic citizenship.