Pluralisation of identities: shifting citizenship conceptions, national narratives and European education going global? : the case of BNE in Germany

Abstract

In times defined as uncertain, ‘liquid’, ‘flat’, globally interdependent and ‘post-national’ traditional national citizenship and citizenship education concepts are shifting and turning into transformative forces to activate, react and counter global challenges based on universal values such as human rights, democracy, social justice, diversity, equality, tolerance etc.. This paper approaches citizenship and education from a perspective of transcendence of traditional political and social structures through an additional global dimension that is slowly finding its way into European education systems. In Western countries like Germany, that have been struggling with their national identities for decades a global dimension in (citizenship) education could instead of constituting a threat for replacing national narratives establish a complementary aspirational, individual- and future-oriented perspective. I argue that similar to its support for European citizenship and European identity, a global focus could be realizable and beneficial for the individual citizens with their competences at the core as well as a solidary, sustainable, international-oriented and responsible community. The implementation of initiatives and programmes such as Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship Education in the last decade in the German education and school system are analysed focusing on common universal and transferable skills, values and attitudes as well as national, European and global notions. Keywords: citizenship and global education; identity; transformation; Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung (BNE)