Over the past few years, many have observed a rise in nationalist perspectives
across the world. These trends raise questions about the role of education
and, in particular, one of UNESCO’s key areas of work in the field of education,
namely Global Citizenship Education (GCED), which seeks to equip learners
with the skills, values and attitudes needed to contribute to the development of
peaceful and just societies. This paper seeks to clarify the evidence of the rise of
nationalist perspectives and its causes, and to lay out how GCED is challenged
by this phenomenon. It recommends ways forward for education stakeholders in
promoting GCED, in order to strengthen ‘learning to live together’ by embedding
GCED meaningfully in local and country contexts.

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Published by Namrata Sharma, Faculty, Consultant, UN Expert

Dr. Namrata Sharma is on the faculty at the State University of New York, USA, and an expert with the United Nations Harmony with Nature Knowledge Network (UN HwN). She is an international education consultant and has served on the Boards of several professional organizations in India, USA, and Europe. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Delhi University, SRCC, India; a master’s degree in education from Soka University, Tokyo, Japan; and a Ph.D. from the University College London – Institute of Education (IOE), UK. She worked as faculty at the University of Nottingham in the UK before her move to the US. She has authored several books, research papers, and articles. Dr. Sharma has specialist interests in Global Citizenship Education, Sustainability Education, International and Comparative Education. In her ongoing research work she is engaged in drawing meaningful linkages between teaching the UNESCO-led initiatives of Global Citizenship Education and Sustainability.