Journal of Global Citizenship & Equity Education
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The non-violent philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. in the 21st Century: Implications for the Pursuit of Social Justice in Global Context
Full text linkThis essay is an intellectual conversation about the non-violent philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., and the possibility of using it to pursue social justice within the field of social work. The essay asks: In what ways can Gandhi and King’s non-violent philosophy help professional social workers capture their inner feelings and thoughts that harbour resistance against social injustice, while, at the same time, seek love, common humanity, compassion and kindness? In what ways can Gandhi and King’s ideas about non-violence and their effects on the human psyche help today’s social workers to pursue social justice in the global context? What are the real consequences of situating Gandhi and King’s non-violent praxis in the pursuit of global social justice? To answer this question, this essay relies on data collected during the author’s doctoral research in which he conducted open-ended semi-structured interviews of 20 purposively selected school activists in Toronto in 2009 and 2010. Six of the 20 participants were key informants for the study. This paper is about some of the responses of key informants about the non-violent philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. and how it can be used to pursue social justice. This paper calls for a revolutionized reflection of Gandhi and King’s non-violent philosophy. By that, this essay suggests bringing a discursive sophistication into their speeches and writings in ways that can inform and shape contemporary activism while acknowledging their shortcomings and limitations. Furthermore, this essay argues that, given the current charge against the social work profession that it is doing little to address social marginalization and injustices in society, a dedication to the non-violent philosophy of Gandhi and King can be a starting point to position members of the profession as forerunners in the pursuit of global social justice
The Effect of High School Completion on Aboriginal Canadians: Measuring Financial & Health Outcomes
Full text linkHow can we explain the poor Aboriginal high school completion rates in Canada? Is completing high school "worth it" for Aboriginals? Using the Aboriginal Peoples Surveys from 2001 and 2006, this statistical investigation explores the role of financial incentives and health outcomes on high school completion rates for young, urban Aboriginals. Firstly, the labour market returns for completing high school are identified and measured. Significantly higher high school credential effects exist for Aboriginal females compared to Aboriginal males. The implications of the returns to a high school degree on pathways to post-secondary education are discussed. Secondly, it is reported that completing high school leads to a reduction of health conditions in an Aboriginal person's adult life. Significantly higher health outcome effects exist for Aboriginal males than females. This paper's principal finding is that low high school completion rates for Aboriginals cannot be explained by poor financial or health incentives. More research needs to be conducted to explore other channels that could explain the poor education investments by this marginalized Canadian subpopulation
The Role of Social Networks in the Decision to Test for HIV
No full textHIV infection was spread mainly through sexual networks. Understanding how information flows through informal and more relaxed interactions to influenced individuals’ decisions for HIV testing. The knowledge can help to improve dissemination of information for promoting HIV testing and prevention interventions through social networks
Intentional Worlds and Global Citizenship
Full text linkWe examine the influence of students' understanding of intentional worlds on antecedents, identification, and outcomes of global citizenship. The intentional worlds scale contains four dimensions (cultural grounding of psychological experience, culture as socially constructed, dynamic construction of culture, subjective experience of reality) that load on a higher-order latent construct representing a belief in intentional worlds. The belief in intentional worlds predicts antecedents (normative environment, global awareness), antecedents predict global citizenship identification, and identification with global citizens predicts prosocial outcomes (intergroup empathy, valuing diversity, social justice, environmental sustainability, intergroup helping, responsibility to act). Overall, the results show that a greater understanding of culture as fluid and dynamic leads to greater global citizenship identification
On Authentic Progress: From Globalization to Interconnectedness
Full text linkAs a result of the lack of authenticity in modern standardized societies, an individual's identity and purpose are created through physical goods as opposed to the intrinsic appreciation of the individual's role in society. This creates a precise dichotomy between the affluent lifestyle of the corporate worker and human fulfillment and empathy. This paper demonstrates how a new form of education, which encompasses an existential framework of pedagogy, is able to foster empathic emotions in students leading them to make decisions that are aligned with a sustainable socio-economic model. The paper first outlines the ecological and human development problems caused by modern capitalism. Second, it analyzes the historical circumstances that have borne capitalism and explains, through sociological and anthropological theory, how the logic of capitalism has become ubiquitous, self-perpetuating and obsolete. Lastly, a transformation in education is proposed as a viable solution to overcome the mentioned cognitive trappings
Granada, a City under Siege: Dynamics of the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children as a Human Rights Issue in Nicaragua.
Full text linkThis article presents findings of a qualitative study conducted in Granada, Nicaragua.Focus groups, individual in-depth and situational interviews as well as observations were conducted.Principles related to Community-Based Participatory Research were followed throughout the study; Grounded Theory was utilized in the data analysis. The findings confirm what human and child advocates have argued –economic disparities and gender inequalities are the core of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC). The findings presented in this article enhance our understanding about the complexities of the intersectionality of global and local realities – glocalization
They Want to Be Global Citizens: Now What?: Implications of the NGO Career Arc for Students and Faculty Mentors
Full text linkOnce faculty have inspired their students to want to become global citizens, many of these students will approach them for advice about careers that will enable them to live out their commitment to global justice. This article seeks to inform such discussions by providing students and their faculty mentors with information to help consider whether the NGO sector is a good fit for the student, how to prepare for it, and how to advance within it. It does so by providing a snapshot of the nonprofit/NGO career arc based upon analysis of 220 responses to a survey conducted in 2010 of staff of “NGOs that advance human rights” located in Ontario, Canada. Topics discussed include: the importance of when people take an interest in the sector; the relationship between campus clubs and volunteering and NGO careers; the importance of the BA versus the MA to employability; the typical career pattern; what recent entrants might learn from more established staff; types of specific occupation in the sector; how executive directors differ from other staff; and patterns related to gender within the sector
The New Mission Field: International Service Learning in Canada, a Socio-Historical Analysis
Full text link The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) states that Canada, “has been a consistently strong voice for the protection of human rights and the advancement of democratic values” (DFAIT, 2011). In fact, volunteer initiatives based on social justice, social welfare, missionary, and civilizing agenda have a long history in Canada and are tied to nationalistic values growing out of a Christian heritage. Today, recognition for religious (as well as ethnic and linguistic) identity are embedded in the Constitution, laws, and institutions, including of course institutions of higher education. Even as Canadian society becomes progressively more sensitive to religious diversity and religion becomes increasingly privatized, much of our foreign policy “that gives Canadians this warm fuzzy feeling that Canada is a caring country” (Michaud, 2007, p. 347) can be traced to Christian origins. This article provides a socio-historical analysis of the context out of which most international learning programs in Canada have developed. I argue that many institutions and participants continue to carry quasi-Christian or diffusely religious beliefs with them into the service learning environment and I call for greater clarity of purpose in how these programs are promoted and delivered.[1] For a brief history of volunteer initiatives in Canada see http://volunteer.ca/nvw/timeline-history-volunteerism-canada [2] Some scholars argue that Canada has already failed in this regard. See for example Cohen, A. (2004). While Canada Slept: How We Lost Our Place in the World. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart; Welsh, J. (2004). At Home in the World: Canada’s Global Vision for a 21st Century. Toronto: Harper Collins
Service-Learning in Design and Planning: Educating at the boundaries
Full text linkThis book is a collection of case studies of service–learning programs in design, architecture and planning