Citizenship

Citizenship
Citizenship has always been a contested concept, with views
differing on whether it refers to a purely legal relation defined in terms
of rights and duties between the individual and the political community
or an active condition based on participation in civil society.

The primary goal of citizenship was equality between members of a

tightly defined polity. The territorial limits of the polity, generally
equated with the nation-state, were rarely questioned and neither was
the cultural dimension of group membership.

The traditional conceptions of citizenship on the whole did not

consider the question of the problem of cultural diversity and competing
conceptions of the common good.

What Is Citizenship?
- Citizenship comes from the Latin word for city, because in the
earlier days of human governments, people identified
themselves as belonging to cities more than countries.
- Citizenship is more than merely living somewhere. If you have
citizenship, you have a whole set of rights that non-citizens
might not have.
- Usually you have citizenship in the country you're born in, but if
you're an immigrant from somewhere else, you have to apply
for it.
- It is a way of living that recognizes our world is an increasingly
complex web of connections and interdependence.
- It is the moral and ethical disposition that can guide the
individual understanding or the context of local and global

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 groups, and remind them of their responsibilities within different
communities.
- Also, is the status of being a citizen. If you have citizenship in a
country, you have the right to live there, work, vote, and pay
taxes!

2 Contrasting Terms of Citizenships

1. World citizenship extends the territoriality of national citizenship
to include the whole world and all its (human) inhabitants
2. ‘Non-Modern’ citizenship attributes to the citizen primary
membership and sense of allegiance to a non-territorialized
(usually culturally defined) group.

Citizenship
The Encyclopaedia Americana describes citizenship as a
relationship between an individual and a state involving the individual’s
full political membership in the state and his permanent allegiance to it.

Other persons may be subject to the authority of the state and may
even owe it allegiance, but the citizen has duties, rights,
responsibilities, and privileges that the non-citizen shares to a lesser
degree or not at all.

The status of the citizen is official recognition of the individual’s

integration into the political system.

4 Components of Citizenship

1. Membership
- It constitutes a part/member of a community
- There are citizens whose status as such is either temporarily or
permanently removed

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2. Rights
- Rights were solely constitutional.
- Crucial to the nature of citizenship.

a. Civil rights, that is, those rights necessary for individual

freedom—liberty of the person, freedom of speech, thought
and faith, the right toown property and to conclude valid
contracts, and the right to justice, which are provided for, by
the legal system.
b. Political rights, such as the right to participate in the
exercising of power as a member of a governing body or an
elector of such a body, allowed for by the nature of the
democratic system.
c. Social rights, such as the rights to welfare, education,
security and well-being, as befits a member of civil society,
and allowed for by the Welfare State.

3. Duties
- In an authoritarian state, one might have duties without rights.
Similarly, in some non-Western cultures, where the language of
citizenship is not spoken, there is an accepted sense of duty to
the community which is not balanced by any specific rights.

4. Participation
Individuals are elected by citizens to make decisions on their
behalf, and direct democracy, wherein the individual citizen is
himself or herself involved in the decision-making process itself.

Origin of Citizenship
 Citizenship comes from the Latin word for city, because in the
earlier days of human governments, people identified
themselves as belonging to cities more than countries.

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  We commonly acknowledge the origins of citizenship and
democracy in early Greece, the system was hardly one which
we would recognize today.
 The Greek system was based on notions of ‘being’ and
‘becoming’. The human was seen in terms of realizing either
inner essences or external values, or a combination thereof.
 Roman citizenship, which developed at around 500 BC,
stressed citizenship as legal status (such as the right to
mobility).
 The Roman model was heavily stratified, with few citizens being
given rights or duties regarding their participation in political life,
but it did give the term a more positive meaning.
 Dual citizenship, producing often divided loyalty to both
birthplace and empire, was normal, quite in contrast to the
Greek tradition which saw citizenship as all-important. In Rome,
it was a means of achieving security and status

Alternative Citizenship
Citizenship must be seen as a kind of socially constructed political
identity which relies upon a variety of influences and definitions.

‘World’ and ‘Non-modern’ citizenship, both of which take a variety

of forms and both of which have existed throughout, and indeed, in
many cases, prior to, modernity and the rise of the modern nation-
state.

World Citizenship
Its roots lie in the classical Greek tradition, and some of its most
important refinements were made by Roman and early Christian
scholars. It is important to recognize, though, that significant changes
have taken place within this idea which have emerged wholly as a
result of changes in wider society brought about by modernity.

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 And as modernity can be characterized first and foremost by the
dominance of the nation-state system, the contrasting idea that one
can be a citizen of the world is very much a challenge to this norm.

3 Stages of World Citizenship

1. During the period of Enlightenment, universalism, stemming
from an Idealist philosophy and advocated in different ways by
Kant and Paine, in which the emphasis is very much on the
lifeworld, and on common humanity, human rights, and human
worth.
2. From the end of the nineteenth and during the first half of the
twentieth century, varieties of functionalism and federalism, in
which the emphasis was on the (inevitable) move of the system
towards a unified world society, and which thus operated within
a systems (and in many cases a nation-state) framework, and
thus sought to improve human conditions and advocate world
citizenship within the system as opposed to the lifeworld.
3. Post-1945, a pragmatism which sought to blend the best
elements of the two traditions, and which can thus be seen as
an attempt to reverse the ‘colonization of the lifeworld’ (see
below), butwhich is clearly biased in favour of universalism in
that it emphasizes a strong sense of world citizenship from
below.

Non- Modern Citizenship

This is a citizenship which does not conform to the contractualist,
political, state-bound citizenships of modernity. This seems particularly
true in those ‘nations’ which had not reached the stage of ‘nation-state-
ness’ which for many defines Western modernity.

‘Non-modern’ citizenship, which is defined as such solely because

it does not rely upon any presupposition of the conditions of modernity

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(‘nation-state’, ‘humanity’, etc.), thus has a long history as an
alternative to the national model.

Global Citizenship
Global citizenship, defined as the awareness of other cultures and
contributing and working towards community improvements, is a
primary characteristic of 21st century learning. Learning through
experience is undoubtedly the most thorough way to partake in the
global citizenship movement.

The communal benefits of global citizenship are often clear—less

obvious, however, are the individual benefits to be gleaned from this
newfound global awareness.

Such skills as problem solving, communication and collaboration,

and cross-cultural awareness are all relevant individual benefits to the
global era in which we now live.

The reality of global citizenship cannot be denied.

Global citizenship is clearly related to globalization and the growing

recognition that citizenship extends beyond the horizons of the nation-
state to encompass global forms.

It would be a mistake to see global citizenship as an alternative to

other kinds of citizenship, such as a national and local citizenship; it
should instead be conceived of as an additional dimension of
citizenship that has come into existence today along with the extension
of democratization.

The world is becoming increasingly interconnected. Improvements

in technology and trade have pushed the boundaries of the term
“citizenship.” Although the concept of global citizenship is not new --

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dating back to ancient Greece -- the concept has new currency. It is
becoming increasingly necessary for students to prepare to contribute
positively in their local, national, and global communities.

A global citizen is someone who is aware of and understands the

wider world – and their place in it. They are a citizen of the world. They
take an active role in their community and work with others to make our
planet more peaceful, sustainable and fairer.

Global citizenship is how we talk about the social, environmental

and economic actions of people and communities who know that every
person is a citizen of the world.

It means being open to engaging positively with other identities and

cultures and being able to recognize and challenge stereotypes.

It is all about encouraging young people to develop the knowledge,

skills and values they need to engage with the world. And it's about the
belief that we can all make a difference.

Importance of Global Citizenship

Throughout human history, we have always organized ourselves
into groups and communities that share similar values, ideas, culture,
and an overall identity. This, in turn, helped and still helps shape our
needs economically, politically, religiously and socially.

But in the 21st century, as the world has less physical and
communication barriers, we’ve seen a rise in higher demand for global
engagement, resulting in global citizens who crave a sense of
belonging to a world community rather than a small, local one.

1. You become more aware

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 A global citizen is aware that we live in an interconnected web
where many of our actions and choices affect those locally,
nationally and many times even internationally. They are able to
respect themselves as well as others, regardless of where they live.

A result of thinking globally means you’ll see more people

advocate for serious issues. Some of these matters could include
human rights, religious pluralism, gender equity, the rule of law,
environmental protection, sustainable economic growth, and
poverty alleviation.

2. You participate in the community

Generally, a global citizen tries to have an understanding of
how the world works and tries to stay well-informed. They
participate in the community at a range of levels from the local to
the global and are willing to act to make the world a more equitable
and sustainable place. That’s where the youth comes in

3. You become a problem-solver

With a global citizenship education, young people are able to
solve problems, make decisions, think critically, communicate ideas
effectively and work well with others. This not only helps them
personally and educationally but eventually professionally as well.
Thus, a global education in the classroom is paramount. You have
several opportunities to be flexible, creative and proactive.

What Does it Mean to be a Global Citizen?

A global citizen is someone who is aware of and understands the
wider world – and their place in it. They are a citizen of the world. They
take an active role in their community and work with others to make our
planet more peaceful, sustainable and fairer.

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What is a Global Citizen?
A Global Citizen is someone who:
 is aware of the wider world and has a sense of their own role as
a world citizen
 respects and values diversity
 has an understanding of how the world works
 is outraged by social injustice
 participates in the community at a range of levels, from the local
to the global
 is willing to act to make the world a more equitable and
sustainable place
 takes responsibility for their actions.

Examples of Global Citizenship

 Exploring local and global connections and our views, values
and assumptions
 Exploring issues of social justice locally and globally
 Exploring the complexity of global issues and engaging with
multiple perspectives
 Applying learning to real-world issues and contexts
 Opportunities to make informed, reflective action and be heard

Benefits of Global Citizenship

 Take – Take learning into the real world
 Get – Get involved in their local, national and global
communities
 Think About – Think about their values and what is important
to them.
 Develop – develop an argument and voice their opinions
 Build – build their own understanding of world events
 Challenge – challenge ignorance and intolerance

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  See – see that they have power to act and influence the world
around them

Global Citizenship Rights

The rights of global citizens are imbedded in the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, first drafted in 1948 after World War II.
The core nature of the Universal Declaration—grounded in individual
liberty, equality, and equity—has remained constant. However, the
ways in human rights are applied change over time, with changes that
occur in the political, economic and social fabric of society.

Also new rights, that were not on the 1948 human rights agenda
have emerged, for example, digital access rights, LGBT rights, and
environmental rights. Some people cite the emergence of new rights
and changing political systems as calling forth the need for an updated
Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Global Citizenship Responsibilities

1. Responsibility to understand one’s own perspective and the
perspectives of others on global issues. 
2. Responsibility to respect the principle of cultural diversity.
3. Responsibility to make connections and build relationships with
people from other countries and cultures. 
4. Responsibility to understand the ways in which the peoples and
countries of the world are inter-connected and inter-dependent.
5. Responsibility to understand global issues.
6. Responsibility to advocate for greater international cooperation
with other nations.
7. Responsibility for advocating for the implementation of
international agreements, conventions, treaties related to global
issues.

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 8. Responsibility for advocating for more effective global equity
and justice in each of the value domains of the world
community

Dimensions of Global Citizenship

Four Processes of Social Transformation
The first component, membership, is about inclusion and
exclusion, and is challenged by identification with a new politics of
cultural identity which transcends national boundaries.

The second component is the rights, applicable to all humans

under modernity’s project of universalism, carry a different meaning
under the impact of globality

The third component is the concept of duties implies a certain set

of values, which is challenged by the emergence of increasingly
globally oriented values, such as ecology

The fourth, participation, is about democracy, and access to

power, and is challenged by the shift towards an information-based
economy.

Participation: From Liberal Democracy to Information

Society
1. Modernity has always been an arena for conflict between two
parallel projects: the project of scientific rationalization and
political-economic expansion, that is, instrumental modernity;
and the project of emancipation and human understanding,
abstract modernity. It is the former which has been dominant.
2. Political democracy of the utilitarian variety has been a
necessary outcome of the project of instrumental modernity,
reducing as it does the citizen to the calculating bearer of rights
and duties.

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 3. This is related directly to the assumption of a society based
around labor power, rather than around the communication and
exchange of knowledge.
4. In a previous chapter I offered a tentative outline of a manifesto
for radical, or communicative, democracy. Such a democracy
relies upon access to and exchange of information, and best
serves the interests of a globalized world.

There is no denying that the increasing availability of global forms

of communication holds much potential for this form of communicative
democracy.
There is also no denying that the global spread of information,
together with the declining accountability and legitimacy accorded to
national political institutions, pose a serious challenge to the
assumptions made concerning the nature of democracy, and, by
extension, the nature of citizenship.

For the moment, though, these are only tentative steps towards
global democratization.

Duties: From the National Interest to the Survival of the

Planet

Concern for the global ecological balance might be read as the flip
side of the increasing technological advances associated with
modernity, and a critical theorist might understand it as an awareness
of the consequences of science ‘out of control’, the onset of a ‘risk
society’. If modernity emphasized control over nature, then
‘postmodernity’ is about the contested politics of (living with) nature.

Rights: From Citizenship to Humanity

Human rights have re-emerged as central to the discourse of
international law, international relations and politics, due partly to

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noticeable attempts at genocide performed by freely elected
governments (particularly the Nazis in the Second World War), and
partly to the gradual unification of the world. Human rights are now
considered crucial to any project of global inclusion. Although flawed,
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights remains the take-off point
for any discussion of the legally recognized nature of human rights.

Three Key Stages on the Development of an Idea of Rights

Throughout Modernity

1. The philosophical doctrine of universal natural law, which,

although rooted in the stoics (and other pre-modern writers,)
emerged as a systematic framework of philosophical analysis
with Locke.
2. The concrete assertion of positive rights embedded in the
political nation-state as citizens’ rights.
3. A combination of the above—rights as both universal and
positive— which came about only after the 1948 Universal
Declaration of Human Rights.

Rights: From Citizenship to Humanity

The very existence of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in
international law allows, or indeed requires, us to rethink the idea of
human rights. Such rights are no longer abstract claims to
philosophical doctrine, but instead exist as practically realizable goals.
They reflect the pragmatism of an age which has seen the potential for
human genocide.

Membership: From Political State to Multicultural Society

In the modern nation-state, citizenship essentially represented

membership of the political community. Such membership was in

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keeping with both the primacy of the political (as opposed, for example,
to the cultural) dimension, and the Enlightenment concern for rational
organization and formal identification.

Citizenship in this sense was easily identifiable, membership being

defined along strict guidelines of inclusion and exclusion. But this
limited definition has proven unsatisfactory in the light of various forms
of cultural, social and political identification which transcend national
boundaries.

Thus, ‘multiculturalism’ offers the fourth challenge to the nation-

state model—a challenge to the idea of membership and, from that, to
the idea of social rights, where these have been defined in the past
according to questions of inclusion and exclusion.

Ethical Global Citizenship

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Dimension
Dimension 1: Values-Creation
The value-creating dimension of ethical Global Citizen is concerned
with helping students perceive, acknowledge, and remove “the arrow of
a discriminatory consciousness, an unreasoning emphasis on
difference ... piercing the hearts of the people” (Ikeda, 1993, p. 2).

Dimension 2: Identity Progression

The dimension of identity progression in ethical GCE encompasses
the development of personal capacities to be involved with and
committed to principles that represent social responsibility in terms of
thoughts, actions, and emotions.

Dimension 3: Collective Involvement

A global citizen should have the ability to join in public debates and
strive to solve problems—once again, in multiple arenas, be they local,
national, or global—in a manner that shows respect for people with
different opinions, perspectives, and value systems. 

Dimension 4: Global Disposition

An engaged global citizen is both a member and a participant
situated within a number of different communities, some of which
overlap: local communities, regional ones, national ones, and
multinational ones. 

Dimension 5: Intergenerational Mindset

Ethical GC, in this view, seeks to acknowledge historical influences
and help people cultivate an in-depth understanding of their own
trajectories, as well as that of the world, so that they apply the lessons
from the past when taking actions in the present. 

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Ten Principles of Global Ethics and World Citizenship
 Dialogue. A World Citizen develops the capacity for dialogue
directed toward mutual understanding.
 Nonviolence. A World Citizen affirms the principle of solving
conflicts nonviolently. 
 Human Rights. World Citizens affirm universal human rights
and dignity. All people have dignity because all people
participate in the miracle that is human life.
 Democratic Laws. World Citizens affirm the rule of just,
democratic laws based on protection of civil liberties and human
rights.  They support equality, freedom, and equal due process
for everyone before the law.
 Compassion and Kindness. World Citizens understand that
reason and dialogue must be complemented by compassion
and kindness. 
 Unity in Diversity. World Citizens understand that the world is
a wonderful manifestation of unity in diversity that must be
respected and encouraged.
 Justice–making. World Citizens insist on promoting equal
treatment and due process of justice for all persons before the
law. If laws are unjust, World Citizens work to change them to
protect everyone equally.
 Sustainability. World Citizens are committed to transforming
the process of living on the Earth to sustainable, ecologically
friendly forms of economics, production, consumption, and
patterns of living.
 Global Education. World Citizens are committed to promoting
global education with respect to all these ten principles. People
everywhere should be developing global consciousness and a
sense of global responsibility.
 The Earth Constitution. World Citizens understand that none
of these 10 principles can be successful for the Earth without

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the rule of democratically legislated, enforceable law for
everyone.

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Peace Education

What is Peace?
Peace was defined as merely the absence of war or direct violence.
Peace researchers understand peace as the absence of death and
destruction as a result of war and physical/direct violence. As late as
1966 the noted French thinker, Raymond Aron defined peace narrowly
as a condition of “more or less lasting suspension of violent modes of
rivalry between political units”.

Kinds of Peace

Types of Peace
Internal peace is called by another word inner peace‘ is peace of
mind or soul. It is a state of calm, serenity and tranquility of mind that
arise due to having no sufferings or mental disturbances such as worry,
anxiety, greed, desire, hatred, ill-will ,delusion and/or other defilements.

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 External peace is peace that occurs in society, nations and the
world; it is a normal state of society, countries and the world and it is a
state of peaceful and happy co-existence of people as well as
nature.

External peace, in order to see it clearly, can be described in its

negative and positive sense as follows;
1. Negative sense: the absence of war, hostility, agitation, social
disorder, disturbances, social injustice, social inequality,
violence, violation of human rights, riot, terrorism, ecological
imbalance, etc.,
2. Positive sense: a state of social harmony, social justice, social
equality, friendship or friendly relation, concord, public order
and security, respect for human rights and ecological balance,
etc.

What is Peace?
Johan Galtung explains that peace is the absence of violence,
not only personal or direct but also structural or indirect. The
manifestations of structural violence are the highly uneven distribution
of wealth and resources as well as the uneven distribution of power to
decide over the distribution of said resources.

Hence, he says peace is both the absence of personal/direct

violence and the presence of social justice. For brevity, he prefers the
formulations “absence of violence” and “presence of social
justice”, thinking of the former as one that is not a positively defined
condition and has called it negative peace, whereas the latter is a
positively defined condition (egalitarian distribution of power and
resources) and has called it positive peace.

Levels of Peace

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Peace Education as Transformative Education
Peace Education or an education that promotes a culture or
peace, is essentially transformative. It cultivates the knowledge
base, skills, attitudes and values that seek to transform people’s

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behaviors that, in the first place, have either created or exacerbated
violet conflicts. It seeks this transformation by building awareness and
understanding, developing concern, and finally, challenging personal
and social action that will enable people to create conditions and
systems that actualize nonviolence, justice, environment care and
other peace values

Why Educate for Peace?

Betty Reardon reminds us that peace education serves a significant
societal function in book called, "Comprehensive Peace Education:
Educating for Global Responsibility" (1988). It tries to improve the
current human state by "changing societal structures and patterns of
thought that have generated it." The primary objective of peace
education are the abolition of social injustice, rejection of violence,
and the abolition of war.

Unfortunately, social injustice, war, and other types of violence

have always been a part of life for humans. They have brought about
terrible suffering, death, and destruction, but humanity has yet to be
able to successfully fight this condition. There is some hopefulness that
we can move closer to having a critical mass that will demand and
address necessary changes with universal peace education.

Peace Education is a Practical Alternative

Essential for building a culture of peace is education for peace

Educating for peace will give us in the long run the practical
benefits that we seek. As stated earlier it is expected to build a critical
mass of people who will demand for and address the needed personal
and structural changes that will transform the many problems that
relate to peace into nonviolent, humane and ecological alternatives and
solutions.

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Peace Education is an Ethical Imperative
• Educating for peace is an ethical imperative considering the
negation of life and well- being caused by all forms of violence.
• The ethical system of a major world faith tradition, humanitarian
ethics and even primal and indigenous spirituality have
articulated principles that striving for peace.

Schema of Knowledge, Skills and Attitues/Values

Knowledge
1. Holistic Concept of Peace
2. Conflict & Violence – causes
3. Some Peaceful Alternatives:
 Disarmament
 Non-Violence
 Conflict Resolution, Transformation & Prevention
 Human Rights
 Human Solidarity
 Democratization
 Development Based on Justice Sustainable Development

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Attitudes/Values
1. Self-Respect
2. Respect for Others
3. Respect for Life/Nonviolence
4. Gender Equality
5. Compassion
6. Global Concern
7. Ecological Concern
8. Cooperation
9. Openness & Tolerance
10. Justice
11. Social Responsibility
12. Positive Vision

Skills
1. Reflection
2. Critical Thinking & Analysis
3. Decision-Making
4. Imagination
5. Communication
6. Conflict Resolution
7. Empathy
8. Group Building

Summary
 Peace was defined as merely the absence of war or direct
violence.
 The manifestations of structural violence are the highly uneven
distribution of wealth and resources as well as the uneven
distribution of power.

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  There are two different kind of violence; structural violence and
direct violence
 A holistic understanding of peace has been derived, on one
hand, from a critical and practical analysis
 Peace education cultivates the knowledge base, skills, attitudes
and values that seek to transform people’s mindsets, attitudes
and behaviors
 Peace education seeks to transform the present human
condition by changing social structures and patterns of thought
that have created it
 Educating for peace is an ethical imperative considering the
negation of life and well-being caused by all forms of violence.

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The Challenge of Global Divisions: Race,
Ethnicity, Gender, Age, and Sexuality

Global Divide

The North and The South

- The North-South Divide is a socio-economic and political
categorization of countries. The Cold-War-era generalization
places countries in two distinct groups; The North and The
South. The North is comprised of all First World countries and
most Second World countries while South is comprised of Third
World countries. This categorization ignores the geographic
position of countries with some countries in the southern
hemisphere such as Australia and New Zealand being labeled
as part of the North.

Race
Race refers to the concept of dividing people into groups on the
basis of various sets of physical characteristics and the process of
ascribing social meaning to those groups. (White, Black or African
American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian or
Other Pacific Islander)

The Invention of Race

The concept of “race,” as we understand it today, evolved
alongside the formation of the United States and was deeply connected
with the evolution of two other terms, “white” and “slave.” The words
“race,” “white,” and “slave” were all used by Europeans in the 1500s,
and they brought these words with them to North America. However,
the words did not have the meanings that they have today. Instead, the
needs of the developing American society would transform those
words’ meanings into new ideas.

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Racism
The false notion that “white” people were inherently smarter, more
capable, and more human than nonwhite people became accepted
worldwide.

“Race” as a mechanism of social division

Racial classifications appeared in North America, and in many
other parts of the world, as a form of social division predicated on what
were thought to be natural differences between human groups.
Analysis of the folk beliefs, social policies, and practices of North
Americans about race from the 18th to the 20th century reveals the
development of a unique and fundamental ideology about human
differences. This ideology or “racial worldview” is a systematic,
institutionalized set of beliefs and attitudes that includes the following
components:
1. All the world’s peoples can be divided into biologically separate,
discrete, and exclusive populations called races. A person can
belong to only one race.
2. Each race has distinct qualities of
temperament, morality, disposition, and intellectual ability.
Consequently, in the popular imagination each race has
distinct behavioral traits that are linked to its phenotype.
3. 3. Races are unequal. They can, and should, be ranked on a
gradient of inferiority and superiority. As the 19th-century
biologist Louis Agassiz observed, since races exist, we must
“settle the relative rank among [them].”
4. The behavioral and physical attributes of each race are
inherited and innate—therefore fixed, permanent, and
unalterable.
5. Distinct races should be segregated and allowed to develop
their own institutions, communities, and lifestyles, separate from
those of other races.

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Ethnicity
Ethnicity describes the culture of people in a given geographic
region, including their language, heritage, religion and customs.

What is the Impact of Ethnicity on society?

Ethnicity can influence the ways people behave and make
decisions in a variety of situations. They can also affect people's
attitudes toward, and beliefs about, themselves and others.

The Challenge of Global Division: Ethnicity

Bring Changes in
Language

Change our way of

clothing

Change the way of

communicating
Cultural
Deterioration
Introduced new
produced

Introduced new
religions

Introduced new
values and
traditions

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 Extreme poverty

Inadequate social
protection
Increased Child measures
Labor and Slavery
Inadequate or weak
national
educational
systems

Gender
Gender refers to the characteristics of women, men, girls and
boys that are socially constructed. This includes norms, behaviours
and roles associated with being a woman, man, girl or boy, as well as
relationships with each other. As a social construct, gender varies from
society to society and can change over time.

How many Gender are there?

There are many different gender identities; nonetheless, we
frequently hear about the following gender identities:

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Common Gender Identities:
 Male (Masculine) - refers to the socially constructed roles,
behaviours, expressions and identity of boy/men.
 Female (Feminine) - refers to the socially constructed roles,
behaviours, expressions and identity of girl/women.

LGBTQ
 Lesbian – A lesbian is a woman who is physically and
romantically attracted to other women. Lesbianism is a
form of homosexuality.
 Gay – Characterized by sexual or romantic attraction to people
of one's same sex —often used to refer to men only.
 Bisexual – Sexually attracted not exclusively to people of one
particular gender; attracted to both men and women.
 Transgender – An umbrella term for people whose gender
identity and/or expression is different from cultural
expectations based on the sex they were assigned at birth.
Being transgender does not imply any specific sexual

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 orientation. Therefore, transgender people may identify as
straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, etc.
 Queer - Attraction to people of many genders. A general term
referring to all non-heterosexual people.

What are the challenges faced by LGBTQ?

Gender Inequality / Gender Gaps
The historical and multiple forms of inequality that persist between
women and men across all societies enable violence against women
and girls to continue in both public and private settings. This
discrimination and the barriers preventing women and girls from
exercising their rights, accessing services and other opportunities,
greatly increase their risks of experiencing violence.  Gender gaps are
one of the most pressing challenges facing the world of work today.
Globally, women are substantially less likely than men to participate in
the labour market, and once in the workforce, they are also less likely
to find jobs than men. Indeed, their access to quality employment
opportunities remains restricted. Overall, for example, women are more
likely to work longer hours than men when both paid and unpaid work
is taken into account. Moreover, when in paid employment, on
average, women work fewer hours for pay or profit either because they
opt to work part-time or because part-time work is the only option
available to them.

Age
A period of human life, measured by years from birth, usually
marked by a certain stage or degree of mental or physical development
and involving legal responsibility and capacity.

Population Aging
Population aging refers to changes in the age composition of a
population such that there is an increase in the proportion of older
persons.

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How can we solve the problem of aging population?
• Design a strategy to support a healthy aging population.
• Strengthen the healthcare sector.
• Prepare the workforce.

Sexuality
Sexuality is diverse, and there are many different types. It can take
time to figure out the sexuality that fits you best. And your sexuality can
change over time. 

Coming to terms with your sexuality can be a very liberating,

exciting and positive experience.

Sexuality is an important part of who you are. There is no right or

wrong, it’s about what’s right for you. 

Some people have a hard time accepting others who are different
to themselves. If someone gives you a hard time about your sexuality,
it’s good to talk to someone about it. You don’t need to deal with it by
yourself.  

Sexuality is a word we use to talk about how we understand our

bodies and how we understand our relationships. This understanding
includes all aspects of who we are – our values and beliefs, bodies,
desires, relationships, gender and our thoughts and feelings about all
of these. Because our sexuality is made up of so many different
components, our understanding of our own sexuality is ever-changing
and unique to each person.

The most important thing to understand about sexuality is that it is

self-defined; that is, that every person is allowed to talk about and

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understand their own sexuality in their own way that makes sense to
them.

Sexuality is dynamic and always changing; often we may discover

that different parts of our lives may interact with each other in confusing
or affirming ways. This is okay and is part of our normal development.
Exploring our own sexuality, rooted within the principles of consent and
sexual rights, is a key determinant of our health and wellness.

Different types of sexuality

Sometimes, it can take time to figure out the sexuality that fits you
best. And your sexuality can change over time. It can be confusing; so
don’t worry if you are unsure.

You might be drawn to men or to women, to both or to neither.

There is no right or wrong – it’s about what’s right for you. And while
there are common terms to describe different types of sexuality, you
don’t have to adopt a label to describe yourself.

Heterosexual and homosexual

Most people are attracted to the opposite sex – boys who like girls,
and women who like men, for example. These people are
heterosexual, or ‘straight’.

Some people are attracted to the same sex. These people are
homosexual. Around 10 per cent of young Australians experience
same-sex attraction, most during puberty.

Lesbian and Gay

‘Lesbian’ is the common term for people who identify as women
and are same-sex attracted. ‘Gay’ is the most common term for people
who identify as men and are same-sex attracted, although women
identifying as lesbian also sometimes use this word.

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Bisexual
Sexuality can be more complicated than being straight or gay.
Some people are attracted to both men and women, and are known as
bisexual.

Bisexual does not mean the attraction is evenly weighted – a

person may have stronger feelings for one gender than another. And
this can vary depending on who they meet.

There are different kinds of bisexuality. Some people who are

attracted to men and women still consider themselves to be mainly
straight or gay. Or they might have sexual feelings towards both
genders but only have intercourse with one.

Other people see sexual attraction as more grey than black and
white. These people find everyday labels too rigid. Some prefer to
identify as ‘queer’. And others use the term ‘pan’, or ‘pansexual’, to
show they are attracted to different kinds of people no matter what their
gender, identity or expression.

There are many differences between individuals, so bisexuality is a

general term only. You can read more about it at the Better Health
Channel’s page on bisexuality.

Asexual
A person who identifies as asexual (‘ace’ for short) is someone who
does not experience, or experiences very little, sexual attraction.
Asexuality is not a choice, like abstinence (where someone chooses
not to have sex with anyone, whether they are attracted to them or
not). Asexuality is a sexual orientation, like homosexuality or
heterosexuality. Some people may strongly identify with being asexual,
except for a few infrequent experiences of sexual attraction (grey-

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asexuality). Some people feel sexual attraction only after they develop
a strong emotional bond with someone (this is known as
demisexuality). Other people experience asexuality in a range of other
ways.

Discrimination based on sexuality

Equality and freedom from discrimination are fundamental human
rights that belong to all people. In most states in Australia, including
Victoria, it is against the law to discriminate against someone because
of their sexual orientation, gender identity or lawful sexual activity.
However, discrimination can still occur.

Sexuality and Mental Health

LGBTI people have an increased risk of depression, anxiety,
substance abuse, homelessness, self-harming and suicidal thoughts,
compared with the general population. This is particularly true of young
LGBTI people who are coming to terms with their sexuality and
experiencing victimization and bullying at school.

Some of the stressful experiences that can affect the mental health
of an LGBTI person are:
• feeling different from other people
• being bullied (verbally or physically)
• feeling pressure to deny or change their sexuality
• feeling worried about coming out, and then being rejected or
isolated
• feeling unsupported or misunderstood.
• These pressures are on top of all the other stuff people have to
deal with in life such as managing school, finding a job, forming
relationships and making sense of your identity and place in the
world.

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Challenging Old Concepts of Citizenship:
Diversity and Multiculturalism

Multiculturalism
- The state of society or the world in which there exists numerous
distinct ethnic and cultural groups seen to be politically relevant;
- The view that cultures, races, and ethnicities, particularly those
of minority groups, deserve special acknowledgement of their
differences within a dominant political culture;
- Multiculturalism is both a response to the fact of cultural groups
for past execution, discrimination, and oppression;
- Multiculturalism seeks the inclusion of the views and
contributions of diverse members of society while maintaining
respect for their differences and withholding the demand for
their assimilation into dominant culture;
- Multiculturalism is the way in which a society deals with cultural
diversity, both at the national and at the community level;
- Multiculturalism assumes that society as a whole benefits from
increased diversity through the harmonious coexistence of
different cultures.

Multiculturalism Theories
The two primary theories or models of multiculturalism as the
manner in which different cultures are integrated into a single society
are best defined by the metaphors commonly used to describe them—
the “melting pot” and the “salad bowl” theories:

1. Melting Pot Theory - the melting pot theory of multiculturalism

assumes that various immigrant groups will tend to “melt
together,” abandoning their individual cultures and eventually
becoming fully assimilated into the predominant society.

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 2. Salad Bowl theory - the salad bowl theory describes a
heterogeneous society in which people coexist but retain at
least some of the unique characteristics of their traditional
culture.

Characteristics of a Multicultural Society

Based on the ideas presented by Pierre L. Van den Berghe who is
a cultural expert, a pluralistic or multicultural society has certain
characteristics or characteristics. The following are:
 A pluralistic society has group members who are segmented
into different subcultures.
 A plural society has a social structure that is divided into non-
complementary institutions.
 A pluralistic society is less pressing in terms of developing
consensus on the basic values of its members as a whole.
 Plural societies are relatively more likely to experience conflicts
between groups.
 Plural society relatively creates social integration by force or
coercion or because there is a sense of interdependence in the
economic field.
 A pluralistic society exists under the domination of one group
over another.

Multiculturalism's Impact on Education

 Become more, tolerant and accepting of diversity;
 Develop an appreciation of and respect for cultural differences;
 Diversity training for teachers;
 Multicultural education can help reduce prejudice and
discrimination and;
 To ensure equitable educational opportunities for all children in
a multicultural world.

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Challenges to Multiculturalism
There are two primary objections to multiculturalism:
 Multiculturalism privileges the good of certain groups over the
common good, thereby potentially eroding the common good in
favor of a minority interest and;
 Multiculturalism undermines the notion of equal individual
rights, thereby weakening the political value of equal treatment.

Diversity
The term "diversity" originates from the word diverse, meaning
different or dissimilar.

Diversity can simply be understood as the state of being varied.

This refers to the differences that we see in people.
Race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background,
and ethnicity are some of these differences.

Cultural Diversity
 Cultural diversity is synonymous with multiculturalism.
 It is the view that cultures, races, and ethnicities, particularly
those of minority groups, deserve special acknowledgment of
their differences within a dominant political culture.
 It provides us the opportunity to learn from other cultures, which
then leads to understanding each other despite differences and
disparities.
 It leads to unifying instead of dividing, convergence coming
from divergence.

The importance of cultural diversity can be interpreted on the basis

of these related actions:
 Recognizing that there is a large amount of cultures that exist
 Respecting each other’s differences

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  Acknowledging that all cultural expressions are valid
 Valuing what cultures have to bring to the table
 Empowering diverse groups to contribute
 Celebrating differences, not just tolerating them

The Importance of Cultural Diversity in Education

Students around the world have the right to access of quality
education, and as such, there are many upsides that come along with it
when institutions believe in the power of diversity.
 Deep Learning
 Confidence and Growth
 Preparation for the Future
 More Empathy

Benefits Of Cultural Diversity

 Compassion
 Innovation
 Productivity
 New Opportunities
 Problem-Solving

How to Support Cultural Diversity

 Interact with people outside of your culture
 Be open-minded to listen and let go of judgment
 If you see anyone who is being culturally insensitive, speak out
against it
 Accept that differences are beneficial and not harmful
 Don’t force your beliefs on people with opposing views
 Advocate to hire people or work with people who are not within
your same culture

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  Travel the world as much as you can to take part in cultures
and understand them from the source
 Read literature and learn from different cultures
 Absorb media and art from around the world
 Learn a new language and communicate in a friend’s native
language rather than your own

Characteristics of Diversity and Multiculturalism

Characteristics Of Diversity
 Primary characteristics of diversity are usually the most
visible; for example gender/sexual orientation , race, and
age. The visibility of primary characteristics is critical to the
assumptions made by the majority society about the presumed
worth of minority group members.
 Secondary characteristics are defined by the way of
experience. Such as family status, education, income, and
communication style.

Characteristics Of Multiculturalism
 A multicultural society is characterized by people of various
races, ethnicities, and nationalities living together in the same
community. In a multicultural society, people maintain, pass on,
celebrate and share their unique way of life, language,
traditions, and cultural behavior.

Problems in the Multiculturalism and the Diverse

Environment
 Tensions between people with different cultural backgrounds
 Some people have a hard time to integrate into society
 Language barrier
 Local population may be skeptical towards this concept

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  People may fear to lose their identity
 May lead to radical movements
 Original local population may become extinct
 People may become frustrated
 Social tensions may increase
 Unemployment can be a problem
 May lead to higher sovereign debt

Solution to Problems in Multicultural and Diverse

Environment
 Overcome language and cultural barriers by finding a common
language you can all use so every member can communicate
with ease.
 Consider different cultural communication styles, especially
non-verbal communication.
 Be open to all cultures and their differences.
 Organize a Cross-Cultural training or seminar.
 Avoid Stereotypes
 Practice Empathy
 Learn to respect all cultures

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