Issue 28(1)
Diversity
and Citizenship Education: Global Perspectives.
(2007). J.A. Banks, Ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 528 pp., $28.00
(paperback). ISBN 978-0-7879-8765-7.
Review
by: Shannon Lynn Burton
Academic
Advising Specialist
School
of Criminal
Justice
Michigan
State
University
As
our world becomes a global community, discussions of what it means
to be a citizen in this new world become ever more important on
our college and university campuses. These discussions aim to
give students “the knowledge, attitudes and skills needed to make
reflective decisions and to take actions to make their nation-states
more democratic and just (p.
4).” Good citizens work for the benefit of all racial, social
and cultural groups. Diversity and Citizenship Education:
Global Perspectives not only defines what it means to be
a citizen in this new global community, but it provides thorough
case studies of how citizenship education is being carried out
in the United States, as well as in other countries on nearly
every continent. This is truly a world issue and one that needs
to be reinforced not only in student classrooms, but in their
extra and co-curricular activities, as well as by the student
affairs professionals that work with the students growing up in
a “flat world (Friedman, 2006)”.
This
book is particularly helpful to academic advisors in a number
of ways. First, it truly defines citizenship education and helps
put it into a perspective that can help advisors better understand
and explain the “whys” and “what for” of campus internationalization
and the global citizenship reinforced by our curricula. Second,
it can assist advisors provide examples of work done in the area
of citizenship education throughout the globe; it supports continuing
initiatives on our campuses or can help us to develop new initiatives
that support student development. Finally, the authors reinforce
that these issues are not solely issues belonging to the United
States , but issues that are
being faced globally. This is particularly important as we work
with students considering study abroad, service-learning, internships,
or careers where they will come into contact with the “other”.
Part
One, “Crosscutting Issues and Concepts,” confirms the need for
“civic equality as the aim of democratic education (p. 2).” Part
Two, “The United States and Canada
,” provides a good touchstone
for educators raised and taught in the United
States before delving into
citizenship education from around the world. Part Three, “ South
Africa and Brazil
,” the contradictions of “racial
democracy” are brought to light. Part Four, “ England
, Germany
, and Russia
,” turns to nations that are
often thought of as mono-cultural by individuals unfamiliar with
their histories. Part Five, “ Japan
, India
, and China
,” discusses how these countries
address issues of civic equality and multiculturalism in their
educational systems and offer a different perspective on working
with these issues than their European counterparts. Part Six,
“ Israel
and Palestine ,”
delves into a hotbed of controversy surrounding ethnic groups,
cooperation or lack thereof, and civic equality. Part Seven, “Curriculum
for Diversity, Democracy and Citizenship Education,” describes
the type of curriculum that needs to exist to promote democratic
values and multiculturalism
Diversity
and Citizenship Education is
geared toward those with a much broader scope than the average
academic advisor. However, it does provide a solid basis for discussing
these issues with faculty and administrators. The chapter authors
truly considered what it means to be a global citizen. As a result,
this book can assist academic advisors in presenting a holistic
vision of the often disconnected aspects of a student’s academic
requirements and the responsibilities given to them as the keepers
of our global community before and after graduation.
References
Banks,
J. A. (1997). Educating citizens in a multicultural society.
New York: Teachers College Press.
Friedman,
T.L. (2006). The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the 21st
Century. New York: Farrar,
Straus and Giroux.
