Global Citizenship and Global Political Instability Through the Lens of COVID-19

Abstract: The 21st century has been widely considered an era of globalization. Nevertheless, the outbreak of COVID-19 reveals that this ongoing interdependence not only brings opportunities for cooperation and common development but also global crises. In this turbulent world stricken by the pandemic, the significance of global citizenship, in which individuals identify themselves as citizens of the global village and collaboratively take actions to address global challenges, has been reiterated. This global citizenship awareness is expected to be developed through education so-called global citizenship education (GCE). Therefore, this paper sheds light on the importance of GCE for global political stability through the lens of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly taking geopolitical dynamics into account. It starts by enunciating the COVID-19 pandemic as a consequence of the lack of global citizenship awareness and how it precipitates global political instability. It then goes on to explore how the pandemic contributes to the promotion of GCE at a societal level. Finally, back to the school level, it analyses how the pandemic acts as a motivation to expand and reify GCE, allowing students to be prepared for the unforeseeable challenges and ensuring global political stability in the future.