Daoist insights into the cognitive domain of global citizenship education: A case study of global poverty

Adding to scholarly efforts to decolonise global citizenship education (GCE), this article employs Zhuangzi’s concept of great knowledge and his perspectivism to enrich our understanding of the cognitive domain of GCE while offsetting the epistemic inequality therein. Zhuangzi’s perspectivism helps us appreciate the equal validity of multiple perspectives, and his great knowledge highlights the significance of a spontaneous response to unique situations. This article applies these ideas to GCE in relation to global poverty, encouraging a more complete and sophisticated understanding of this phenomenon that resists reductive stereotypes and acknowledges systemic complexities. To tie these ideas together, Zhuangzi’s notion of making distinctions without passing judgements is utilised to develop a critical pedagogy that enhances students’ critical thinking skills: students are empowered to engage with the world in a manner that appreciates the values of different perspectives and the nuances of local and global issues, contributing to a more comprehensive and inclusive understanding of our interconnected global society.