Preservice teachers’ perspectives regarding their understanding of global citizenship education in Kuwait and Germany: A comparative study

Global Citizenship Education (GCE) plays a significant role in supporting the development (or the preparation) of informed and active citizens capable of engaging with global challenges in an increasingly interconnected world. Research within the GCE field suggests that there is presently a lack of investigation into preservice teachers’ conceptual understandings of the topic. This study, therefore, aim to address this gap in the literature by exploring preservice teachers’ perspectives (in Kuwait and Germany) regarding their conceptual understandings for the GCE, aiming to compare how future educators in both contexts define and interpret the subject. To achieve this goal, the study employed a qualitative comparative approach, using semi-structured interviews with 15 preservice teachers from Kuwait and 7 from Germany. These data were analyzed through a critical GCE lens to uncover underlying themes and interpretation differences. Findings revealed that, while preservice teachers from both countries articulated similar thematic understandings, their interpretations reflected distinct contextual differences. Moreover, both groups exhibited a predominantly soft approach to GCE. The study reveals the need for a more robust integration of critical GCE principles within teacher education programs in both settings.