Global citizenship education and claims of human justice

Though the literature on global citizenship education (GCE) is extensive, our own work highlights GCE as a form of autonomous, deliberative and decolonial praxis aimed at cultivating social justice. However, a survey of contemporary cases of human rights abuse, most notably the ongoing atrocities in North Africa, Palestine and Ukraine, reveals persistent, systemic obstacles to realizing that vision. In this article, we revisit a conception of GCE as inherently political praxis. We argue, firstly, that gross human rights violations not only underscore the moral urgency underpinning GCE but also expose the structural barriers that compromise its enactment. Secondly, by examining how entrenched power asymmetries, geopolitical conflicts and state-sanctioned violence thwart democratic deliberation and local agency, we demonstrate that without confronting these realities head-on, GCE risks remaining little more than an aspirational ideal. Thirdly, we propose a framework of critical solidarity, one that integrates localized action with transnational advocacy, to bridge the gap between normative commitments and on-the-ground possibilities. A preview of this article was shared with the authors of the following commentaries in advance, with the intention that the article, commentary, and response be released concurrently.