International Organizations and the Global Citizen: The Negotiation of a Concept in the Era of Globalization

"The 20th century was an age of globalization marked strongly by the rise of international, inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations playing an increasingly influential role in global affairs. Near the turn of the millennium, the concept of global citizenship emerges as one of significance to the agendas of these organizations. This research proposes to trace the growth and evolution of this concept in the 20th century through its relationship to international organizations and their education development projects. This research approaches the concept of global citizenship from a transnational lens, viewing international organizations and institutions as having historical agency in the global flow and transformation of people, ideas and ideologies. It sits at an intersection between conceptual history, institutional history, and the histories of 20th century development and education, with a methodological emphasis on inter-textual analysis and curriculum history. This MPT serves as both a research plan, and an early draft of the potential chapter structure. Part I reviews the current literature on the concept of the global citizen and discusses the relevance of theories of globalization and citizenship to this research. Part Two is divided into five chapters framing the history of pre-WWI internationalism and locating cosmopolitanism; the Inter-War years on the League of Nations; and, other non-governmental organizations that functioned within the ideological frame of the League; an analysis of education development trends from the end of WWII to the 80's, with an epilogue reflecting from the 90's onward. Part III discusses methods, sources and the approach for moving forward."