Readings
- Iyer, Pico. (March 18, 2000). Why We Travel. Published at Salon.com. http://www.goliards.net/Why%20We%20Travel.htm
- Hartman, Eric " Save My Global Citizen Soul" Student Globe.
- Zemach-Bersin, Talya. 2008. "American Students Abroad Can't Be Global Citizens"B The Chronicle of Higher Education. March 7, 2008.http://www.yale.edu/yalecol/international/predeparture/pdf/GlobalCitizens.pdf
Response Paper 1
In her 2008 essay, “American Students Can’t Be ‘Global Citizens’,” Talya Zemach-Bersin makes accurate claims about the unrealistic expectations of many students preparing to study abroad. She also makes keen observations on the over-simplification used by many universities when describing the international programs they offer, but she completely misses the point of what it means to be a ‘Global Citizen.’ Both Zemach-Bersin and her program could have attempted to set more realistic expectations of what it means to be an American abroad.
Zemach-Bersin tells us that her university claimed that by speaking the local language and participating in everyday life she could "be a resident," and "become a member" of her host community. She says that this is unrealistic, and that because she is an American she cannot be a member of her host community. Perhaps she is right, maybe the university could have made a more accurate claim such as: “Become a united states citizen with a basic understanding of the culture and customs of your host country.” This claim may be more accurate, but it is a lot to put in a brochure and it’s definitely not as catchy.
Her program could certainly have been more open to conversation; they should have discussed what it is like to be an outsider living in a community and how to overcome barriers to allow yourself a greater understanding of your hosts. They should have acknowledged that the purpose of the immersion was not to conform to a new culture and lose your own identity. The purpose should not just be to learn how people in another culture act, but why the act that way and what in the history of their community lead them to develop those customs. Having this information would allow students to both operate within a community, and understand the motives of those within their host communities. The students would become ‘Global Citizens’ by emerging from their experience with a broader perspective.
Zemach-Bersin assumes that to become a ‘Global Citizen’ means an American student must, “transcend historical, political, social, and global systems of power.” This assumption is false, being a global citizen instead requires a student to understand these systems of power and learn to operate within the realities and confines of their current situation. Yes, being an American certainly affects the way students are treated while travelling abroad, but it does not mean that they cannot experience any other culture. They may be treated as an outsider at first, but by putting in the leg work to understand the reasoning behind the customs of their host they may discover commonalities and build personal connections that make them a part of that community.
Another assumption made by Zemach-Bersin is that the path to global citizenship is a one-way flow where the goal is for the student to absorb the culture of the host community and become a member of that society. In truth, by travelling to a host community the student is influencing the community and changing it. Becoming a Global Citizen involves sharing your own culture, as well as, learning about other cultures. The student must embrace their own culture and customs and share them with their host community. Whether it is intentional or not both the host and the hosted will emerge more ‘Global’ because of the interaction.
The Universities may exaggerate and the students may start out naïve, but every time people are able to see things from a new perspective, learn about another culture, and share their own, we all move towards ‘Global Citizenship’ and a mutual understanding.
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