October 12, 2023

The United Nations defines global citizenship as “the umbrella term for the actions of globally minded individuals and communities on a worldwide scale.” Global citizenship at the individual level could look like supporting an international ministry, doing charitable work abroad, or advocating for policy changes to address climate change. But how would a nation guided by the ethic of global citizenship interact with the world? Scholar and author Dr. Christopher McKnight Nichols moderated a panel discussion with Michigan State University associate professor of history Dr. Emily Conroy-Krutz, director of Grand Valley State University’s International Relations Program Dr. Polly Diven, and founding director of the Center for Presidential History at Southern Methodist University Dr. Jeffrey Engel. Their discussion focused on the merit of global citizenship as a guiding ethic in U.S. foreign policy and answered the question: how do we balance our shared humanity with national interests and security?

gvsu.edu/hc/globalcitizenship