Identity 2016: ‘Global citizenship’ rising, poll suggests
By Naomi Grimley –8 April 2016People are increasingly identifying themselves as global rather than national citizens, according to a BBC World Service poll. The trend is particularly marked in emerging economies, where people see themselves as outward looking and internationally minded.
However, in Germany fewer people say they feel like global citizens now, compared with 2001.
Pollsters GlobeScan questioned more than 20,000 people in 18 countries. More than half of those asked (56%) in emerging economies saw themselves first and foremost as global citizens rather than national citizens.
In Nigeria (73%), China (71%), Peru (70%) and India (67%) the data is particularly marked.
By contrast, the trend in the industrialised nations seems to be heading in the opposite direction.
In these richer nations, the concept of global citizenship appears to have taken a serious hit after the financial crash of 2008. In Germany, for example, only 30% of respondents see themselves as global citizens. [read more]
Comments
Interesting article. As a person of mixed-ethnicity, I’ve long considered myself a global citizen. But there’s something new happening in our world that will affect the way we see ourselves in relation to our location to a specific space or place on our home planet: climate disruption.