Teaching Abroad: Creating Global Citizens and Global Teachers

Abstract

This article discusses international study programs in light of faculty development. Based upon ten years of experience working with students abroad, I offer some insights on the difficulties and rewards for faculty who lead programs overseas. I point to reasons for the growth in study abroad programs, as well as the opportunities these afford for both faculty and students.

The theoretical model of “global civil society” has sparked an increasingly rich literature across many disciplines, including international relations, political theory, foreign policy, and gender studies. Despite the proliferation of the model in policy making, the concept often remains vague for many undergraduate students. Moving beyond the classroom to active engagement in global civil society should be an essential part of students’ education. One strategy for achieving this outcome is to promote localized understandings of global issues through focused, hands-on international programs that increase students’ awareness of their place within global society—as citizens, consumers, (potential) activists, and future leaders.

As a professor of international affairs, I have been a natural advocate for global engagement and remain convinced that international education increases a student’s capacity for empathy and encourages moral growth, while opening doors for future career opportunities. For this eJournal of Public Affairs issue on experiential education, I was asked to reflect on what teaching abroad means for me as a faculty member—how it affects my work as a scholar and my own personal growth, as well as what it means for students. I’ll begin by offering some context for the demand for international education and then offer some reflections on my own experiences.