Teaching Global Activism in International Relations
Heather Heckel
Paper prepared for presentation at
The American Political Science Association Annual Conference
Washington, DC
September 2005
Introduction
As undergraduates studying political science and public policy, we were encouraged to
become engaged in community service amid the climate for ‘making a difference’ as espoused
by organizations like Campus Compact and President Bush’s 1,000 Points of Light. As part of
this ‘campaign,’ the slogan ‘think globally, act locally’ was frequently utilized to motivate
students. Today, as I seek to encourage my own students to consider community engagement,
the concept of community has changed dramatically. As Thomas Friedman recently wrote, the
post-2000 era is, “a whole new era,” with a unique character, “the newfound power for
individuals to collaborate and compete globally.”
Thus, globalization and all its facets suggest
that one no longer needs to think globally and act locally. Instead an individual can think and act
globally and has the potential to make a difference in the global community.
The capacity to be active citizens, locally, nationally, and now globally is tempered,
however, by the challenge of enabling students to believe in positive change. In this time of
constant news access (and generally bad news), polarized political climate, and emphasis on
consumption, motivating students to care about issues, to feel connected to them and empowered
1
Please do not cite without permission. Comments and suggestions are welcome at ## email not listed ##.
2
Friedman, Thomas L. 2005. The world is flat: a brief history of the twenty-first century. Farrar, Straus and Girous,
New York.
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