Global studies

Global studies is the interdisciplinary study of political, economic, ecological and cultural interconnectedness. Global studies is oriented around the study of globalization as it relates to the global economy, market relations, the movement of people and resources, global communications, politics, the effect of human activity on the environment, and many more topics. Global studies is often used to map global change and is both micro and macro in scope.

Global studies tackles the aforementioned topics by examining global power structures influenced by perspectives such as Orientalism and Eurocentrism. Global studies is distinguished from international studies by its broader focus – international studies is only one aspect of global studies. In cases such as international studies or international relations, the concept of 'national' confines the meaning of those fields of study. By comparison, global studies has a broader reach, from the global to the local.

The development of global studies in secondary and tertiary education is arguably a product of globalization, and its consequent results on the international community. In the late 20th century, an unprecedented rise in communications technologies and computerization occurred around the world, again enhancing the processes of globalization: “it is a shift in our very life circumstances ... the speed of change is closely allied to the growth of communication, and development in information and communication technologies have been exponential ... globalization is a fact of life from which we cannot retreat.”. As a result of this constantly changing global community, education providers began to see a need for the introduction of global studies into secondary school curricula (i.e. introduction of global issues through already existing subjects), and to create global studies degrees for tertiary students (i.e. sole degrees with a global focus).

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