Global citizenship refers to the concept of integration of world strategies and for achieving peace and unity in all the nations through the establishment of concepts of globalization through allowing integrated citizenship that acts at a global level. This allows an individual not only to be a citizen of a specific country but also a citizen at the global level.
Considering the case study of the forestry student who volunteers to start up a local program that will create awareness among children on the ecology of local forests, I believe he adopts the approaches of ethical guidance through consideration of the consequences, application of principles, and develop caring relationships. By application of the approach of consideration of the consequences, the forestry student is worried about the outcomes of the use of nonrenewable sources of energy. Some of the consequences that are associated with the destruction of forests include environmental degradation, lack of rains, and destruction of beautiful forest sceneries. The forestry student is concerned about these outcomes and this makes him interested in engaging in creating awareness about local forestry among children so that they may grow up knowing how to conserve and make good use of local forests. On the other hand, the forestry student adopts ethical guidance through applying principles by adhering to the teachings from his colleagues on the issues surrounding the use of nonrenewable energy sources. The principles tend to set rules that will protect the natural environment and other consequences to the human populations. In this regard, the forestry student is wondering whether he will engage in an activity that contradicts what his father does. He is so worried about the relationship that exists between him and his father. He is also concerned about the welfare of children and the natural environment. This is why he decides to voluntarily teach them about local forest ecology (ethical guidance through developing caring relationships). His act of personal volunteering to assist others in society, especially children, and care for the environment also incorporates the approach of ethical guidance according to virtue. These approaches make the forestry student develop a positive attitude towards demonstrating his concern for both children and the natural environment that is meant to support the human population in his community.
In this regard, I think the forestry student is a global citizen to only a small extent since he does not fully uphold the values and requirements of cosmopolitanism. According to the statements of Martha Nussbaum, a cosmopolitan individual is supposed to engage in solving problems that involve International corporations and also makes sure that moral obligations are recognized by others in the world. But in this case, although the forestry student has a moral obligation to help his people in the community especially children to understand forestry ecology, he only does this to his local community and has no intentions of exploring his moral obligations to other parts of the world. Due to conflicting ideas between the community ties and cosmopolitanism where cosmopolitanism is thought of as not obeying the community ties that are supposed to be obeyed by global citizens, Parekh comes in and introduces an idea of internationalism which mediates the two contradicting principles of nationalism and cosmopolitanism. This idea offers a much better alternative. In this case, I think the forestry student can enhance his global citizenship by adopting the values of internationalism as introduced by Parekh. By doing so, he will be able to make a difference in his community and also develop a desire to promote such activities in the rest of the world in the interest of the human population.