From Human Rights to Global Citizenship Education: Peace, Conflict and the Post-cold War Era

In the present paper, the researchers historicize the rise and growth of human rights education (HRE) in the post-Cold War era and importantly, periodize changes in the actors involved in the implementation of HRE, their approaches to HRE programming. The researchers detail three distinct periods that demonstrate the changing nature of warfare in the post-Cold War era: from sectarian, intra-state conflict to the global war on terror. The researchers' narrative points towards possibilities for subsequent research that either asks new questions about HRE programming or explores old questions about HRE programming in new ways. Finally, the researchers explore the shift from HRE to Global Citizenship Education (GCE) and conclude by arguing for continuing and renewed emphasis and action on behalf of HRE, and examine a handful of key principles necessary for programs to realize the promise of human rights education as the new civics education for the new world order.