The Role of English in Global Citizenship (Journal of Global Citizenship & Equity Education; Vol. 7, No. 1)

 Despite scholars’ attempts to define and conceptualise global citizenship, the literature tends to ignore the role of English as the global lingua franca. In this paper, the author argues that ignoring English as the global lingua franca is a gross oversight, particularly in internationalised higher education where global citizenship is often presented as an aspiration for students. Websites of two South Korean universities were analysed regarding how the respective institutions intend to develop global citizens. Twenty students enrolled in the universities participated in interviews regarding their conceptualizations of global citizenship and how they frame their relationship with global and Korean identities. The findings reveal that global citizenship is generally conceived in terms of English with a strong adherence to fluency norms and in opposition to Korean identity. This influences how the students position themselves in relation to a global community and affects their conception of national identities. The paper ends with both theoretical and practical recommendations regarding the role of English in global citizenship.