High school students' perceptions of and attitudes toward globalization: an analysis of international baccalaureate students in Estado de Mexico, Mexico, and Texas, U.S.A.

Abstract

As the last few decades have seen a proliferation of debate concerning today’s international system referred to as “globalization,” education has seen an exponential rise in curriculum (such as that promoted by global education, international education, and the International Baccalaureate Organization) that instills students with “international understanding” and “global perspectives.” Through a two-site, interpretive study, this dissertation explored the nature of 15 students’ international understanding and their grasp of globalization. Qualitative techniques for data collection involved open-ended questionnaires and interviews, and emergent category designation was employed for qualitative data analysis. International Baccalaureate students from Estado de México and Texas revealed complex, yet well-developed, perceptions of globalization that spoke of a system which privileges the powerful and leaves the developing world behind. Both U.S. and Mexican students were skeptical of the United States’ position as the dominant player in world politics, economics, and global culture, and students from both sides of the border lamented local culture loss in globalization.