Youth and religion in an age of global citizenship identification: An 18-country study of youth

The world is becoming more globalized and interconnected. As a result, there is an emphasis on ensuring that the next generation can adapt and work in the budding global industries and new work environments. Faith-based organizations can supplement or complement governmental and familial entities in supporting youth as they grapple with the implications of globalization and global citizenship expectations. Our aim is to study the level of global citizen identification among religious and non-religious youth. Using the World Values Survey, we obtain data pertaining to 18–29-year-olds from 18 countries. We found that youth who identified with religious beliefs and religious practices are less likely to align with global citizenship tenets (e.g. accepts neighbors who are different from themselves), yet more commonly identify themselves as world citizens. These findings indicate that religious beliefs and religious behaviors mediate effects between individuals and global citizenship identifications. In return, religious affiliation may serve as a mediating structure that is instrumental in helping youth function in a world where identifying and living as a global citizen is expected.