ISP 52 - Global Citizenship - At Home and in the World

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May 22, 2012
by Micah-Sage Bolden
ISP 52 - Global Citizenship - At Home and in the World

King College junior Micah-Sage Bolden writes on his experiences as an ISP student

Students visit the Dachau Concentration Camp, photo credit: Jon Robinson, ISP 52 student from Ferrum College, VA

SALZBURG – May 15-18, 2012

My experience with the Salzburg Global Seminar from over the last three days has broadened my emotional range, my international confidence, and my mastery of collaborative action; just as the seminar challenged me intellectually so did it emotionally and socially.

One of the most touching experiences I have had was our trip to the Dachau Memorial. I had been reading about the Holocaust since I was young, but nothing could have prepared me for the heartbreaking weight of visiting a site that was host to the worst of what people of capable of, ‘singing with the voices of thousands of lost souls’. Each exhibit combined historical perspectives with an aura of sentiment unmatched by other memorials I have visited. Our excursion sparked passionate discussion upon our return that not only touched me intellectually, but also spiritually.

The day following our Dachau tour we explored the histories and culture of pre- and post- Cold War Europe with Astrid Schröder, continued our intellectually enriching group work, and experienced a joint lecture with University of Salzburg students taught by Reinhold Wagnleitner, held at the university. My discussions with the Salzburg students helped to explore the intricacies of the problems facing America and addressed European views of the social, political, and economic struggles of the United States.

Finally, Thursday’s presentation by Darci Arnold raised pertinent questions regarding the issues of corporate responsibility, the rising importance of data and integration between data, technology, and our lives, as well as the societal and cultural changes brought on by the advent of digital media and the digital economy. Our group work helped to solidify our views of global citizenship and its importance in our globalized society and aided in the development of lifelong partnerships in the pursuit of social justice and the maintenance of a global citizenship. My experiences with the seminar have expanded my mental and spiritual capacities and enhanced my understanding of international perceptions of the United States.

Micah-Sage Bolden is a junior at King College in Bristol, TN, USA. He is majoring in history, political science and philosophy, concentrating on intelligence and security studies. He is the communications officer of the King Security and Intelligence Studies Group (KSI) and a member of the King World Awareness and Activation Campaign. He has served as the executive editor of King College’s Security and Intelligence Studies Journal; editor-in-chief of the Kayseean, a bi-weekly student publication; a member of the Board of Directors of the Appalachian Peace Education Center; and co-author of “Social Networking as a Paradigm Shift in Tactical Intelligence Collection” in the 2012 Mediterranean Council for Intelligence Studies. In the future, Micah-Sage would like work in diplomacy and social activism.