Millennials and the Shift toward a Global Identity

Abstract

AbstractThis chapter explores the content of Millennials’ “core persona.” Specifically, it focuses on how Millennial citizens bring a global perspective to the way they view themselves and the political environment around them. The chapter details how the era critical to the socialization of the Millennial Generation was marked by many factors, including global events like 9/11 and advances in technology that made instant communication across the globe available to the average citizen. Under these conditions, Millennials developed a sense of belonging to a global community—what is known as cosmopolitanism. In seven of the eight countries surveyed, Millennials are more likely than non-Millennials to name “citizen of the world” as their most important identity. In contrast, non-Millennials are more likely to pick their national identity as most important. Beyond cosmopolitanism versus nationalism, the chapter examines generational differences based on identities such as age group, race, religion, gender, and class.