Critical global citizenship: Foucault as a complexity thinker, social justice and the challenges of higher education in the era of neo-liberal globalization – A conversation with Mark Olssen.

This article presents a dialogue between Mark Olssen, emeritus professor of political theory and higher education policy at the University of Surrey, and Emiliano Bosio, focusing on critical global citizenship education (GCE) within the context of neo-liberal globalization and global social justice. Olssen critiques neo-liberalism's role in exacerbating global inequalities and environmental crises, arguing for a redefined cosmopolitanism that better addresses global justice through democratic engagement, ethical responsibility, and a non-fundamentalist approach to education. Drawing on Foucault's philosophy as a complexity thinker, Olssen emphasizes the need for higher education to move beyond commodification toward fostering global public good, life skills, and inclusive democratic values amid contemporary challenges such as climate change, pandemics, and geopolitical conflicts. The dialogue underscores the imperative to critically engage with prevailing globalization paradigms and to reorient education toward ethical inclusion, social responsibility, and sustainable futures.