ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book seeks to identify the roots of world citizenship in some of the many layers of communities young children belong to. It promotes the concept that communities are living organisms, with their members living in symbiotic relationships with one another. The book is written with the view that communities have three distinct dimensions that ensure their sustainability: the retrospective, the here and now, and the prospective dimensions. It discusses narrative claims surrounding the ideological framing of social justice and re-imagining strategies for creating intergenerational and intercultural social cohesion. The book considers the importance of harnessing the wealth and years of experience of older practitioners and recognising the special relationships they build with our young children, families and their colleagues. It uses a case study as a means of demonstrating the power of digital communities on our children's learning and development.
