The Critical Global Studies Institute (CGSI) has been based at Sogang University since 2016. It is an institution established to rescue Korea’s humanities and social sciences from “the nation” by offering a global outlook on humans, society, and the environment. CGSI has the ultimate mission of presenting the alternative to both the rising tide of nationalist anti-globalization and hegemonic globalization (globalization “from above” in the form of globalization “from below.” CGSI’s ultimate vision for encountering the realities of 21st century life rooted in a transnational matrix can be summarized in four “trans-“ keywords: transnational, transregional, transdisciplinary, and transinstitutional. By incorporating these four “trans” concepts, CGSI seeks to develop global ethics and epistemology, sharpen critical insight into multicultural and global lives, and promote the responsibilities and practices required of global citizens.