190059 SE Educational Theories in International and Historical Comparison (2014S)

The discourse of multiculturalism may be conceived as one that enables us
to confront the paradoxes of a world gone global. Multiculturalism
struggles primarily with the possible meanings of concepts such as
'culture' and 'identity' as they evolve within the political spheres of
democratic nations, particularly with respect to relationships among
minority majority groups, and education. At present, the nature of these
relationships is under attack from a variety of ethnic, religious,
cultural, and national minorities that accuse nation-states of
insensitivity to their particular needs and expectations and failure to
accord them sufficient recognition. The challenges posed by these
minorities call for immediate attention, as democratic states are at least
rhetorically committed to the principle of equal representation for all
citizens.
In the course we will present the basic tenants of the multicultural
perspective and offer a critique of the multicultural discourse of
policymakers and educators in the context of modern democracies from an
anthropological perspective, underscoring the dangers of the reified
conceptualization and use of the terms "culture" and 'identity' while
focusing on conflictual global realities.