Interculturality and the Political within Education (Routledge Research in Education)

This innovative book problematises the internal relationships within and between the intercultural and the political in education. It engages in a critical dialogue with current practices and discourses, and the focus on ‘the political’ offers an alternative trajectory to explore interculturality within education.

Drawing on international research and consolidated with application of top interdisciplinary theories in the field, Dervin and Simpson alert us to the current dangers of treating interculturality loosely in education. The authors engage in a dialogue to encourage readers to examine the meaning of interculturality and the state of research in education today, suggesting that we move beyond merely rehearsing theories, concepts and methods. More importantly they urge researchers, teachers and students to question Western-centric ideologies of interculturality.

Intercultural and the Political Within Education is a must read for those who are dissatisfied with current intercultural research and education. It will be of great interest to researchers and students of the philosophy of education and those interested in the contemporary debates concerning ideologies, definitions and ownership of interculturality.

Fred Dervin is Professor of Multicultural Education at the University of Helsinki, Finland. He also holds distinguished professorships in Australia, Canada, China, Luxembourg, Malaysia and Sweden.

Ashley Simpson is a Lecturer in Language Education at the University of Edinburgh, UK.