1st Edition
Decolonising Intercultural Education Colonial differences, the geopolitics of knowledge, and inter-epistemic dialogue
At the centre of Decolonising Intercultural Education is a simple yet fundamental question: is it possible to learn from the Other? This book argues that many recent efforts to theorise interculturality restrict themselves to a variety of interpretations within a Western framework of knowledge, which does not necessarily account for the epistemological diversity of the world.
The book suggests an alternative definition of interculturality, framed not in terms of cultural differences, but in terms of colonial difference. It brings analysis of the Latin American concept of interculturalidad into the picture and explores the possibility of decentring the discourse of interculturality and its Eurocentric outlook, seeing interculturality as inter-epistemic rather than simply inter-cultural.
Decolonising Intercultural Education will be of interest to educational practitioners, researchers and postgraduate students in in the areas of education, postcolonial studies, Latin American studies and social sciences.
1. Introduction: Interculturality for Whom? 2. Epistemological Privilege in Intercultural Education: From Cultural Differences to a Colonial Difference 3. The Construction of a European Identity in European Union Policies on Interculturality 4. Intercultural Studies and the Commitment to Bridging Otherness 5. The Double Bind of Interculturality in Academic Textbooks 6. Interculturalidad, or Voices from the Underside of the Colonial Difference 7. Conclusion
Biography
Robert Aman is Lecturer in Education at the School of Education, University of Glasgow.
‘This book contributes to the critical need to reassess how education can better engage with inequities in knowledge exchange. It provides a new concept, ‘interculturalidad’, that asks the reader to engage with different perspectives on the world without the usual practice of rendering the ‘Other’ exotic, while the referenced cultural is invisible. As a challenge to interculturality, it reveals how power is implicated in dominant narratives in education.’ - Carol Reid, Professor of Sociology of Education, Western Sydney University, Bankstown Campus, Australia‘The proposal of using interculturalism as way to decolonise the knowledge of Western scholars, artists, activists, artists, students, organizations, and social movements from assuming epistemological imperialism is an invigorating and reflexive approach which challenges our dominant categories and privilege.’ - Martha Montero-Sieburth, Lecturer, Amsterdam University College, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
‘The main strength of this book is that it represents a unique and valuable contribution to the literature. Its uniqueness lies in its being inter-epistemic rather than simply inter-cultural. This represents a balanced approach that is also more inclusive and integrative. In addition, it speaks to the sources of knowledge—very important and often ignored or forgotten aspects of education. In addition, rather than simply generally encouraging a more balanced approach, it provides a specific and developing alternative perspective—that of interculturalidad.’ - Christopher Deal, Ph.D., Visiting Assistant Professor, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, Louisiana, USA
