Can civil society save the world? Intercultural education in an age of rising nationalism

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Abstract

Intercultural education builds on the idea of a world where individuals are connected to diverse geographies, histories, ethnic and religious communities. This condition emerges in response to processes such as migration and multiculturalism, prompting scholars such as Byram (2012) and Rizvi (2009, 2008) to insist that a form of education be developed to support the identity needs of ‘intercultural’ or ‘cosmopolitan’ learners. Two ideas are commonly linked to interculturalism, namely global citizenship and multicultural education, which rest on a universalist and a relativist stance, respectively. Portera (2008) proposes a third perspective, ‘intercultural education’, which may overcome weaknesses tied to the other two by combining global normative principles (eg. Human Rights) with a respect for differences at the national and local levels.

The idea of an education shaped in a manner that acknowledges intercultural as well as national citizenship has been promoted by organisations such as UNESCO and Council for Europe. Yet it builds on internationalist principles rarely recognised in the formal educational system, except for special programmes such as the International Baccalaureate. An additional challenge is the recent backlash against internationalism, as manifest, for instance, in the British withdrawal from Erasmus and the Danish cap on international student recruitment. Finally, national governments have become increasingly concerned with ‘parallel communities’, insisting on the need for ‘national’ curricula that emphasise a shared language, history and culture. As a result, there is limited space for developing intercultural education within the formal educational system.

Outside formal education, however, an alternative reality has emerged with civil society movements engaging in transnational mobilisation and community-building (Castells 2012). An example is non-formal youth education, represented through the ‘Big Six’ of World Scouting, World Guiding, Red Cross/Red Crescent Youth, YMCA and the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme. Arguably, these today offer a form of education that simultaneously acknowledges global principles such as democracy and social justice and local members’ need to develop youth programmes that respect specific traditions and needs. In the paper, the author explores this model for intercultural education, asking if civil society ‘can save the world’ in an era of nationalist closure?
Original languageEnglish
Publication date1 Oct 2022
Publication statusPublished - 1 Oct 2022
EventIntercultural education on the move: Facing new challenges - Hellenic Open University
Duration: 1 Oct 20222 Oct 2022
https://sae.eap.gr/uncategorized/iaie2022/

Conference

ConferenceIntercultural education on the move: Facing new challenges
LocationHellenic Open University
Period01/10/202202/10/2022
Internet address

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