Educational theory and practices from the majority world

This work provides a healthy, comprehensive counterpoint to the ethnocentrism engrained in the widespread belief that scientific knowledge about education is typically Western. Stressing that the Western ‘minority’ perspective cannot hold true for the ‘majority’ of the world population situated outside Europe and North America, this edited volume explores traditional educational theories and practices developed in the majority world to study how they can improve modern schooling globally.

Educational Theories and Practices from the Majority World probes the elements of culturally appropriate, quality schooling for various indigenous people in India, the Pacific and the Americas. One of the sections dwells on how to synergise the systems used in modern schools with the ones used in non-Western formal schools linked to religious institutions, such as Koranic, Sanskrit, Buddhist and Vodoo schools. Another section delves into educational policy issues in the context of globalization.

This compilation brings together difficult-to-access theories and research by contributors from Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America. It is an invaluable resource for policy makers in Education and for students, researchers and academicians studying Education and Anthropology.

 

Table of Contents

Introduction: Ethnocentrism in Education and How to Overcome It PIERRE R DASEN and ABDELJALIL AKKARI

 

I: INFORMAL AND ‘INDIGENOUS’ EDUCATION

 

Informal Education and Learning Processes PIERRE R DASEN

Ethnotheories of Developmental Learning in the Western Grassfields of Cameroon A BAME NSAMENANG, PASCALINE J FAI, GLADYS N NGORAN, MAIRAMA Y NGEH, FEDELIS W FORSUH, EUNICE W ADZEMYE and GLORY N LUM

Participatory Appropriation and the Cultivation of Nurturance: A Case Study of African Primary Health Science Curriculum Development ROBERT SERPELL

Situated Learning and Compagnonnage Formation: Implications for the Education Systems of Poor (and Rich) Nations JOHN D HERZOG

 

II: CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE SCHOOLING FOR ABORIGINAL PEOPLE

 

Curriculum Localization: A View from the South GEORGE ROBERT TEASDALE

Education of Tribal Children in India RAMESH C MISHRA

The Decolonization of Aboriginal Education: Dialogue, Reflection and Action in Canada MARIE BATTISTE

Issues and Challenges for Intercultural and Bilingual Education (IBE) in Latin America ANAHY GAJARDO, GIOVANNA CARRARINI, JOSE MARIN and PIERRE R DASEN

 

III: EDUCATION and RELIGION

 

Socialization, Learning and Basic Education in Islamic Contexts ABDELJALIL AKKARI

Sanskrit Schooling in India RAMESH C MISHRA and APARNA VAJPAYEE

Sanskrit Schools in Varanasi between Traditions and Transition MARIE ANNE BROYON

Buddhist Education as a Challenge to Modern Schooling NILIMA CHANGKAKOTI and MARIE ANNE BROYON

Education in Voodoo Convents in Benin ADJIGNON DEBORA GLADYS HOUNKPE

 

IV: GLOBAL POLITICAL ISSUES

 

Paulo Freire: Building a Multicultural Pedagogy for Silenced Voices ABDELJALIL AKKARI and PERI MESQUIDA

Globalization, Education and Cultural Diversity JOSE MARÍN

The Globalization of Schooling: Major Trends and Issues in the South and the North ABDELJALIL AKKARI and PIERRE R DASEN