COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course, geared to education non-majors, offers an introduction to ways of thinking about educational theories, concepts, and practices as they relate to philosophical discussions surrounding social justice, especially as pertaining to race, class, gender and disability. This course broadens students’ reflective understanding of the development of educational institutions and practices and, through an emphasis on class discussion, promotes a critical and analytical approach to thinking about and evaluating these institutions and practices.
This course is based on the assumption that it is no longer possible to interpret and analyze educational policies within their national contexts; and that global processes affect the ways in which educational policies are now developed shows how global institutions, such as transnational corporations, intergovernmental organizations, NGOs and the media affect the global circulations of educational policy ideas and ideologies. It draws upon a range of case studies drawn from around the world, to illustrate the extent to which the processes of globalization have created conditions of cultural homogeneity and global inequalities; and explores how such negative affects of globalization might be resisted.
