Intercultural Education and Multicultural Education: The Same or Different?

Author(s):

Gunilla HolmHarriet Zilliacus

Conference:

ECER 2009

Network:

7. Social Justice and Intercultural Education

Format:

Paper

Session Information

07 SES 08 A, Intercultural Education: Diversity in the Class

Paper Session

Time:

2009-09-30

08:30-10:00

Room:

HG, HS 31

Chair:

Yvonne Leeman

Contribution

Multicultural and intercultural education has been much discussed and researched approaches for quite some time. Multicultural education and intercultural education are often used as synonyms (Nieto, 2006; Hill, 2007), while others indicate that there is a difference between the two. In the multicultural and intercultural literature it is often unclear what the concepts mean and whether they are referring to the same or different things. Often the difference in use seems mostly geographical. In Europe the preferred term is intercultural education while especially the United States but also the rest of North America, Australia and Asia use the term multicultural education (Hill, 2007; Leeman & Reid, 2006). However, in Europe there are differences between countries as well. For example, in Sweden and the Netherlands intercultural education is used while in Great Britain and Finland multicultural education is the commonly used term. Interestingly multicultural and intercultural education are often used as if the terms are universally understood and referring to only one type of education. As can be seen in Sleeter and Grant (2003) multicultural education can take many different directions. Likewise intercultural education is sometimes mostly focused on intercultural relations but at other times more structural issues are part of the focus. Hence, our research question is focused on whether intercultural and multicultural education are the same or if there are differences between the two.

Method

This study is based on a discourse analysis of how the two concepts are used in the research literature and how the terms as well as the usage have changed over time. UNESCO defines intercultural education as a more dynamic interaction-oriented concept while multicultural education is said to refer to the cultural diversity in the classroom. Multicultural education is thus defined as referring to a more static situation. This claim that intercultural education is concerned with action while multicultural education refers only to the composition of the classroom we find unjustified at least as the concept is used in North America, Australia, and Great Britain. The multicultural education literature clearly shows that it is not who is in your classroom that matters but what you as a teacher and school leader do with the cultural diversity in your classroom

Expected Outcomes

Both multicultural and intercultural education can take many different directions, and traditional and more progressive versions of both multicultural and intercultural education can be found. The more traditional and conservative approaches focus on learning to get along and learning about different cultures. The more critical approaches focus on social justice as a core value, on furthering democracy and working against prejudice and discrimination. The critically oriented approaches of both intercultural and multicultural education of today address the culturally diverse classroom as including the intersections of ethnicity, race, class, gender, religion, language, disability, and sexual orientation. In this broad sense we are all part of a culturally diverse society, and intercultural and multicultural education is for all students, not only for minority and immigrant students.

References

Abdallah-Preteceille, M. (2006). Interculturalism as a paradigm for thinking about diversity. Intercultural Education, 17, 475-483. Allport, G. W. (1954). The Nature of Prejudice. Cambridge, MA: Addison-Wesley. Asser, H., Trasberg, K., & Vassilchenko, L. (2004). Intercultural education in the curriculum: Some comparative aspects from the Baltic and Nordic countries. Intercultural Education, 15, 33-43. Banks, J. A. (2004a). Multicultural education: Historical development, dimensions, and practice. In J.A. Banks & C. McGee Banks (Eds.) Multicultural Education. Issues and Perspectives (pp. 3-29). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley & Sons. Banks, J. A. (2004b). Approaches to multicultural curriculum reform. In J.A. Banks & C. McGee Banks (Eds.) Multicultural Education. Issues and Perspectives (pp. 242-264). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley & Sons. Batelaan, P. (2003). Intercultural Education in the 21st century: learning to live together. Document DGIV/EDU/DIAL (2003) 1 Strasbourg : Council of Europe. Retrieved November 3, 2008 from http://www.coe.int/t/e/cultural_cooperation/education/intercultural_education/ EMED21_5.pdf. Batelaan, P. & Coomans, F. (1999). The International Basis for Intercultural Education including anti-racist and human rights education. 2nd Edition. Hilversum: International Association for Intercultural Education (IAIE) in cooperation with UNESCO and the Council of Europe. Retrieved October, 1, 2008 from http://arno.unimaas.nl/show.cgi?fid=113. Bhatti, G. (2004). Good, bad, and normal teachers: the experiences of South Asian children. In G. Ladson-Billings & D. Gillborn (Eds.) The RoutledgeFalmer Reader in Multicultural Education (pp.139-162.) New York: Routledge Falmer. Bhatti, G., Gaine, C., Gobbo, F., & Leeman, Y. (2007). Social Justice and Intercultural Education. An Open-Ended Dialogue. Stoke on Trent: Trentham Books. Bourdieu, P. & J.-C. Passeron (1977). Reproduction in education, society and culture. London: Sage. Coulby, D. (2006). Intercultural education: theory and practice. Intercultural Education, 17, 245-257. Council of Europe (2008) The Council of Europe's web site on intercultural education. Retrieved November 3, 2008 from http://www.coe.int/t/e/cultural_co-operation/education/ Intercultural_education/_Intro.asp#TopOfPage Elmeroth, E. (2008). Etnisk Maktordning i Skola och Samhälle. Studentlitteratur. Faas, D. (2008). From foreigner pedagogy to intercultural education: An analysis of the German responses to diversity and its impact on schools and students. European Educational Research Journal, 7, 108-123. Figueroa, P. (2004). Multicultural education in the United Kingdom. In J.A. Banks & C. McGee Banks (Eds.) Multicultural Education. Issues and Perspectives (pp. 997-1026). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley & Sons. Gaine C. & Gewirtz S. (2008). Introduction. European Educational Research Journal, 7, 18-22. Gay, G. (2004). Curriculum theory and multicultural education. In J.A. Banks & C. McGee Banks (Eds.) Multicultural Education. Issues and Perspectives (pp. 30-49). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley & Sons. Gewirtz, S.& Cribb A.(2008) Taking identity seriously: dilemmas for education policy and practise. European Educational Research Journal, 7, 39-49. Gibson, M. A. (1976). Approaches to multicultural education in the United States. Some concepts and assumptions. Anthropology and Education Quarterly, 7, 7-18. Gillborn, D. & Mirza, H. S. (2000). Educational inequality: mapping race, class and gender. A synthesis of research evidence. London: Ofsted. Retrieved 11.7.2008 from www.oftsed.gov.uk Gorski, P. C. (2006). Complicity with conservatism: the de-politicizing of multicultural and intercultural education. Intercultual Education, 17, 163-177. Griffiths, M. & Troyna, B. (Eds.)(1995). Antiracism, Culture and Social Justice in Education. Oakhill: Trentham Books Limited. Gundara J.(2000). Issues of discrimination in European education systems. Comparative Education, 36, 223-234. Hill, B. & Allan, R. (2004). Multicultural education in Australia. In J.A. Banks & C. McGee Banks (Eds.) Multicultural Education. Issues and Perspectives (pp. 979-996). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley & Sons. Hill, I. (2007). Multicultural and International Education: Never the Twain Shall Meet? International Review of Education, 53, 245-264. Kailin, J. (2002). Antiracist Education. From Theory to Practice. New York: Rowman & Littlefield. Kanpool, B. & Mclaren, P. (1995). Critical Multiculturalism. Uncommon Voices in a Common Struggle. London: Bergin & Garvey. Ladson-Billings, G. (2004). New directions in multicultural education. Complexities, boundaries, and critical race theory. In J.A. Banks & C. McGee Banks (Eds.) Multicultural Education. Issues and Perspectives (pp. 50-65). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley & Sons. Lahdenperä, P. (2004). Interkulturell pedagogik – vad, hur och varför ? In P. Lahdenperä (Ed.) Interkulturell pedagogik i teori och praktik (pp.11-31). Lund : Studentlitteratur. Lahdenperä, P. (2008). Interkulturellt Ledarskap-Förändring i Mångfald. Lund : Studentlitteratur. Leclerq, J.-M. (2002). The lessons of thirty years of European co-operation for intercultural education. Document DGIV/EDU/DIAL (2002) 8. Strasbourg : Council of Europe. Retrieved November, 3, 2008 from http://www.coe.int/t/e/cultural_cooperation/education/ intercultural_education/DGIV%20EDU%20DIAL%20_2002_%208%20Leclerqc%20ENG.pdf. Leeman, Y., & Reid, C. (2006). Multi/intercultural education in Australia and the Netherlands. Compare: A Journal of Comparative Education, 36, 57-72. Luciak, M. (2006). Minority schooling and intercultural education: a comparison of recent developments in the old and new EU member states. Intercultural Education, 17, 73-88. Mansikka, J.-E. & Holm, G. (2008, October).: Teaching minority students within minority schools: Teachers’ conceptions of multicultural education in Swedish-speaking schools in Finland. Paper presented at the ETMU conference, Helsinki, Finland. Mirza, H. S. (2006). ‘Race’, gender and educational desire. Race Ethnicity and Education, 9, 137-158. Nieto, S. (2006). Solidarity, courage and heart: what teacher educators can learn from a new generation of teachers. Intercultural Education, 17, 457-473. Nieto, S. (2004). Affirming Diversity. The Sociopolitical Context of Multicultural Education. New York, NY: Pearson. Nordberg, K. (2000). Intercultural education and teacher education in Sweden. Teaching and Teacher Education, 16, 511-519. Olneck, M. R. (2004). Immigrants and education in the United States. In J.A. Banks & C. McGee Banks (Eds.) Multicultural Education. Issues and Perspectives (pp. 381-403). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley & Sons. Pentikäinen, J. & Hiltunen, M. 1995. Cultural minorities in Finland. An overview towards Cultural Policy. Helsinki: Publications of the Finnish National Commission for Unesco No 66. Raveaud, M.(2008) Culture-blind? Parental discourse on religion, ethnicity and secularism in the French educational context. European Educational Research Journal, 7, 74-88. Rodriquez, N. M. & Villaverde, L. E. (2000). Dismantling White Privilege. Pedagogy, Politics, and Whiteness. New York: Peter Lang. Räsänen, R.(1998). The present situation and future challenges of multicultural education in Finland. In Häkkinen K. (ed.) Multicultural Education: Reflection on Theory and Practise (pp. 32-42). Jyväskylä: University of Jyväskylä continuing Education Centre. Sleeter, C. (1999). Empowerment Through Multicultural Education: From Reproduction to Contestation of Social Inequality Through Schooling. New York: State University of New York Press. Sleeter, C. (1996). Multicultural Education as Social Activism. New York: State University of New York Press. Sleeter, C. E. & Bernal, D.D. (2004). Critical pedagogy, critical race theory, and antiracist education. In J.A. Banks & C. McGee Banks (Eds.) Multicultural Education. Issues and Perspectives (pp. 240-258). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley & Sons. Sleeter, C. and McLaren, P. (1995). Multicultural Education, Critical Pedagogy, and the Politics of Difference. New York: State University of New York Press. Sleeter. C. E., & Grant, C. A. (2003). Making Choices for Multicultural Education. Five Approaches to Race, Class, and Gender. New York, NY: Wiley & Sons. Soilamo, O. (2008). Opettajan monikulttuurinen työ. Turun Yliopiston julkaisuja, väitöskirja: Turun yliopiston kasvatustieteellinen tiedekunta: Turku. Talib M.-T.(ed)(2006). Diversity - A challenge for educators. Finnish Educational Research Association. Turku: Painosalama. Minh-ha, T. T. (1989). Woman, Native, Other. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press. UNESCO (2006). Unesco Guidelines for Intercultural Education. Paris: UNESCO. Wahlbeck, Ö. (2005) Mångkulturalism i Finland - en kritisk litteraturöversikt. Åbo: Meddelanden från ekonomisk-statsvetenskapliga fakulteten vid Åbo Akademi. Sociologi.Ser. A:532. Reviderad version för internet. Retrieved October 3, 2008 from http://web.abo.fi/~owahlbec/ mangkult.pdf. Youdell, D. (2004). Identity traps or how black students fail: the interactions between biographical, sub-cultural, and learner identities. In G. Ladson-Billings & D. Gillborn (Eds.) The RoutledgeFalmer Reader in Multicultural Education (pp.84-102). New York: Routledge Falmer.

Author Information

Gunilla Holm

University of Helsinki

Education

University of Helsinki

Harriet Zilliacus

University of Helsinki, Finland

Search the ECER Programme

Search for keywords and phrases in "Text Search"
Restrict in which part of the abstracts to search in "Where to search"
Search for authors and in the respective field.
For planning your conference attendance you may want to use the conference app, which will be issued some weeks before the conference
If you are a session chair, best look up your chairing duties in the conference system (Conftool) or the app.