Public Education in a Multicultural Society

This important collection of essays offers a sustained philosophical examination of fundamental questions raised by multicultural education in primary and secondary schools. The essays focus on both theory and policy. They discuss the relation between culture and identity, the role of reason in bridging cultural divisions, and the civic implications of multiculturalism in the teaching of history and literature. Several of the essays examine aspects of multicultural policies in California and New York, as well as the curriculum guidelines promulgated by the National Council for the Social Studies.

Part I. Introduction and Critique: 1. Multicultural education: concepts, policies and controversies ROBERT K. FULLINWIDER; 2. Antiracist civic education in the California history-social science framework LAWRENCE A. BLUM; 3. A conflict of visions: multiculturalism and the social studies GILBERT T. SEWALL; Part II. Culture and Identity: 4. Culture, subculture, multiculturalism: education options K. ANTHONY APPIAH; 5. Multiculturalism and mélange JEREMY WALDRON; Part III. Relativism, reason, and public education: 6. Locke and multiculturalism: toleration, relativism, and reason SUSAN KHIN ZAW; 7. Challenges of multiculturalism in democratic education AMY GUTMANN; Part IV. Teaching History: 8. Multiculturalism and history: historical perspectives and present prospects GARY B. NASH; 9. Patriotic history ROBERT K. FULLINWIDER; Part V. Teaching Literature: 10. Multicultural literature and civic education: a problematic relationship with possibilities SANDRA STOTSKY; 11. Teaching American literary history ARTHUR EVENCHIK.