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Palgrave Macmillan

Curriculum in International Contexts

Understanding Colonial, Ideological, and Neoliberal Influences

  • Book
  • © 2019

Overview

  • Discusses the complexity of curriculum in diverse international contexts including South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, and throughout Asia
  • Underscores, in specific terms, how colonization, politicization of education, and neoliberal global economic policies have shaped the nature and character of curriculum in diverse international settings
  • Provides an understanding of how intellectual movements such as Marxism and postmodernism influence the development of curriculum theory and practice

Part of the book series: Curriculum Studies Worldwide (CSWW)

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Table of contents (9 chapters)

Keywords

About this book

This book is an exposition of how political, cultural, historical, and economic structures and processes shape the nature and character of curriculum landscapes globally. By developing theoretical connections and providing contextual background, Kumar explores how colonialism and imperialism, state-led ideological control, and the wave of neoliberalism and capitalism insidiously impact the process of curriculum development in different parts of the world. Kumar also underscores how intellectual movements such as Marxism and postmodernism have shaped curriculum theory in varied political and economic settings. By emphasizing the connections between and among diverse cultural and political conceptualizations of curriculum, this volume contributes to the internationalization of curriculum studies discourses.

Reviews

“As a key figure in the internationalization of curriculum studies, Ashwani Kumar questions colonialism and its legacies, including ideological control of curriculum and teaching, as well as the neoliberal obsession with measurement, comparison, and competition. In his meditative and contemplative manner, Kumar enacts what a rich, holistic, and transformative educational experience can be. Informed by his study of Krishnamurti, Macdonald, and Freire, Kumar maps the new political geography of contemporary curriculum studies.” (William F. Pinar, Professor and Canada Research Chair, University of British Columbia, Canada)

“Kumar demonstrates impressivecommand of a broad range of literatures as he examines key influences on curriculum across international contexts, including colonialism and neoliberalism. The distinguishing features of this book, and a key contribution of Kumar’s scholarship, are the diverse, yet complimentary, responses to ideological control of the curriculum that he offers ­– Indigenous, critical, self-reflective, and meditative – pathways educators can follow as they construct more authentic curricula, no matter their contexts.” (E. Wayne Ross, Professor, University of British Columbia, Canada)

 

Authors and Affiliations

  • Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, Canada

    Ashwani Kumar

About the author

Ashwani Kumar is Associate Professor of Education at Mount Saint Vincent University, Canada. He is the author of Curriculum As Meditative Inquiry (2013).

Bibliographic Information

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