Education for liberal democracy: universalising a western construct?

Enslin, P. (1999) Education for liberal democracy: universalising a western construct? Journal of the Philosophy of Education, 33(2), pp. 175-186. (doi: 10.1111/1467-9752.00129)

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Abstract

An influential view of liberalism and its view of education holds that it is a western construct unsuited to non-western societies. Bikhu Parekh’s critique of liberal democracy is taken here as representative of that position. In challenging that view, this article shows through an analysis of recent policy that post-apartheid education in South Africa expresses a liberal view of education, just as the political order introduced in 1994 is a liberal one. If we adopt Parekh’s principle that societies should be allowed to choose their own destinies, there are transcendental grounds for promoting liberalism and a liberal view of education outside of the liberal western democracies.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Enslin, Professor Penny
Authors: Enslin, P.
College/School:College of Social Sciences > School of Education > Social Justice Place and Lifelong Education
Journal Name:Journal of the Philosophy of Education
ISSN:0309-8249

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