| Title | Postcolonial foldings of space and identity in science education: limits, transformations, prospects |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Authors | Zembylas, Michalinos, and Lucy Avraamidou |
| Journal | Cultural Studies of Science Education |
| Volume | 3 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pagination | 977-998 |
| ISSN | 1871-1510 |
| Abstract | The four essays reviewed here constitute a worthwhile attempt to discuss various aspects of postcolonial theory, and offer constructive ideas to ongoing academic as well as public conversations with respect to whether science education can meet the challenges of educating an increasingly diverse population in the 21st century. These essays are grounded in the assumption that it is difficult to make meaningful and transformative changes in science education so that educators’ efforts take into consideration the dramatic changes (i.e., diverse culture and racial origins, language, economic status etc.) of ‘an era of globalization’ in order to meet the demands of today’s schools. Each of these four essays problematizes various aspects of the social and cultural conditions of science education nowadays using different ‘postcolonial’ ideas to interpret the implications for science learning and teaching. Although the term ‘postcolonial’ has certainly multiple meanings in the literature, we use this term here to describe the philosophical position of these essays to challenge long-standing and hegemonic practices and taken-for-granted assumptions in science education. Through critical analysis of these essays, we engage in a dialogue with the authors, focusing on two of what seem crucial issues in understanding the potential contributions as well as the risks of postcolonial concepts in science education; these issues are space and identity. We choose these issues because they permeate all four essays in interesting and often provocative ways. |
| URL | https://doi.org/10.1007/s11422-008-9121-1 |
| DOI | 10.1007/s11422-008-9121-1 |
| Short Title | Postcolonial foldings of space and identity in science education |
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