Cosmopolitan Education and Inclusion by Yusef Waghid & Chikumbutso Herbert Manthalu & Judith Terblanche & Faiq Waghid & Zayd Waghid

Author:Yusef Waghid & Chikumbutso Herbert Manthalu & Judith Terblanche & Faiq Waghid & Zayd Waghid
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9783030384272
Publisher: Springer International Publishing

Summary

This chapter has elucidated cosmopolitanism in relation to Todd’s (2007) notion of judgements in educational encounters and the notion of cosmopolitics (Todd, 2010), which interrogates scripted forms of cosmopolitanism in education. Such a cosmopolitanism finds it inadequate to put their confidence in rules, roles and norms governing encounters in education on the assumption that such elements embed cosmopolitan values thus meeting cosmopolitan virtues. The challenge of this approach is that it ignores the individuality of the learner by focusing only on human commonalities since the rules, roles and norms are rooted in presupposed impartial detached abstract human beings. As universities are characteristically spaces where judgements are made, it is prudent that such judgements centre intersubjectivity. Cosmopolitan norms cannot be adequately served by mere performance of roles and compliance with rules. Centring intersubjectivity entails recognising indigenous knowledge for academic inquiry, recognising the value of local languages in instruction, and being mindful that the university culture, routines and teacher background are largely informed by a particularistic (not universal) dominant culture.

Whilst the notions of objectivity and universalism when embedded in roles and rules and exclusively governing educational encounters are problematic, there is a need for caution in determining how to relate with universalism. The near absolute mistrust of universalism risks slipping into a universalism of anti-universalism. As this chapter has shown, global pluralism can be protected better and guaranteed if and when there is not only freedom and availability of space for cultures to flourish pluralistically. Even more important, is the ability for a culture to be open to criticism from outside. Common moral values are in this case indispensable.

References

Arneson, R. J. (2016). Extreme cosmopolitanisms defended. Critical Review of International Social and Political Philosophy, 19(5), 555–573.Crossref

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