Cultural History and Education: Critical Essays on Knowledge and Schooling » (New Edition)

Cultural History and Education brings together an outstanding group of the leading scholars in the study of the cultural history of education. These scholars, whose work represents a variety of national contexts from throughout Europe, Latin America, and North America, contribute to a growing body of work that seeks to re-think historical studies in education by integrating the study of knowledge systems, otherwise known as "discourses," into traditional intellectual history. This groundbreaking volume challenges the field of historical studies in education to move away from the historicism that still dominates it, and thus introduces new ways to think about the politics of knowledge and the problems of change and reform in education. By understanding how knowledge gives rise to particular constructs of "the child," "the teacher," "the school," and "the community," the essays open up space for critique and other possibilities of action.

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These essays re-think historical studies by integrating the study of knowledge systems (also called "discourses") into traditional intellectual history. They investigate how these discourses construct, shape, coordinate, and constitute social practices through which individuals reason about their participation and identity. The collection challenges the field of historical studies to move away from historicism, thus introducing new ways to think about the politics of knowledge and the difficulties facing education reform. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)