Antinomies and Dilemmas

International Perspectives on Inclusive Education: In the Light of Educational Justice by Simone Seitz, Petra Auer, Rosa Bellacicco
Verlag Barbara Budrich, April 24, 2023

As countries become increasingly globalized and schools endeavor to educate more diverse student populations, assessing learning needs is often clouded by intercultural and linguistic differences. Additionally, identifying specific areas where students require support can be impeded by seemingly well-intentioned ethnocentrism. In this book, a collection of professors and postdoctoral research assistants from Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, and the United Kingdom explore views on learning in different European countries, cultural similarities and differences in multicultural societies, and the importance placed on learners as individuals and collectives. Along the way, they also surface the conflicts and compromises that educators and institutions must contend with as they strive to increase inclusivity and belonging. Beyond simply assessing learning differences and implementing supports, understanding the barriers of linguistic and intercultural exchange, as well as pitfalls of educational provisions based on “socially constructed categories,” is central to the support of diverse and marginalized groups. The authors guide the reader to a common ground where the acceptance of antinomies and dilemmas provides an avenue for broadening perspectives and bolstering belonging, reminding the reader that not all differences are deficiencies, and educators must be cautious to avoid inadvertently perpetuating marginalization when the opposite is their intent.