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Beyond Barriers: intercultural learning and inclusion in globalized paradigms

Beyond Barriers: intercultural learning and inclusion in globalized paradigms. Dr Alan Bruce Universal Learning Systems - Dublin EDEN - Lisbon 12 June 2008. Overview. Conceptual backgrounds Contours of change European dimensions Interculturalism and the Other

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Beyond Barriers: intercultural learning and inclusion in globalized paradigms

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  1. Beyond Barriers:intercultural learning and inclusion in globalized paradigms Dr Alan Bruce Universal Learning Systems - Dublin EDEN - Lisbon 12 June 2008

  2. Overview • Conceptual backgrounds • Contours of change • European dimensions • Interculturalism and the Other • Learning in a dangerous planet • Engaging with rights

  3. Impact of change • Globalization process and impact • Labour market and work innovation, competitiveness, adaptability • Paradigms of inclusion equality and diversity • European standards learning and transnationality

  4. Globalization • Seismic shift in human relationships • Competitive pressures • New forms of work organization • New diversities • Instant, multidimensional communications • Quality standards

  5. Impact on work • Patterns of constant change • Permanent migration mobility • Outsourcing • Flexible structures and modalities • End of job norms • Knowledge economy • Structural inequalities

  6. Impact on culture • End of old certainties • No return to ‘normal’ • Polymorphic media • Fuzzy logic and postmodernism

  7. Impact on education • Professional training • Best practice • Standards and ethics • Learner centred • Innovation imperatives

  8. Hegelian interlude • Jena 1806: Phenomenology of Spirit • Philosophy meets History • Theory of the gaze - master-slave dialectic • Desire, struggle and recognition • The visibility of the Other

  9. European trajectories • Rights of Man: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity • Thematic mythologies - social inclusion • Legacies of struggle • Hidden pasts: colonialism, fascism, exterminism

  10. American trajectories • Constitutional rights: Life, Liberty,the Pursuit of Happiness • All men are created equal… but… • Final frontiers: immigration, assimilation, success, opportunity • Hidden poisons - slavery, race, eugenics • Back to the future - Abu Ghraib to Guantanamo

  11. Irish themes • Unexamined histories • Sectarian realities • Identity and modernity • Joycean deconstructions • The terrible beauty • Intercultural dialectics

  12. 2008: EU Year of Intercultural Dialogue • Permit exchange • Greater knowledge • Presumed growth in tolerance, acceptance, non-discrimination • Enhanced learning

  13. Cross cultural competence • Educational basis in B.S. Bloom • Bloom’s Taxonomy (1956) • Holistic learning in three domains (affective, psychomotor, cognitive)

  14. Intercultural agendas • Interaction • Empathy • Communication • Knowledge • Removal of prejudice

  15. Nagging issues • Gender • Power • Subsumed violence • Values

  16. Interculturalism -in other words… • We know what it is • We know when it happens • We know who is involved But why should we bother?

  17. The Commissioner speaks Vladimir Spidla (9.6.08) • Promoting tolerance not enough • Racism requires policies on diversity, laws, anti-discrimination measures • Ongoing issues around cost implications, ambiguities, resistance, rights

  18. Global imperatives • Radical re-structuring of world economy • Interconnected information/communication • Differential access to resources • Ecological degradation • Decline of rural life

  19. Conclusions…. An assumption of stable work patterns and linear economic development is no longer possible Learning systems must innovate and respond accordingly

  20. Spectres at the gates • Persistence and increase in inequality • Permanent hopelessness of excluded • Embedded violence • Internal underclass • Invisibility and ethnic difference

  21. Urbanized futures • Planet of Slums (Mike Davis) • Informal economies • Hypercities

  22. Learning contexts • Traditional schooling • Learning systems both reflect and lead society • Information…wisdom…understanding • Critical enquiry back to Illich • Reflection and inquisitiveness • Engaging with difference

  23. The Balkan Ghost • Boundaries drawn to defend ‘Europe’ against the Other (Slavoj Zizek) • Decalogue and Human Rights • Love your neighbour not as mirror image… but as Real (The Fragile Absolute)

  24. Pressing concerns • Agreed definition of multicultural • Adjustment and accommodation • Melting pot or mosaic • Separate development • Beliefs, values and practices • Symbols, language and behaviour

  25. Challenges • Mutual interaction or structured exclusion? • Community values or communal rituals? • Linkage to realities or past models? • Shared memories or shared hatreds?

  26. Eastern tales… • Orhan Pamuk and the re-telling of Hüstev and Sirin • Recognizing the Other Does truth lie in reality or image of reality?

  27. Turkish perspectives “I am a copy of something, but I have forgotten what that something is.” Oguz Atay

  28. Policy opportunities • Valued diversity • Democratic engagement • Community empowerment • Mutual benefit • Legislative underpinning • Tolerance to recognition • Acknowledged pasts - shared futures

  29. Work based learning • Learning from intercultural strategies • Demonstrated leadership • Responding to diverse markets • Linkage and added value • Re-appropriating competitiveness • Meeting needs and profitability

  30. Towards best practice • Training of trainers • Ongoing equality and diversity training • Commitment to diversity management • Diverse structures for diverse communities • Link inclusion to engaged learning

  31. Multicultural learning • Innovative communication skills • Challenging stereotypes and bias • Learning across spectrum - gender, disability, age, ethnic origin • Collaborative learning - global virtual teams (University of Waikatu).

  32. Rights and intercultural learning • No optional extras • Assuming our responsibilities as educators • Radio Rwanda to the An Yue Jiang • US army blogs • E-learning as engine of survival

  33. Transformative learning • Planning for globalized realities • Learning from difference • Learning to learn and un-learn (Toffler) • Creative dynamism • Anticipating new learning needs • Accepting global responsibility • Asserting vision

  34. Back to Hegel… • Challenging norms - what is indigenous culture? • Challenging stereotypes • Talent, competence and communicative empathy • Engagement with difference • Embedded vision • Recognition - seeing the Other seeing ourselves

  35. Thank you Dr Alan Bruce ULS Dublin abruce@ulsystems.com

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