Education and Elitism: Challenges and Opportunities

by Conrad Hughes

Overview

Education and Elitism discusses polemical debates around privilege, private schools, elitist universities, equal access to education and underlying notions of fairness. The overarching question that runs through the book is about the future of education worldwide: how can schools and universities tread the tightrope between access and quality?

This book investigates the philosophical positions that characterize elitism and anti-elitism to establish three types: meritocratic, plutocratic and cultural. These types of elitism (and their counter-positions) are used as reference points throughout the book's analysis of successive educational themes. The conclusion leads to suggestions that bridge the worlds of elitism and egalitarianism worldwide. The book covers critical questions related to the sociology and philosophy of education with particular focus on contemporary disruptors to education such as the COVID-19 pandemic and protest movements for social justice.

With an attempt to offer readers an objective overview, this book will be an excellent compendium for students, academics, and researchers of the sociology of education, education policy and comparative education. It will also be of interest toschool leaders, university provosts and professionals working in curriculum design.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780367527884
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	04/27/2021
Pages:	232
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

Conrad Hughes is Campus and Secondary Principal at the International School of Geneva, La Grande Boissière, Switzerland. He is also a member of the advisory board for the University of the People and Research Assistant at the University of Geneva's department of psychology and education.

Table of Contents

Preface x

Part I The historical background 1

1 Introduction to education and elitism 3

2 Philosophies of elitism and anti-elitism 17

3 A short history of access to schooling 41

4 A history of selective schools 64

5 Massification 93

Part II Today's global context 119

6 International schools, global citizenship and elitism 121

7 Higher education and elitism 144

8 The lessons of 2020: A turning point for education and elitism 169

Part III Solutions 197

9 Reconciling education and elitism 199

Index 211

Editorial Reviews

"A thoughtful exploration of the ethics of contemporary education, that provides, on the way, a great deal of fascinating information about the state of education in a range of English-speaking countries around the world today."

Kwame Anthony Appiah, Professor of Philosophy and Law at New York University

From the Publisher