Wheels in the Head: Educational Philosophies of Authority, Freedom, and Culture from Confucianism to Human Rights

by Joel Spring

Overview

In this popular text Joel Spring provocatively analyzes the ideas of traditional and non-traditional philosophies from Confucianism to human rights regarding the contribution of education to the creation of a democratic society. The goal is to explore how governments use education to control and manage their populations, and to examine forms of education that claim to free people from authoritarian control. A critically original work, it is widely used as a text for courses on philosophical, social, political, and historical foundations of education, and critical issues in education. Reflecting its global relevance, a Chinese translation was published by the University of Peking Press in 2005.

New in the third edition:

• Expanded analysis of the use of education by authoritarian states
• Revisions to more clearly relate educational ideas to the theme of “wheels in the head” – a phrase coined by philosopher Max Stirner - to describe the use of schools by modern governments to control their citizens
• New sections on liberation education and on human rights education
  

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781135155377
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	08/21/2012
Series:	ISSN
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	272
File size:	351 KB

About the Author

Joel Spring is Professor at Queens College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. His major research interests are history of education, globalization and education, multicultural education, Native American culture, the politics of education, and human rights education. He is the author of over twenty scholarly volumes and textbooks.

Table of Contents

Part One AUTOCRATIC AND DEMOCRATIC FORMS OF EDUCATION Chapter 1 Education and the Authoritarian State Chapter 2 Education and the Modern Authoritarian State: The Soviet Union and the Democratic People= s Republic of Korea (North Korea) Chapter 3 Authority and Education in a Democratic State Part Two DISSENTING TRADITIONS IN EDUCATION Chapter 4 Traditions of Dissent to Government Education Chapter 5 Free Schools Chapter 6 Free Space and No Schools Part Three THE POLITICS OF CULTURE Chapter 7 Cultural Unity and Cultural Literacy Chapter 8 National or World Cultures? Part Four THE POLITICS OF GENDER Chapter 9 Classical Liberalism and the Politics of Gender Chapter 10 Reason and Motherhood Part Five EDUCATION AND EQUALITY OF POLITICAL POWER Chapter 11 Liberation Education: Pedagogy of the Oppressed Chapter 12 Human Rights Education