In no part of the world today is the concept of intercultural exchange a novelty, and in many parts of the world it has even been a long tradition. Nevertheless, recent globalization forces have combined to accelerate many aspects of migration and intercultural confrontation. As a result, we see an emerging world society in which intercultural mixing and conflict are salient characteristics, rather than being exceptional situations or embryonic phases of societal development. The need for intercultural education and for intercultural dialogue in various forms has become universal. All people have an obligation to participate in- and take responsibility for- world peace, balanced sustainable development, and democratic dialogue to create “the capacity to live together.” Persistent and increasingly complex patterns of population movement, with all of the societal ramifications that accompany them, demand consideration of ways in which different societies respond to issues of intercultural education and dialogue, both historically and currently.
Interculturalism, Society and Education contains contributions that explore comparative and international case studies ranging from accounts of educational problems impacting specific immigrant groups in Europe, socio-educational programs and projects in Africa and Asia, comparative analyses of “citizenship education” issues in selected countries, and a global overview of different patterns of the interculturalism-society-education nexus. This volume offers a sampling of the multiplicity of intercultural forms around the world, useful for policy-makers and educators across the spectrum of institutions and organizations that strive to open paths for positive intercultural exchange through education.