The subject of education is a contentious issue in our world. The Politics of Education: An Introduction, critically examines the overt and covert political issues suffusing education. Questions of What is education?, What do we teach?, and How do we teach? are all political questions, the answers to which empower certain individuals, groups and viewpoints over others. This book explores the political contexts that shape our conceptions of education and guides our pedagogical practice. Contemporary educational theory and practice are taken to task for attempting to instill democratic values and a love of freedom anti-democratically with little to no freedom. For example, The Politics of Education considers the effects of standardized examinations on the individual and her ability to function in a democratic society. Critiques of contemporary educational theory and practice by Dewey, Foucault, Bourdeau, classical conservative thinkers and others are considered. This book examines education through historical and international lenses where appropriate. Alternative meanings and modes of education grounded in critical pedagogy are offered as steps in revolutionizing education.
Tony Monchinski, a special education and social studies teacher in New York, has taught in the West Indies and Asia. He is a PhD candidate in Political Science at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, where he studies the relationships between political ideologies and the uses of standardized exams. A freelance writer, Tony writes widely for a variety of publications, including a monthly column for MuscleMag International and frequent contributions to Cultural Logic, an online journal of Marxist theory and practice.