SOME PROBLEMS OF IDENTITY AND EDUCATION - A COMPARATIVE-EXAMINATION OF MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION

This article considers the education of minorities and offers the conc ept of markers of identity; currently the most notable are nationality and citizenship but these may change, particularly during periods of crisis. Cultures can use minimal markers. Individuals may switch cultu res and adopt conspicuous characteristics as a symbol, but culture swi tching may be incomplete and many are intermediates or have multiple i dentity. A plural society can be an opportunity rather than a problem for the majority as well as minority groups. If majority populations a re to be members of an international community they have to learn how to relate to other cultures. An education system will reflect the norm s of the host society and minorities need to learn the language and mo res; the harder question is the degree of adaptation required and the compatibility of their own culture. Policies range from assimilation, through limited assimilation and pseudo-pluralism to pluralism. There has been some shift to pluralism but much work remains to be done.