Has multiculturalism failed? Let's start the era of interculturalism for facing diversity issues

Abstract

ABSTRACT In view of the primary challenges facing contemporary society, such as globalisation and interdependence, the author reflects on the question of what the most appropriate educational policy and pedagogical approach is: transcultural education, multicultural education, or intercultural education. Based on historical developments in the US and in Europe, he first presents a terminological and semantic clarification. Then, considering the existing terminological confusion and misunderstandings across the world and disciplines, he underlines the urgency to develop a shared terminology. He proposes to use the adjective ‘multicultural’ in descriptive terms (societies are multicultural) and applies multicultural education as a strategy for improving knowledge about and respect for ethnic and cultural diversities. The concept ‘intercultural’ should be utilised in reference to intervention, where intercultural education is viewed as an activity in which one engages in interaction: encounter, contact, dialogue, and conflict management. In his opinion, nowadays, intercultural education also has to include new challenges and different forms of diversity, including neoliberalism, climate change, power, and special needs.