Investigating Inequality in the US School System through Ibn Khaldun’s Political Wisdom and the Concept of Asabiyah

Abstract

Much of the conversation about inequality in education and society problematizes poor and minority populations, rather than tackling systemic issues. It helps to address these issues through using a lens that exposes dominant ideology. This article examines the exclusion of scholars outside of the ideological center. It also suggests that nondominant lenses support the process of understanding the root of educational inequality. The article specifically examines the work of Ibn Khaldun, a scholar who lived over 600 years ago in what is now Tunisia and who is considered the father of the social sciences. His work, Al Muqaddimah, introduced the concept of asabiyah and outlined guidelines for political wisdom, including suggestions for access to education. Ibn Khaldun understood society as cyclical; all institutions dovetailed and influenced one another. By situating education within the rise and fall of civilizations, one can use the microcosm of the classroom to evaluate the health of society at large, particularly within the United States. Analysis of the case study of the United States based on the statements of political wisdom shows that the United States is a civilization on the brink of collapse. His work also demonstrates the importance of intellectual hybridity and valuing voices from the periphery, including minority children in our classrooms who may grow up to become the next Ibn Khaldun.