The progressive development of multicultural education before and after the 1960s: A theoretical framework

Abstract

Although the term “multicultural education” was first used in the late 1960s or early 1970s, the context and goals for its development have been evolving throughout the world for centuries. The impetus for multicultural education has been and continues to be human rights and liberation. This paper will present how past human struggles have been funneled into multicultural education. In addition, it will offer an explanation for why it was inevitable that the term “multicultural education” would first appear in the United States. This paper also will focus on the development of multicultural education since the 1960s, and finally, it will present a theoretical perspective and framework for viewing the development of multicultural education. Multicultural education ought to be considered the latest embodiment of human liberation.