Monday, August 3, 2009
Laundry By Shelli Segal Earrings
Independence and the modern project
CULTURAL AND UNIVERSITY (1) José Ignacio López Soria
Introduction The theme of the relationship between multiculturalism and the university, recently put on the agenda, is still open exploration whose inspiration theoretical reflections on intercultural and affirmative action in favor of inclusion that are taking place in some universities. My notes in this regard, preferably move in the field of philosophy, are more in the world of concepts in the analysis of practices. But the philosophy that deserves more thought is precisely that to which reality itself calls us. And today, from my perspective, it invites us most is that cultural diversity enriches us have spoken and are inviting us to build a society in which we can all live happily together with dignity and being different. Already
awareness of the need to build a society of that nature expresses, in itself, that the institutions established, despite the policies and practices of inclusion, is exclusive. The perspective of the excluded, while still pointing to the inclusion, is increasingly oriented to the design and construction of a decent living, joyful and enriching diversity. If
and inclusion itself, understood in traditional terms, serious problems in the existing institutional culture and the assumption of coexistence of diversity not only increases the difficulties but Cimentos removes the provisions and requires rethinking both the culture and ways of living together , especially in a society like ours, multicultural, multiethnic and multilingual.
The issue of multiculturalism is therefore a major issue of Peruvian society. It involves not only the production subsystem and dissemination of knowledge, construction of citizenship and providing skills for work, ie the school subsystem, but in general, with everyday life, all social subsystems and spheres of culture. Official society, in general, and education, in particular, have failed so far to reconcile with the diversity (cultural, linguistic, biological, geographic, etc..) Enriches the country. Diversity has been seen as a disadvantage to build the required homogeneity traditional nation-state. For this reason, efforts where made, have been aimed at one type of inclusion that demanded the resignation of the cultural property of the included. The forced resignation of the use of language I think is the most significant because it leads to a divorce between the first appropriation of the world, that that we learn through the language they originally spoke and that are spoken, and the world view that is given in the official language of education.
We are therefore faced with a problem of great magnitude and importance requires a holistic approach, as well as sectoral, because it deals not only with performance but with the very design of the model of society prevailing in Peru. That is, what is at stake here is not only the conditions (exclusion, inclusion, neutralizing, etc..) Produced in the way of building an inclusive society declaratively, but the very fabric of society that comes from old.
This is not the place to think about the issue from a holistic perspective, because I have been called to reflect on multiculturalism and the university. I reiterate, however, something I have been holding in my writings of recent years: modern rationality, both in its emancipation and in the instrumental, which serves as a base for the social model and provides theoretical and procedural instruments for their implementation, is at the bottom of the preference for consistency and the inability to accept and value diversity as a source of joy, dynamism and individual and social enrichment.
What I mean is that "we", precisely because we adhere to the ideas regulative of the modern project, we have built with the diseases we know, cultural and social sub-areas in which there is no diversity. We are convinced the universal validity of our paradigm perceptive, axiological, symbolic and practical and its institutional objectification, we understand the "other" in the best case, as the subject of inclusion and think "affirmative action" to incorporate into our world in terms of equity. Obviously, this is not little and the proof is in the enormous effort that has cost and is costing the public sphere comply, seriously, the principle of equity and actually design and implement policies inclusive. Argue, however, that this, even if did, would be insufficient and even irrelevant, because what it is, in my opinion, is not proper to include the "other" in the world of "us", but to think and build ways of living where everyone fits in dignity and we agreed management differences.
In the case of education, the issue is complicated because the education system has traditionally played a leading role in the construction of homogeneity. When basic education plays that role effectively, the need to address diversity is not perceived or themed for higher education because she reached a population already essentially homogenized. So it is not uncommon for higher education has been the last segment of the education system to address, theoretically and practically, the issue of inclusion and policy and institutional implications. Ded
the above considerations it appears a question: How to incorporate the first university diversity in practice?
2. Interculturalism in education policy documents and research
The law n ° 28044 or "Education Act" which, as stated in Article 1, "governs all educational activities within the national territory developed by individuals or entities, public or private, domestic or foreign. "establishes that the educational system is based, among others, on the principle of multiculturalism" ... that takes as rich cultural diversity, ethnic and linguistic country and in the recognition and respect for differences, as well as mutual understanding and attitude of learning from each other, support for the peaceful coexistence and exchanges between cultures. "(Art. 8, f) . And he points out, a new purpose, to "contribute to forming a democratic society, compassionate, fair, inclusive, prosperous, tolerant and forge a culture of peace that supported claims of national identity in cultural, ethnic and linguistic diversity, overcome poverty and boost the country's sustainable development and promote Latin American integration taking into account the challenges of a globalized world. "(Art. 9 ° b) The provisions
general, in dealing with equity, the General Law of Education sets educational authorities in their respective spheres of competence, "Develop and implement educational projects that include goals, strategies, actions and resources aimed at reverse inequities and / or inequality on grounds of origin, ethnicity, gender, language, religion, opinion,. " (Clause 18, b). Consequently, "... the State recognizes and guarantees the right of indigenous peoples to education on an equal footing with the rest of the national community." (Art. 19 °). And, valid for the entire educational system, bids us to develop the Intercultural Bilingual Education (Clause 20) to promote the appreciation and enrichment of their culture, respect for cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue and awareness the rights of indigenous peoples and other national and international communities, incorporating the history of peoples, knowledge and technologies and their value systems, and preserving and developing languages of indigenous peoples.
The law is clear: multiculturalism is a principle that applies to the entire system, while bilingual education is an educational strategy that is applied where necessary.
In the spirit of the General Law of Education, "National Education Project" since the public debate over the National Education Council, is concerned, since the introduction, the need to seek "... the cohesion of our society and the integration of our diverse cultures in a mutually supportive. "(2), and proposed as components of the strategic objectives to achieve a collaborative and intercultural learning, a increased relevance of learning the language and culture of each population, training of teachers in an intercultural and education organization based on the recognition of diversity in the classroom, based on the cultural capital of students and their communities, "... fostering dialogue between different worldviews, values \u200b\u200band worldviews." (3)
The "National Plan of science, technology and innovation for competitiveness and human development from 2006 to 2021 (PNCTI)" adopted on January 17, 2006 (Supreme Decree No. 001-2006-ED), is "... the instrument of proposing and implementing the national policy on science, technology and technological innovation ... "(4) In making the diagnosis of the international context, the PNCTI notes that" There is ... a growing body of opinion, even a minority but important, to consider cultural diversity as an asset to preserve and encourage . In this framework is the heritage, abundant in Peru, traditional knowledge of ethnic groups, often marginalized. "(5) And, with respect to Peru, states that" Traditional knowledge has remained in effect throughout the time highlighting its organic integration into the local reality, this knowledge being compatible with modern knowledge, a fact which is apparent in the use of knowledge ancestral in current production processes and community organizing for the job. While traditional technologies are being revalued in the context of multicultural approaches, are under threat of being lost or weakened due to the influence of mechanisms to protect the collective intellectual property of indigenous communities. "(6). Added to this is that the institutions of traditional knowledge and technologies is very diverse and dispersed, and in any case, weakly associated with the State's efforts in science, technology and innovation (7). The varied richness must be added the great diversity of natural resources, which, as is known, is a of the major advantages compared to other economies.
Among the guiding principles of the Plan include reducing social exclusion and appreciation of multiculturalism (8), and among the priorities to develop the social sciences because they allow us to evaluate our roots and help to link local knowledge, indigenous or acquired, with the dynamics of the knowledge society (9)
The second objective of the Plan, which directs the action of SINACYT towards scientific and technological research aimed at solving problems and meeting demands on strategic priority areas of the country , as a strategy "To promote and encourage research aimed at rescue and recovery of traditional knowledge." (10). For notes and lines of action to promote studies to document and use traditional knowledge and identify populations that originated and protecting intellectual property rights.
We find ourselves again to a legal device that regulates the scientific and technology throughout the system that incorporates, in its way, interculturalism and multiculturalism.
If official documents were to add another review just as the National Accord, the law of the National Strategic Planning and the National Center of Strategic Planning and its regulations, the National Decentralization Plan, etc. would caution that interculturalism and multiculturalism and, in general, the right to cultural diversity, are eventually part of Peru's political agenda, to say nothing of the international agenda, especially in the case of international bodies such as UNESCO The OAS and OEI-and international conferences and forums on equity, inclusion and the right to difference. In these organizations and global and regional events intercultural citizenship status has already several decades.
3. Intercultural and current college
can generally be said that the university Peru has not yet set up on the theme of multiculturalism: it has not yet fully accepted the responsibility to be played in this regard. However, the issue is already installed on the academic performance of some teachers and students and the debate about college.
Some professors of philosophy, anthropology, sociology, linguistics, education, animal husbandry, agricultural engineering, biology, medicine, etc. been working on diversity issues for many years and incorporating an intercultural perspective into their practice university. Are remarkable, for example, the progress of linguists to recover and systematize language native educators in developing materials and training of teachers for Intercultural Bilingual Education, sociologists and anthropologists in the analysis of multicultural and intercultural realities of the philosophers to develop more appropriate conceptual categories to understand and traditional take cultural diversity of animal scientists, biologists, doctors and agricultural engineers to manage diversity and build on ancient knowledge, etc. On the other hand, it is known that the joint university and cultural groups have made the diversity of cultures present in college life. Although timid and poorly
developed, the issue of multiculturalism began to appear also in the current debates about the university. At the "Education and university: reality and prospects", organized by the Consortium of Universities and Education Forum in October and November 2000, raised the need for the university to be reconciled with the cultural diversity that enriches us (11). I argued then that any modern forms of speech that the university is responsible for cultivating the diversity that characterizes the Peruvian society. The "freedom speech" because it assumes the man in the abstract, ie stripped of their cultural heritage, and makes a clean sweep of the rich cultural diversity Peruvian insisted, therefore, the inability of the university to develop speech that can accompany all Peruvians autocercioramiento process of exploration and negotiation and dialogue of his own identity. The "discourse of welfare" because it takes land and biological diversity of Peru. Proposed, therefore, the need for the university aware of the many biological and life forms and horizons of meaning that enrich the Peruvian society.
University Coordination Office of the Ministry of Education was established when he was driven and inspired by Zeno Depaz, a promoter and facilitator of debate about college. In the 2005 Report, which includes previous ideas of Zeno Depaz (12) states that "In a country like ours, which houses a diverse physical, biological and cultural center and was the genes of one of the great civilizations that history has shown, precisely characterized for the upbringing of life and culture of diversity, culture whose survival status still defines us as a group, the Peruvian university ... has remained essentially back to those traditions butt ... "(13) and, by adopting foreign epistemological patterns, has contributed in its way, the removal of knowledge and horizons of meaning native on behalf of the Christian gospel, first and the gospel of progress later.
In the aforementioned 2005 report speaks of plural identity of multiculturalism, to "... positive assessment of the difference, seen not as a defective situation leading to the disqualification of the other, but as a source of mutual enrichment." (14 .) It proposes a "fruitful dialogue ... of speeches and different perspective, a task of profound impact on our development potential and multicultural community." (15) is also claimed that in a country so rich in diversity as in Peru " ... the possibility of directing our attention to horizons wide enough to accommodate those differences is a matter to decide the feasibility of a dignified and prosperous community life. "(16) is considered, moreover, to further develop the democratic traditions of the university and society, we must" ... value and grow, rather than simply 'tolerate' differences that enrich each other. "(17) and is assigned to the university the task of" ... a critical theming the horizons of meaning that runs the action. "(18)
By addressing findings, the 2005 Report stresses the separation between the university and the country's own cultural diversity and considers the epistemic matrix adopted by the university "... prevented the rescue and development of the rich store of knowledge, practices and ways of life present in our cultures, thus blocking or severely distorting the development of research agenda and training more relevant. "(19) suggests, therefore, that will fly University towards the achievement of quality and relevance due must fully discuss the status of the knowledge that the university produces or reproduces, with particular attention to "... budgets and implications of our multicultural country status ... "(20) Suffice
this brief overview, which is not unaware, of course, other individual and group contributions (21), to warn that awareness of diversity and intercultural perspective is already present in both the university and in practice the debate about college, but still not inform university activities as a whole.
4. Core concepts
first thing the academy has done is try to define the central terms used in the analysis, reflection and debate on multiculturalism. I will not raise here a proposal to this regard. I shall present some operational definitions to help us know where we stand.
The term multiculturalism is used mainly to describe a situation where different cultures coexist. This is the case for most Most societies. We live in increasingly multicultural environments. But not necessarily harmonious coexistence, it is usually often contentious. The diverse cultures that inhabit the same environment can not respect each other, or conversely attributed the same value, or the ability to recognize each other cultural creation. There is talk of multiculturalism as the coexistence of cultures is, at least, mutually respectful. Tolerance is thus a key concept in multicultural environments. Tolerated, is supported, but diversity is not considered a source of enrichment or build space for intercultural dialogue.
The term mestizaje, transported biology, refers essentially a mixture of cultural elements of diverse origin. We know that historically, this concept has been used to beautify the violent clash of cultures, usually by the authors and recipients of that crash. In the case of Peru, the "ideology" of the mixture back to Bartolomé Herrera, who justified the conquest theological grounds that the conquerors were instruments of divinity for the Christianization of indigenous people and understood the alleged summary produced by the colonization terms of the construction of a Peru "English and Christian." The concept of multiculturalism
refers essentially to a fruitful and mutually enriching dialogue between different cultures. Three elements constitute the starting point: mutual respect, mutual recognition of cultural creation capability and the existence of equal conditions for the development of each culture. These items will be added to a communication, openness to others, without losing one's belongings. Opening behind this historical-philosophical considerations such as: every culture is special only, no culture exhaust the possibility of human, humanity has not authorized any culture to speak in their name, relationship with one's culture is elective and not imperative, the relationship with other cultures enriches our own culture, every culture is a relatively long production space life forms and the provision of meaning and identity, etc. These considerations derive certain rights which are known as cultural rights and involving the obligation to respect and protect. One of them is entitled to their own language is the language of public life, education, social communication, administration, symbolic systems, etc .- and not just private and family life.
In multicultural contexts, which are increasingly common in contemporary life, intercultural exchange is thus a regulative idea or normative principle that should govern the behavior of individuals, social groups, institutions and states.
5. Propositional pointings
While the principles are clear, the organization of life from the perspective of multiculturalism is not easy because we are heirs to a world in which they dominated the principle of unity and homogenization strategies, frequently practiced coercively, with its "natural" sequel of exclusion, marginalization, indifference, oppression, including buffering, etc. Is it practicable
the principle of multiculturalism in the university as an institution that prides to be located, when responsibly assume their mission, at the end of knowledge and you are required to provide skills for skilled performance in distributed environments? Rehearse in what follows to propose some ways of incorporating the principle of multiculturalism as a regulative idea of \u200b\u200bpolitical and academic endeavor. 5.1 Access and progress
One possibility might be to facilitate, through affirmative action, access to college and progress within that social groups are more difficult to do so for cultural reasons. The anti-discrimination law, based on the principle of equality, understood as "action yes, "also called" positive discrimination "or" positive action "- the establishment of policies that give a particular social group, which has historically suffered discrimination because of social injustices, preferential treatment in access or distribution of certain resources, social services or goods. A college education is a social good and therefore should be given ownership of the goods to those most difficult to access it through language and cultural reasons. The facility would have to do both with access to the university as to progress within it. While this Affirmative action itself does not guarantee the validity of the principle of multiculturalism in the university, at least a necessary condition for it because it helps the university is populated by cultural diversity that characterizes our society. One must add, finally, not just the traditional free public education to ensure that presence. Gratuity facilitate progress within the institution but not access to it, and it makes for social sectors in low-income but not for those who belong culturally to the non-dominant cultures. 5.2
Presence of languages \u200b\u200bis not enough the presence of people of diverse cultures University so that it complies with the principle of multiculturalism. It is also necessary, which are also their own languages. The issue of the presence of various languages \u200b\u200bin college is extremely complex. To address it must be borne in mind that language itself is not just a communication tool of self-perception and appropriation of reality. We speak a language but we are also spoken by her. That is, our identity is constructed and negotiated in the language and from there, assuming a history of our past and present, present interaction with our peers and imagining a future and committing to it. The language, moreover, allows us to perceive reality, organize and manage, if not even build it. There is probably no greater deprivation than taking someone their own language or force him to it is reduced to the realm of private life without the possibility of its use in social and public. This is, in my opinion, an unresolved problem in Peru, which is the basis of weak social ties, instability and fragmentation that we face as a human collective and difficult for us to say our word in the international arena.
In Peru, the complexity of the problem increases if one considers, first, that the languages \u200b\u200bspoken in the country are over 40 and some of them are typical of a small number of people, and second, that come from a tradition of discrimination against aboriginal languages, leading even to its own speakers of these languages \u200b\u200bto refuse them education, and third, that these languages, precisely because of discrimination which have been and are being, lack the necessary linguistic resources for professional learning and high academic level. It could, however, think of policies that promote and facilitate the presence in the university of at least three major languages: Castilian, Quechua and Aymara. But such policies would have to be associated with general valuation policies and development of linguistic diversity and specific policies for basic education.
One way to address the problem, if the university could be an "affirmative action" in favor of the creation of academic and professional units, starting with schools and professional schools within universities, in some Aboriginal languages, in that Castilian serves as a second language. It would be important that these academic and professional units are not dedicated solely to train rural teachers, as indeed do some teachers training centers, but in general, to provide for the exercise of powers, the least those professional and academic profiles that are essential for the development of cultures and peoples traditionally discriminated against.
A second "affirmative action" could be oriented to strongly encourage the appropriation of aboriginal languages \u200b\u200band cultural rights by certain lifetimes, at least, who then will perform professional or academic environments predominantly non-Castilian language. Be achieved, thus not only facilitate communication from the respect and appreciation of diversity, but to promote the exchange of knowledge and experience, and in general, create opportunities for intercultural dialogue that promote self-esteem and build internal dialogical social linkages. 5.3
theorizing of multiculturalism
addition to providing access and progress to the traditionally exclusive and incorporate their languages \u200b\u200bat university activities, the university should thematized the issue of multiculturalism to justify and enrich their theoretical content, draw from it ideas regulatory and standards, design and develop forms of symbolic presentation, and think about mechanisms for incorporation into everyday life and social subistemas (political, productive, exchange, security, settlement, social communication, production and dissemination knowledge, etc.).. The university should not only be a practical exercise application and the principle of multiculturalism, pointing to previous entries, but, as with other fundamental variables of the present human society (human rights in general, equity gender, environmental monitoring, technological innovation, information society and telecommunications, globalization processes, the regional organization, macro-regional linkages, etc.), a permanent workshop and proposed development that allows the theory of multiculturalism and strategies for proper ownership society will grow as the complex and varying conditions of life today. 5.4 Reconciliation
diversity
Finally, to respect the principle of multiculturalism, the university should will fly through the reconciliation process of the cultural diversity that enriches the Peruvian society, without prejudice, of course, from its opening human wealth. To do this requires appropriate and develop world views, knowledge and skills called "traditional" and symbolic systems, forms and systems of social organization and the experience of relationship with the environment, incorporating all these aspects to the work of a university (teaching, research, innovation, cultural production, etc.). As it is, in principle, Western culture, the university should be a workshop production, transmission and recreation of diverse cultures and life forms that inhabit Peru.
it would provide several objectives:
i) All universities, not just some, would the university as a space of enrichment without loss of cultural property.
ii) Each university would then return, duly enriched its cultural environment and work attitudes and development with theoretical and practical tools that the logical condigan and dynamic society of origin.
iii) The passage of a lead intercultural learning environment for students, first, to take cognizance of the particular and not universal in their own culture, and second, to train in intercultural dialogue based on the respect and appreciation of other cultures; and third to take ownership of multiculturalism as a guiding principle and strategy of life, thus becoming promoters and facilitators of intercultural harmony in any environment then developing their professional or academic activity ..
iv) All cultures, not just one, would take the university as its own laboratory systematization and recreation (Cultural, scientific, technological, artistic ...) and as a privileged space for the training of human resources needed for proper operation and its continuing enrichment.
v) The same cultures and their various resources (linguistic, symbolic, cognitive, regulatory, ethical, aesthetic, organizational, instrumental, etc.) Would have in college a source of empowerment and dynamism and, therefore, would be more equipped to provide sense of professional action, cultural or scientific members.
6. Final observations suggest
The ways that the university is complying with the principle of multiculturalism are different but the ideal is to be concurrent. The first, the provision of access to college and progress within it to the excluded ", the second, the presence of their languages \u200b\u200bin university classrooms-and third-theorizing the problem of inter-not ensure themselves taking multiculturalism as regulative idea of \u200b\u200bthe organization and functioning of the university, but prepare the way for it. With the fourth track, reconciliation with cultural diversity, the University inaugurated a course that would reflect the principle of multiculturalism as it would facilitate a dialogue between different living from, first, the recognition the worth and capacity building and provision of cultural meaning of the various cultures, and secondly, consideration of a dialogical intercommunication source of joy and cultural dynamism. Why not just live together (multiculturalism), but to live together communicating (multiculturalism) in free-form space and cultural and linguistic violence. The result is sought with this intercom is the fusion of diversity (racial mixing) but a decent living among diversities that adhere to their own belongings electively but, again, look at the intercom a source of joy and mutual enrichment.
should be added reconciliation with the cultural diversity of society itself does not imply that the university closed its doors to culture accumulated by mankind or to remain outside the processes of scientific, technological, intellectual and artistic life of other peoples. We must continue to assist these processes to enrich them and enhance them with our own creations. The appropriation of human cultural wealth already produced or in production is certainly not at odds with the value and ownership of their own cultural property, belongings we take elective and not mandatory, that enrich us but do not bind us and prevent us from appropriating what true, good, the beautiful, pleasurable or wherever we find it useful.
In the last century, the Peruvian university has spent more or less successfully, for two substantive reforms. The brand identity of the first, in the 20 and 30, was the democratization of the second, that of the 60 and 70, were the professional and radicalization. I think for us to design and promote reform with two identification marks that seem contradictory but that can and should live together mutually reinforcing: the interculturalization and globalization, ie the one hand, responsible and joyful reconciliation with our own diversity and the search for interaction among its components, and, second, opening up to human wealth and creative participation in the international arena. In this way, the university would respond to the two central challenges of our time: the release of the differences or take a word for diversity, and globalization of culture, institutions and social processes. In response to these challenges, the university plays its role as a key institution of social processes.
Notes (1) Speech at the Universidad Nacional San Cristobal de Huamanga CCCXXXI in celebrating the anniversary of its founding. July 2, 2008.
(2) Towards a National Educational Project. Proposal of the National Council of Education. Lima, CNE, 2005, p. 17.
(3) Ibid, p.
48 (4) National Strategic Plan for science, technology and innovation for competitiveness and human development PNCTI 2006-2021. Lima, CONCYTEC, 2006, p. 9
(5) Ibid, p.
24 (6) Ibid, p.
26 (7) Ibid, p.
29 (8) Ibid, p.
43 (9) Ibid, p.
57 (10) Ibid, p.
64 (11) Soria López, José Ignacio. "The clash of discourses to the release of the differences." In: The university that Peru needs, meetings and seminars 1999-2000. Lima, Education Forum / Consortium of Universities, 2001, p. 169-186.
(12) "Elements for a diagnosis of the Peruvian university. " In:. Notebooks for reflection and discussion II. Items for discussion about the university in Peru. Lima, University Coordination Office. Ministry of Education, 2004, p. 97-150.
(13) university in Peru. Reasons for university reform. Report 2005. Lima, University Coordination Office, Ministry of Education, 2005, p. 69.
(14) Ibid, p.
21 (15) Ibid, p. 25.
(16) Ibid, p. 21.
(17) Ibid, p. 22.
(18) Ibid, p. 27.
(19) Ibid, p. 157.
(20) Ibid, p. 162.
(21) GICES, Office for the Coordination of University Management Strategic Alliance (San Marcos, UNI, UNALM Abugattás, Lynch.
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