Research Conference

Mauritius Institute of Education/ARET/University of Brighton

2^nd International Education Research Conference

15 – 18 April 2009

MIE, Réduit, Republic of Mauritius

Conference Convenors:

V. Ramharai, O. N. Varma and Irena Andrews

Conference Theme:
Education for Democracy, Citizenship and Sustainability in Small Island States and Countries in the Indian Ocean

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The link between democracy and development is now well established and needless to say that this linkage is often shaped and consolidated by education.  The role of education in the nexus between democracy and development is even more important in small states which have very few or no resources except for its people.  So, what sort of human capital does the education system produce, what sort of values and skills are inculcated to students remain pertinent questions in this globalized era.

Whilst on the one hand, the winds of democratization sweep over the African continent and the Indian Ocean islands and on the other the vagaries of globalization hit in diverse ways, inequalities between the haves and the haves not tend to grow. Countries confront new challenges urging them to revisit the role of the education systems. Issues of relevance, access, inclusion and equity remain central to the democracy, citizenship and sustainability debate.  

Democracy is not about regular elections, free vibrant press or/and independent judiciaries but rather about the quality of life of people and equitable citizenship.  The latter two become even more crucial now that societies across the globe are facing new challenges such as the food crisis,  climate change, global warming and rapid depletion of natural resources. These emerging crises pose new dilemmas to governance. Citizenship can easily take new significance and meanings when asymmetry in the distribution of entitlements become the norm often causing a rise in identity politics. The latter is often associated with the struggle for resources especially at a time when the nature and extent of inequality grows.

Social cohesion in small multiethnic societies where patriarchal structures still prevails is a sine qua non for security and peace as well as development and sustainability. 

It is therefore important to engage in deeper reflections and debates about the role of education in promoting democracy and consolidation of governance, equitable citizenship and sustainability. More specifically the objectives of the conference are:

(1) to examine how the school curriculum can be made more relevant to the emerging crises and challenges,

(2) to assess the extent to which the contents of current teacher education are equipping teachers trainees with relevant knowledge and skills for this emerging uncertain world,

(3) to examine how intercultural education can be promoted in order to reduce ethnic revivalism/ identity politics and the associated tensions/conflicts,

(4) to assess how education can unshackle small states from patriarchy and promote gender and security.

The sub-themes of the conference, therefore, include

- Curriculum for inclusive citizenship

- Teacher Education – its relevance for emerging crisis

- Education and social cohesion

- Peace, security and education - a gender perspective

- Democratic consolidation/ alternative pedagogies    

- Intercultural education, values/ethics for sustainability.