Education and Elitism discusses polemical debates around privilege, private schools, elitist universities, equal access to education and underlying notions of fairness. The overarching question that runs through the book is about the future of education worldwide: how can schools and universities tread the tightrope between access and quality?
This book investigates the philosophical positions that characterize elitism and anti-elitism to establish three types: meritocratic, plutocratic and cultural. These types of elitism (and their counter-positions) are used as reference points throughout the book's analysis of successive educational themes. The conclusion leads to suggestions that bridge the worlds of elitism and egalitarianism worldwide. The book covers critical questions related to the sociology and philosophy of education with particular focus on contemporary disruptors to education such as the COVID-19 pandemic and protest movements for social justice.
With an attempt to offer readers an objective overview, this book will be an excellent compendium for students, academics, and researchers of the sociology of education, education policy and comparative education. It will also be of interest toschool leaders, university provosts and professionals working in curriculum design.
Chapter 1: Introduction to education & elitism
Chapter 2: philosophies of elitism and anti-elitism
Chapter 3: A short history of access to schooling
Chapter 4: A short history of selective schools
Chapter 5: Massification
Chapter 6: International schools and elitism
Chapter 7: Universities and elitism
Chapter 8: 2020 as a turning point for education and elitism
Chapter 9: Reconciling egalitarianism and elitism
Biography
Conrad Hughes is Campus and Secondary Principal at the International School of Geneva, La Grande Boissière, Switzerland. He is also a member of the advisory board for the University of the People and Research Assistant at the University of Geneva's department of psychology and education.
"A thoughtful exploration of the ethics of contemporary education, that provides, on the way, a great deal of fascinating information about the state of education in a range of English-speaking countries around the world today."
Kwame Anthony Appiah, Professor of Philosophy and Law at New York University
