Philosophy of Education in Dialogue between East and West

Book excerpt: This edited book opens a dialogue on theories and philosophies of education between the East and the West in the era of globalisation. A great deal of research has been devoted to discussion of the ideas of Western theorists such as Plato, Aristotle, Locke, Rousseau, Kant, Fröbel, Herbert, Dewey, Piaget, and so on, and their thoughts have had a tremendous impact on Japanese educational practices. In addition, the 21st-century society has promoted international academic standardisation of knowledge, skills, and competencies for a knowledge-based economy, making great strides in educational development for globalisation. On the other hand, East Asia has retained its own unique insights and perspectives that cannot entirely be understood by Western philosophies of education alone. The contributors to this volume offer the reader insights into how Japanese and East Asian theories and philosophies of education encounter those from the West, by taking up heated and controversial issues such as education of caring, morality, nature, catastrophe, body and cultivation, art, language, politics, democracy, and modernity. The book will appeal to researchers, teachers, students, policymakers, and anyone interested in the theory and philosophy of education in the East, or those who would like to reconsider education in a multicultural society.