New books give a history of education, and explain why New Zealanders are conformists
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Two landmark books co-edited by renowned educationalist Associate Professor Elizabeth Rata have been launched at The University of Auckland’s Faculty of Education in the School of Critical Studies in Education.
One gives an account of New Zealand’s education history, while the other argues that New Zealanders’ failure to apply ongoing criticism to new ideas and policies, such as biculturalism, has led to rigid beliefs which have unintended and unwelcome consequences for our society.
The Politics of Conformity in New Zealand is a groundbreaking and controversial book which explains how and why New Zealand is shifting from a progressive society to a conservative one.
“New Zealanders are not as progressive as we once were. We have conformed to a rigid way of thinking about identity politics, particularly in regard to ethnicity, to the detriment of what it means to live in a democracy. Scrutiny of this ideal is rarely allowed,” says Elizabeth Rata, an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Education.
Co-edited by Roger Openshaw (Massey University) the book applies that scrutiny. It contains contributions by University of Auckland academics Chris Tremewan and Cris Shore, along with well-known academics from universities throughout New Zealand. Each chapter takes a different topic, for example, gender politics, the teaching of literacy, the disciplining of children, Māori mental health, ethnic-based education and science, culture and nationhood, as well as how we understand our history, to illustrate the causes and consequences of our conformity to fixed and often unchallengeable ideas - frequently called political correctness.
An Introduction to the History of New Zealand Education (co-edited with faculty colleague Ros Sullivan) is an overview of the New Zealand education system from its establishment in 1877 to the present, illustrating how major issues in education that cause disagreement today have always been disputed. These include debates about who should pay for education, what teacher education should be like, the uneasy relationship between secularism and religion in schools, the effects of poverty on achievement, debates about gender differences, outdoor education and safety, disability and human rights, the effects of migration on the education system, and the current disputes about Māori education.
“Knowing why the education system was established and what problems have been faced since 1877 helps us to make sense of similar issues today. Because our education system helped create the ‘kiwi character’ we need to know what those early New Zealanders who developed our education system wanted for the country and whether it is what we want today.”
The book is aimed at students of education, parents, and teachers, as well as the general public. Its contributors include Professor Roger Openshaw (Massey University) and a cross-section of leading education academics from The University of Auckland. Both books are published by Pearson.
