The Discourse Reader

Critical multiculturalism has emerged over the last decade as a direct challenge to liberal or benevolent forms of multicultural education. By integrating and advancing various critical theoretical threads such as anti-racist education, critical race theory, and critical pedagogy, critical multiculturalism has offered a fuller analysis of oppression and institutionalization of unequal power relations in education. But what do these powerful theories really mean for classroom practice and specific disciplines? Edited by two leading authorities on multicultural education, Critical Multiculturalism: Theory and Praxis brings together international scholars of critical multiculturalism to directly and illustratively address what a transformed critical multicultural approach to education might mean for teacher education and classroom practice. Providing both contextual background and curriculum specific subject coverage ranging from language arts and mathematics to science and technology, each chapter shows how critical multiculturalism relates to praxis. As a watershed in the further development of critical multicultural approaches to education, this timely collection will be required reading for all scholars, educators and practitioners of multicultural education.

Table of Contents:
Introduction: Critical Multiculturalism, Stephen May and Christine E. Sleeter Part One: Critical multiculturalism and teachers 1. Critical Multiculturalism within Higher Education: Resistance and Possibilities within Teacher Education. Michael Vavrus 2. Empowering Preservice Teachers, Students, and Families through Critical Multiculturalism: Interweaving Social Foundations of Education and Community Action Projects. Virginia Lea 3. Daring to Infuse Ideology into Language Teacher-Education. Lilia I. Bartolome 4. Discursive Positioning and Educational Reform. Russell Bishop 5. Critical Multicultural Practices in Early Childhood Education. Jeanette Rhedding-Jones Part Two: Critical Multiculturalism in Language and Language Arts 6. Critical Multiculturalism and Subject English. Terry Locke 7. Critical Multicultural Education and Second/Foreign Language Teaching. Ryuko Kubota 8. Critical Multiculturalism and Cultural and Media Studies. Sanjay Sharma Part Three: Critical Multiculturalism in Mathematics/Sciences 9. Critical Multicultural Approaches to Mathematics in Urban, K-12 Classrooms. Eric Gutstein 10. Digital Stories and Critical Multicultural Education: A Freirian Approach. James C. McShay 11. Knowing our Place: Critical Multicultural Science Education. Georgina M. Stewart Part Four: Critical Multiculturalism in Humanities and Social Science 12. Discussing Race and Culture in the Middle School Classroom: Scaffolding Critical Multiculturalism. Jill Ewing Flynn 13. A Critical Multicultural Approach to Physical Education: Challenging Discourses of Physicality and Building Resistant Practices in Schools. Katie Fitzpatrick 14. The Arts and Social Justice in a Critical Multicultural Education Classroom. Mary Stone Hanley 15. Breaking Through "Crusts of Convention" to Realize Music Education's Potential Contribution to Critical Multiculturalism. Charlene A. Morton Author Biographies

Review :
"This masterful treatment of transformative critical multiculturalism within unconventional disciplines, in one collection and across many nations, positions this book as an important contribution to the field and marks a turning point in critical multiculturalism."--Language Arts "I truly believe that this book is a must-read for critical race theorists, critical pedagogues, and critical multicultural practitioners... [and] conclude that May and Sleeter accomplished their ambitious goal: to show how critical multiculturalism relates to praxis."--Education Review "In this skillfully edited, engaging, and luminous volume, May and Sleeter have made a unique contribution to education theory and practice by producing a tightly conceptualized and coherent book that illustrates myriad ways in which critical multiculturalism can be implemented in school, college, and university classrooms. The delicate balance between theory and practice in this book makes it welcomed and significant."--James A. Banks, Kerry and Linda Killinger Professor of Diversity Studies and Founding Director, Center for Multicultural Education, University of Washington, Seattle "This important collection makes a strong argument for a version of critical multiculturalism that learns from the errors of the past while keeping sight of the pressing and complex challenges facing contemporary educators."--David Gillborn, Professor of Critical Race Studies in Education, University of London, UK