Multi/intercultural education in Australia and the Netherlands

Abstract

In this article, the authors tease out the constructions of multi/intercultural education in Australia and the Netherlands through a comparative study of the two contexts including the population, scope of diversity, policies of multiculturalism and the policy and practice of multi/intercultural education. The comparison highlights commonalities and context‐bound differences. The article then discusses some dilemmas in the practice of multi/intercultural education based on findings from the authors' recent empirical research in both countries using a critical multiculturalism framework. The dilemmas discussed include the interwoven dimensions of culturalism and individualism and the tendency towards social agnosticism among teachers and teacher education students.

Keywords:

• Critical multiculturalism
• Critical theories of education
• Multicultural education
• Intercultural education

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the reviewer/s for their important suggestions, which clearly improved the final text.