Tolerance and Dissent within Education : On Cultivating Debate and Understanding

It argues that by opening up educational encounters to allow for ‘dissent’ – that is, disagreement, criticism and open dialogue – our everyday social life experiences and relationships would flourish, and potentially allow for a more peaceful and harmonious co-existence alongside those with whom we disagree.

This book explores how the concept of tolerance might be understood, cultivated and enacted in and through educational encounters. It argues that by opening up educational encounters to allow for ‘dissent’ – that is, disagreement, criticism and open dialogue – our everyday social life experiences and relationships would flourish, and potentially allow for a more peaceful and harmonious co-existence alongside those with whom we disagree.  Dissent does not mean that ‘anything goes’; what is needed is considerate and responsible recognition of distinct and diverse perspectives. Tolerance is sometimes regarded as a simple and uncritical celebration of difference, and sometimes dismissed as a necessary and resentful acceptance of others. Here, the authors make a compelling case for ‘conditional tolerance’, which requires us to continuously reflect on the limits of what we are willing to tolerate. The book will be an indispensable resource for researchers and students working in the areas of education, philosophy and sociology, particularly those with an interest in educational freedom, democracy and social justice.