Abstract
This paper identifies both epistemic and political shortcomings in the portrayal of science found in curricular multicultural science education. It is argued that this approach denies the unique characteristics of western science as it ignores the particular strengths of other systems of thought. This epistemic weakness has the unexpected political effect of reaffirming scientism. Drawing on parallels from writing instruction, it is argued that curricular forms of multicultural science education operate to limit student agency and potential. Finally, an example of a pedagogical alternative that meets the needs of diverse student populations is discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Adams, H. H. III: 1990, African-American Baseline Essays-Science Baseline Essay: African and African-American Contributions to Science and Technology, Multnomah School District I, Portland OR.
Anderson, T. & Kilbourn, B.: 1983, ‘Creation, Evolution, and Curriculum’, Science Education 67(1), 45-55.
Atwater, M. M. & Riley, J. P.: 1993, ‘Multicultural Science Education: Perspectives, Definitions, and Research Agenda’, Science Education 77(6), 661-668.
Cobern, W.: 1995, ‘Science Education as an Exercise in Foreign Affairs’, Science Education 4(3), 287-302.
D'Ambrosio, U.: 1991, On Ethnoscience, CIMEC, Compinas, Brazil.
Delpit, L.: 1988, ‘The Silenced Dialogue: Power and Pedagogy in Educating Other People's Children', Harvard Educational Review 58, 280-298.
Demastes-Southerland, S., Good, R. & Peebles, P.: 1995, ‘Students' Conceptual Ecologies and the Process of Conceptual Change in Evolution’, Science Education 79, 637-666.
Demastes-Southerland, S., Good, R. & Peebles, P.: 1996, ‘Patterns of Conceptual Change in Evolution’, Journal of Research in Science Teaching 33(4), 407-431.
Duschl, R.: 1988, ‘Abandoning the Scientistic Legacy of Science Education’, Science Education 72, 51-62.
Duschl, R. A.: 1990, Restructuring Science Education, Teachers College Press, NY.
Duveen, J. & Soloman, J.: 1994, ‘The Great Evolution Trial: Use of Role-Play in the Classroom’, Journal of Research in Science Teaching 31, 575-582.
Gellner, E.: 1992, Postmodernism, Reason, and Religion, Routledge, New York.
Good, R. & Demastes-Southerland, S.: 1995, ‘The Diminished Role of Nature in Postmodern Views of Science and Science Education’, in F. Finley, D. Allchin, D. Rhees & S. Fified (eds.), Proceedings of the Third International History, Philosophy, and Science Teaching Conference, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 480-487.
Grumet, M.: 1988, Bitter Milk, The University of Massachusetts Press, Amherst, MA.
Haack, S.: 1996, ‘Towards a Sober Sociology of Science’, in P. R. Gross, N. Levitt & M. W. Lewis (eds.), The Flight from Science and Reason, The New York Academy of Sciences, New York, 259-265.
Harding, S.: 1991, Whose Science? Whose Knowledge?, Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY.
Holton, G.: 1996, ‘Science Education and the Sense of Self’, in P. R. Gross, N. Levitt & M. W. Lewis (eds.), The Flight from Science and Reason, The New York Academy of Sciences, New York, 551-560.
Jegede, O.: 1989, ‘Toward a Philosophical Basis for Science Education of the 1990s: An African View-Point’, in D. E. Herget (ed.), The History and Philosophy of Science in Science Teaching, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 185-198.
Kawagley, A. O., Norris-Tull, D. & Norris-Tull, R.: 1995, ‘Incorporation of the World Views of Indigenous Cultures: A Dilemma in the Practice and Teaching of Western Science’, in F. Finley, D. Allchin, D. Rhees & S. Fified (eds.), Proceedings of the Third International History, Philosophy, and Science Teaching Conference, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 583-588.
Kenshur, O.: 1996, ‘The Allure of the Hybrid: Bruno Latour and the Search for a New Grand Theory’, in P. R. Gross, N. Levitt & M. W. Lewis (eds.), The Flight from Science and Reason, The New York Academy of Sciences, New York, 288-297.
Kumar, A. & Brown, R. A.: 1995, ‘Teaching Science from a World-Cultural Point of View’, in F. Finley, D. Allchin, D. Rhees & S. Fified (eds.), Proceedings of the Third International History, Philosophy, and Science Teaching Conference, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 648-654.
Latour, B.: 1993, We Have Never Been Modern (translated by Catherine Porter), Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA.
Loving, C.: 1997, ‘From the Summit of Truth to its Slippery Slopes: Science Education's Journey Through Positivist-Postmodern Territory’, American Educational Research Journal 34(3), 421-452.
MacIntyre, A.: 1988, Whose Justice? Which Rationality?, Duckworth, London.
Mahner, M. & Bunge, M.: 1996, ‘Is Religious Education Compatible with Science Education’, Science & Education 5(2), 101-123.
Matthews, M.: 1994, Science Teaching: The Role of History and Philosophy of Science, Routledge, NY.
Nanda, M.: 1996, ‘The Science Question in Postcolonial Feminism’, in P. R. Gross, N. Levitt & M. W. Lewis (eds.), The Flight from Science and Reason, The New York Academy of Sciences, New York, 420-436.
Norman, O.: 1995, ‘Beyond Kuhn: The Epistemology snd Historiography of an Inclusive Sociocultural Discourse on Science’, in F. Finley, D. Allchin, D. Rhees & S. Fified (eds.), Proceedings of the Third International History, Philosophy, and Science Teaching Conference, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 858-863.
O'Loughlin, M.: 1992, ‘Rethinking Science Education: Beyond Piagetian Constructivism Toward a Sociocultural Model of Teaching and Learning’, Journal of Research in Science Teaching 39, 791-820.
Ogawa, M.: 1989, ‘Beyond the Tacit Framework of “Science” and “Science Education” Among Science Educators’, International Journal of Science Education 11(3), 247-250.
Pomeroy, D.: 1992, ‘Science Across Cultures: Building Bridges Between Traditional Western and Alaskan Native Cultures’, in S. Hills (ed.), History and Philosophy of Science in Science Education, vol. 2, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, 257-268.
Poole, M.: 1996, ‘... for More and Better Religious Education’, Science & Education 5(2), 165-174.
Rakow, S. A. & Bermudez, A. B.: 1993, ‘Science is “Ciencia”: Meeting the Needs of Hispanic American Students’, Science Education 77(6), 669-683.
Rorty, R.: 1989, ‘Solidarity or Objectivity?’, in M. Krausz (ed.), Relativism: Interpretation and Confrontation, University of Notre Dame Press, Notre Dame, 35-50.
Ryan, A. G. & Aikenhead, G. S.: 1992, ‘Students' Preconceptions about the Epistemology of Science’, Science Education 76, 550-580.
Scharmann, L. C.: 1990, ‘Enhancing an Understanding of the Premises of Evolutionary Theory: The Influence of a Diversified Instructional Strategy’, School Science and Mathematics 90, 91-100.
Siegel, H.: 1997, ‘Science Education: Multicultural and Universal’, Interchange 28(2&3), 97-108.
Settle, T.: 1996, ‘Applying Scientific Openmindedness to Religion and Science Education’, Science & Education 5(2), 125-141.
Stanley, W. B. & Brickhouse, N. M.: 1994, ‘Multiculturalism, Universalism, and Science Education’, Science Education 78, 387-398.
Strike, K. A. & Posner, G. J.: 1992, ‘A Revisionist Theory of Conceptual Change’, in R. A. Duschl & R. J. Hamilton (eds.), Philosophy of Science Cognitive Psychology, and Educational Theory and Practice, State University of New York Press, 147-176.
Todd, P.: 1984, ‘Teaching Evolutionary Theory as General Education’, Journal of General Education 35(4), 212-228.
Winch, P.: 1989, The Idea of a Social Science and its Relation to Philosophy, second ed., Redwood Press Limited, Melksham, Wiltshire.
Woolnough, B. E.: 1996, ‘On the Fruitful Compatibility of Religious Education and Science’, Science & Education 5(2), 175-183.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Southerland, S.A. Epistemic Universalism and The Shortcomings of Curricular Multicultural Science Education. Science & Education 9, 289–307 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008676109903
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008676109903