Books by Theodoros Vavitsas
Papers by Theodoros Vavitsas
European Journal of Social Sciences Studies, Jul 1, 2022
European Journal of Education Studies
The present article illustrates an attempt made to investigate interculturalism in the School Tex... more The present article illustrates an attempt made to investigate interculturalism in the School Textbooks of Social and Political Education course of the Greek Primary School. The subject of Social and Political Education features the quality of citizenship of students attending the Greek educational system. The research methodology used is content analysis and, specifically, quantitative content analysis. According to the results of the research, the Social and Political Education textbooks of the Greek Primary School are inspired by the principles of intercultural education, while the presence of cultural diversity, in general, is strong in both the 5th grade and 6th grade textbooks. Article visualizations:
Today's postmodern era is featured by a tendency to highlight diversity and, in particular, i... more Today's postmodern era is featured by a tendency to highlight diversity and, in particular, its cultural guise. In this context, where diversity tends to be considered as an autonomy value, the debate between multiculturalism and interculturalism is steadily escalating, attributing an increasingly complex dimension to the issue of cultural diversity management. While multiculturalism has defined its content and articulated its principles within the framework of cultural relativism, interculturalism has yet to be framed within a specific epistemological paradigm. Interculturalism consists of fragmentary concepts, which set it in an epistemologically "unfortified" position, and, consequently, raises inevitable questions related to social science. Focusing on the field of education, the aforementioned problem is further exacerbated, as the term "intercultural education" does not refer to a commonly accepted model of education. On the contrary, it includes a vari...
European Journal of Social Sciences Studies
The purpose of this research is to investigate the views of Greek primary school teachers on Crit... more The purpose of this research is to investigate the views of Greek primary school teachers on Critical Pedagogy. Specifically, by applying the qualitative research methodology of semi-structured interviews, we tried to explore the teachers' views on Critical Pedagogy, on the role that Critical Pedagogy attributes to teachers as reforming intellectuals, on the duties that the teacher bears, both inside and outside the classroom, as well as on the teacher's "obligations" towards their students and society. The findings indicate that: a) most teachers were not aware of Critical Pedagogy; b) about half of the teachers did not agree with the role of the teacher as an intellectual; and c) teachers placed particular emphasis on the educative role of teachers, which, in addition to knowledge, should impart values and attitudes towards life. Article visualizations:
European Journal of Education Studies, May 1, 2022
In this article, an attempt is made to highlight critical intercultural education as transcending... more In this article, an attempt is made to highlight critical intercultural education as transcending intercultural education. In particular, the critical elements of the shift of terminology from multiculturalism to interculturalism are first examined. Their differences are pointed out and the need to change the terminology is highlighted. Furthermore, the key points of intercultural education are highlighted and through the core of intercultural education itself, an attempt is made to highlight its critical elements, which may favor the emergence of a critical approach to intercultural education. Finally, based on the theoretical elements from the educational positions of the philosopher and theorist of Critical Theory, Theodor W. Adorno, as presented in his work “Education after Auschwitz”, the basic elements governing critical intercultural education are presented.
European Journal of Education and Pedagogy, 2022
The aim of the present paper is to present the Greek Public Primary School teachers’ views on the... more The aim of the present paper is to present the Greek Public Primary School teachers’ views on the construction of cultural identity as well as the role that the different collectivities play in modern societies. Exploring concepts such as “identity”, “diversity” and “cultural identity” and valorizing the theoretical framework of Habermas’ “Theory of Communicative Action”, the writers of this paper have applied the qualitative research of semi-structured interviews in order to collect their data. The participants were fifteen (15) Greek Public Primary School teachers while the questionnaire was comprised of thirty-two (32) questions. The findings indicate that: a) the teachers tried to define the meaning of “different identity” through the elements of otherness that arise from ethnic, linguistic and religious factors; b) the majority of teachers pointed out the religious aspect as the most important aspect of cultural identity; c) different ethnic groups necessarily have a different ...
European Journal of Social Sciences Studies, 2024
In the context of the present study, we attempted to explore teachers' views on the role of dialo... more In the context of the present study, we attempted to explore teachers' views on the role of dialogue and intersubjective communication, both in the public sphere and in the ecology of the classroom. The theoretical framework of the research was the theory of communicative action of Habermas. The research was conducted in the framework of the qualitative research method with semi-structured interviews as a methodological tool for data collection. The sample of the research was fifteen (15) Greek primary school teachers and the questionnaire consisted of thirteen (13) questions. The findings of the research show that teachers: praised the role of dialogue, recognizing its value in the effort to peaceful coexistence between different cultures; appeared to attach great importance to the role of dialogue in the classroom, recognizing its importance and value; stressed the value of getting to know new cultures, which can enrich the "native culture" with new elements; stated that social change can come about through dialogue.
Πρακτικά 5ου Πανελληνίου Συνεδρίου Κοινωνιολογίας της Εκπαίδευσης "Η εκπαίδευση σε κατάσταση εκτάκτου ανάγκης: κοινωνιολογικές αναγνώσεις", 2024
Ο Μονοδιάστατος Άνθρωπος αποτελεί ένα από τα σημαντικότερα έργα του Γερμανού φιλοσόφου Herbert Ma... more Ο Μονοδιάστατος Άνθρωπος αποτελεί ένα από τα σημαντικότερα έργα του Γερμανού φιλοσόφου Herbert Marcuse. Στο έργο αυτό, ο Marcuse προσπαθεί να αναδείξει τον χαρακτήρα της σύγχρονης «μονοδιάστατης σκέψης», η οποία οδηγεί σε «νάρκωση της κριτικής». Σκοπός της παρούσας εργασίας είναι η ανάδειξη του ρόλου της
εκπαίδευσης και του σχολείου στη διαμόρφωση της μονοδιάστατης σκέψης των μαθητών, οι οποίοι, προετοιμαζόμενοι για την ένταξή τους στην αγορά εργασίας ως πειθήνιοι και υπάκουοι εργάτες, πρόκειται να αποτελέσουν τον «νέο» μονοδιάστατο άνθρωπο. Επιπλέον, θα επιχειρήσουμε να αναδείξουμε τις διαδικασίες μέσω των οποίων
η εκπαίδευση, από τη μία, συμβάλλει στην «απονέκρωση» της κριτικής σκέψης των μαθητών, ενώ, από την άλλη, προωθεί και καλλιεργεί «μοντέλα» σκέψης και θεώρησης του κόσμου, τα οποία έχουν ως στόχο τη διαιώνιση της εργαλειακής ορθολογικότητας και της λογικής της κυριαρχίας. Τέλος, θα επιχειρήσουμε να προσδιορίσουμε μια
προοπτική διάρρηξης της «μονοδιάστατης σκέψης», η οποία μπορεί να βασίζεται: α) στην καλλιέργεια της κριτικής θεώρησης της πραγματικότητας, και β) στην άρνηση του δεδομένου και υφιστάμενου, μέσω της ανάδειξης των αντιφάσεών του και της δυνατότητας αλλαγής – μετεξέλιξής του.
Intercultural Education on the Move: Facing Old and New Challenges Conference Proceedings, 2023
Nowadays multiculturalism is becoming a concept that is often at the forefront of political debat... more Nowadays multiculturalism is becoming a concept that is often at the forefront of political debate. As a result of this situation, multiculturalism has taken on many different dimensions and interpretations. To the existing problems of multiculturalism was added the shift in terminology from “multiculturalism” to “interculturalism”. The aim of this paper is to highlight: a) the main views that have been expressed on the relationship between multiculturalism and interculturalism; b) the reasons which imposed the shift from multiculturalism to interculturalism; c) the main points of interculturalism’s criticism to multiculturalism. Finally, an introduction will be made to “critical interculturalism”.
Εκπαίδευση στον 21ο αιώνα: σύγχρονες προκλήσεις και προβληματισμοί: Πρακτικά Διεθνούς Επιστημονικού Συνεδρίου, 2023
The multi-decade dialogue on the most appropriate pedagogic approaches and practices educators ca... more The multi-decade dialogue on the most appropriate pedagogic approaches and practices educators can adopt to improve the quality of their teaching and ensure equal learning access for all students is ongoing. The seamless inclusion of refugee and immigrant students in the public education system is often hindered by various challenges and barriers. We discuss translanguaging as a pedagogy that helps students draw on all their linguistic resources presenting a case study of a refugee student of Afghan origin in a Greek Primary School. The analysis of the answers the student provided appears to support the principle that the bilinguals’ linguistic repertoire consists of features of the languages they speak and, thus, enables them to more effectively negotiate meaning. Translanguaging, according to the findings, appears to encourage student participation and promote metalinguistic and language awareness. We conclude with a brief presentation of further research options in line with increasing awareness and training of this pedagogy to help bilingual students’ inclusion in a safe school environment.
European Journal of Education Studies, 2023
The present article illustrates an attempt made to investigate interculturalism in the School Tex... more The present article illustrates an attempt made to investigate interculturalism in the School Textbooks of Social and Political Education course of the Greek Primary School. The subject of Social and Political Education features the quality of citizenship of students attending the Greek educational system. The research methodology used is content analysis and, specifically, quantitative content analysis. According to the results of the research, the Social and Political Education textbooks of the Greek Primary School are inspired by the principles of intercultural education, while the presence of cultural diversity, in general, is strong in both the 5th grade and 6th grade textbooks.
European Journal of Social Sciences Studies, 2022
The purpose of this research is to investigate the views of Greek primary school teachers on Crit... more The purpose of this research is to investigate the views of Greek primary school teachers on Critical Pedagogy. Specifically, by applying the qualitative research methodology of semi-structured interviews, we tried to explore the teachers' views on Critical Pedagogy, on the role that Critical Pedagogy attributes to teachers as reforming intellectuals, on the duties that the teacher bears, both inside and outside the classroom, as well as on the teacher's "obligations" towards their students and society. The findings indicate that: a) most teachers were not aware of Critical Pedagogy; b) about half of the teachers did not agree with the role of the teacher as an intellectual; and c) teachers placed particular emphasis on the educative role of teachers, which, in addition to knowledge, should impart values and attitudes towards life.
European Journal of Education Studies, 2022
The present research aims to investigate Interculturalism and the Emancipatory Interest in the te... more The present research aims to investigate Interculturalism and the Emancipatory Interest in the textbooks of Citizenship Education in the Greek Primary School. Applying Habermas' theory of Emancipatory Knowledge Interest as a theoretical framework, the research methodology used is interpretive content analysis. The results of the research showed that Intercultural Education is promoted by the textbooks of Citizenship Education in the Greek Primary School, mainly by the one taught in the 6 th class, while the Emancipatory Interest is, also, reflected in many cases. The perspective of valorizing the Emancipatory Knowledge Interest derives not only from the textbook of the 6th grade itself, but also from the teacher's contribution, which is to be evaluated as equally crucial. Finally, although the subject of Citizenship Education contributes, clearly, to the reproduction of the dominant ideology, it seems that if we study the content of the textbooks in-depth and, in particular, the concepts it discusses, namely, freedom, justice, equality or solidarity, we can, definitely, identify opportunities for emancipation.
European Journal of Education and Pedagogy, 2022
The aim of the present paper is to present the Greek Public Primary
School teachers’ views on the... more The aim of the present paper is to present the Greek Public Primary
School teachers’ views on the construction of cultural identity as well as
the role that the different collectivities play in modern societies. Exploring
concepts such as “identity”, “diversity” and “cultural identity” and
valorizing the theoretical framework of Habermas’ “Theory of
Communicative Action”, the writers of this paper have applied the
qualitative research of semi-structured interviews in order to collect their
data. The participants were fifteen (15) Greek Public Primary School
teachers while the questionnaire was comprised of thirty-two (32)
questions. The findings indicate that: a) the teachers tried to define the
meaning of “different identity” through the elements of otherness that
arise from ethnic, linguistic and religious factors; b) the majority of
teachers pointed out the religious aspect as the most important aspect of
cultural identity; c) different ethnic groups necessarily have a different
way of life, way of thinking or way of speaking; d) all teachers have
unanimously stated that cultural differences are social constructs and not
inherent in the members of a particular group; e) a person can move
between different cultural identities; f) the majority of teachers argued
that collective identities different from those of the dominant group should
be preserved.
International Virtual Academic Conference Education and Social Sciences Business and Economics, 2021
The present paper focused on drawing attention to the importance and the role of the social scien... more The present paper focused on drawing attention to the importance and the role of the social sciences in the diffusion of the values of Intercultural Education at school and in the wider social environment. More specifically, what was explored was the possibility of promoting and accepting the basic principles of Intercultural Education through the subject of Social and Political Education taught in Greek primary schools. Therefore, an attempt was made both to highlight the importance of the subject of Social and Political Education as one of the most important subjects of social sciences in Primary school, although in the school schedule it occupies a position that degrades and marginalizes it, and to present the basic principles and values of Intercultural Education, such as empathy, solidarity, intercultural respect and the anti-ethnocentric / anti-nationalist way of thinking and their connection with basic units of the subject of Social and Political Education. The method used was content analysis and the findings demonstrated the importance and usefulness of the subject of Social and Political Education for the cultivation and promotion of the principles of Intercultural Education.
Νέος Παιδαγωγός Online, 2020
Στην παρούσα έρευνα επιχειρείται η ανάδειξη του ρόλου που μπορεί να διαδραματίσει η Κριτική Θεωρί... more Στην παρούσα έρευνα επιχειρείται η ανάδειξη του ρόλου που μπορεί να διαδραματίσει η Κριτική Θεωρία στα ζητήματα της διαπολιτισμικής εκπαίδευσης. Πιο συγκεκριμένα, αρχικά, παρουσιάζονται οι προκλήσεις με τις οποίες βρίσκεται αντιμέτωπη η διαπολιτισμική εκπαίδευση τη σημερινή εποχή. Στη συνέχεια, πραγματοποιείται μια εκτενής προσέγγιση των εννοιών της «ταυτότητας» και της «ετερότητας» υπό το πρίσμα των επεξεργασιών που έχουν πραγματοποιηθεί από τους θεωρητικούς της
Κριτικής Θεωρίας, με απώτερο σκοπό τον εφοδιασμό της διαπολιτισμικής εκπαίδευσης με τα κατάλληλα θεωρητικά εργαλεία, τα οποία της είναι απαραίτητα στην προσπάθεια διαχείρισης της πολιτισμικής ποικιλομορφίας. Επιπλέον, θα αναδειχθεί η ψυχαναλυτική προσέγγιση για την ταυτότητα, το Εγώ, που υιοθετείται από την Κριτική Θεωρία, προκειμένου να αναδειχθεί με τον πλέον γλαφυρό τρόπο η συσχέτιση και
αλληλοδιαπλοκή της ταυτότητας με την ετερότητα.
Journal for Critical Education Policy Studies, 2021
In this article, an attempt is made to highlight critical intercultural education as transcending... more In this article, an attempt is made to highlight critical intercultural education as transcending intercultural education. In particular, the critical elements of the shift of terminology from multiculturalism to interculturalism are first examined. Their differences are pointed out and the need to change the terminology is highlighted. Furthermore, the key points of intercultural education are highlighted and through the core of intercultural education itself, an attempt is made to highlight its critical elements, which may favor the emergence of a critical approach to intercultural education. Finally, based on the theoretical elements from the educational positions of the philosopher and theorist of Critical Theory, Theodor W. Adorno, as presented in his work "Education after Auschwitz", the basic elements governing critical intercultural education are presented.
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Books by Theodoros Vavitsas
Papers by Theodoros Vavitsas
εκπαίδευσης και του σχολείου στη διαμόρφωση της μονοδιάστατης σκέψης των μαθητών, οι οποίοι, προετοιμαζόμενοι για την ένταξή τους στην αγορά εργασίας ως πειθήνιοι και υπάκουοι εργάτες, πρόκειται να αποτελέσουν τον «νέο» μονοδιάστατο άνθρωπο. Επιπλέον, θα επιχειρήσουμε να αναδείξουμε τις διαδικασίες μέσω των οποίων
η εκπαίδευση, από τη μία, συμβάλλει στην «απονέκρωση» της κριτικής σκέψης των μαθητών, ενώ, από την άλλη, προωθεί και καλλιεργεί «μοντέλα» σκέψης και θεώρησης του κόσμου, τα οποία έχουν ως στόχο τη διαιώνιση της εργαλειακής ορθολογικότητας και της λογικής της κυριαρχίας. Τέλος, θα επιχειρήσουμε να προσδιορίσουμε μια
προοπτική διάρρηξης της «μονοδιάστατης σκέψης», η οποία μπορεί να βασίζεται: α) στην καλλιέργεια της κριτικής θεώρησης της πραγματικότητας, και β) στην άρνηση του δεδομένου και υφιστάμενου, μέσω της ανάδειξης των αντιφάσεών του και της δυνατότητας αλλαγής – μετεξέλιξής του.
School teachers’ views on the construction of cultural identity as well as
the role that the different collectivities play in modern societies. Exploring
concepts such as “identity”, “diversity” and “cultural identity” and
valorizing the theoretical framework of Habermas’ “Theory of
Communicative Action”, the writers of this paper have applied the
qualitative research of semi-structured interviews in order to collect their
data. The participants were fifteen (15) Greek Public Primary School
teachers while the questionnaire was comprised of thirty-two (32)
questions. The findings indicate that: a) the teachers tried to define the
meaning of “different identity” through the elements of otherness that
arise from ethnic, linguistic and religious factors; b) the majority of
teachers pointed out the religious aspect as the most important aspect of
cultural identity; c) different ethnic groups necessarily have a different
way of life, way of thinking or way of speaking; d) all teachers have
unanimously stated that cultural differences are social constructs and not
inherent in the members of a particular group; e) a person can move
between different cultural identities; f) the majority of teachers argued
that collective identities different from those of the dominant group should
be preserved.
Κριτικής Θεωρίας, με απώτερο σκοπό τον εφοδιασμό της διαπολιτισμικής εκπαίδευσης με τα κατάλληλα θεωρητικά εργαλεία, τα οποία της είναι απαραίτητα στην προσπάθεια διαχείρισης της πολιτισμικής ποικιλομορφίας. Επιπλέον, θα αναδειχθεί η ψυχαναλυτική προσέγγιση για την ταυτότητα, το Εγώ, που υιοθετείται από την Κριτική Θεωρία, προκειμένου να αναδειχθεί με τον πλέον γλαφυρό τρόπο η συσχέτιση και
αλληλοδιαπλοκή της ταυτότητας με την ετερότητα.
εκπαίδευσης και του σχολείου στη διαμόρφωση της μονοδιάστατης σκέψης των μαθητών, οι οποίοι, προετοιμαζόμενοι για την ένταξή τους στην αγορά εργασίας ως πειθήνιοι και υπάκουοι εργάτες, πρόκειται να αποτελέσουν τον «νέο» μονοδιάστατο άνθρωπο. Επιπλέον, θα επιχειρήσουμε να αναδείξουμε τις διαδικασίες μέσω των οποίων
η εκπαίδευση, από τη μία, συμβάλλει στην «απονέκρωση» της κριτικής σκέψης των μαθητών, ενώ, από την άλλη, προωθεί και καλλιεργεί «μοντέλα» σκέψης και θεώρησης του κόσμου, τα οποία έχουν ως στόχο τη διαιώνιση της εργαλειακής ορθολογικότητας και της λογικής της κυριαρχίας. Τέλος, θα επιχειρήσουμε να προσδιορίσουμε μια
προοπτική διάρρηξης της «μονοδιάστατης σκέψης», η οποία μπορεί να βασίζεται: α) στην καλλιέργεια της κριτικής θεώρησης της πραγματικότητας, και β) στην άρνηση του δεδομένου και υφιστάμενου, μέσω της ανάδειξης των αντιφάσεών του και της δυνατότητας αλλαγής – μετεξέλιξής του.
School teachers’ views on the construction of cultural identity as well as
the role that the different collectivities play in modern societies. Exploring
concepts such as “identity”, “diversity” and “cultural identity” and
valorizing the theoretical framework of Habermas’ “Theory of
Communicative Action”, the writers of this paper have applied the
qualitative research of semi-structured interviews in order to collect their
data. The participants were fifteen (15) Greek Public Primary School
teachers while the questionnaire was comprised of thirty-two (32)
questions. The findings indicate that: a) the teachers tried to define the
meaning of “different identity” through the elements of otherness that
arise from ethnic, linguistic and religious factors; b) the majority of
teachers pointed out the religious aspect as the most important aspect of
cultural identity; c) different ethnic groups necessarily have a different
way of life, way of thinking or way of speaking; d) all teachers have
unanimously stated that cultural differences are social constructs and not
inherent in the members of a particular group; e) a person can move
between different cultural identities; f) the majority of teachers argued
that collective identities different from those of the dominant group should
be preserved.
Κριτικής Θεωρίας, με απώτερο σκοπό τον εφοδιασμό της διαπολιτισμικής εκπαίδευσης με τα κατάλληλα θεωρητικά εργαλεία, τα οποία της είναι απαραίτητα στην προσπάθεια διαχείρισης της πολιτισμικής ποικιλομορφίας. Επιπλέον, θα αναδειχθεί η ψυχαναλυτική προσέγγιση για την ταυτότητα, το Εγώ, που υιοθετείται από την Κριτική Θεωρία, προκειμένου να αναδειχθεί με τον πλέον γλαφυρό τρόπο η συσχέτιση και
αλληλοδιαπλοκή της ταυτότητας με την ετερότητα.