Human Conditions: The Cultural Basis of Educational Development

Based on anthropological and historical inquiry, Human Conditions proposes and illustrates a new approach to the comparative analysis of educational policy. It investigates cultural conceptions of human potential as they inform social and economic goals of education by reviewing the transitions of Western countries, Japan, and the People's Republic of China. An analysis of the problems and emerging patterns of Third World societies reveals how and meanings of life for the majority of their why the populations lations are still influenced by agrarian cultural models, even after the introduction of new educational and occupational careers.

In place of universalistic economic models and homogeneous modernization strategies, the authors propose that culture-specific meanings of education are determined by each country's particular transition from its agrarian past to its current socio-economic conditions. The authors show that change in educational development has been as varied in ends, means, and significant outcomes as the cultures in which it has occurred. They point to the need and indicate the directions for a deeper understanding of the cultural contexts in which policy choices and development plans are made.