Culture is understood as the set of knowledge, customs, ideas that characterize a group. In the same society several cultures can coexist, but there is always one dominant, called “popular culture” that is the most represented and causes the marginalization of the rest. In this way, a monocultural model develops, in which other cultures are silenced and represented from the global idea that society has about them. In the school environment we cannot see represented minority cultures such as gypsies, transsexuals, Amish and poverty (their way of life, customs, work or jobs, their history…) since silenced cultures are not mentioned in the curricular materials because they do not fall within the ideals of the power groups.
One way to change this is to encompass education across cultures. It is important, the evolution of each culture in contact and exchange with the others. In this way, we will achieve an enrichment of silenced cultures and, in turn, of popular cultures. (Enguita, 2001). In addition, the coexistence of different cultures can help and improve the acceptance of new ideas, customs, habits, etc.
References
Fernández Enguita, M. (2001). La ciudadanía en la era de la globalización. En M. Fernández Enguita, Educar en tiempos inciertos (pp. 44-60). Madrid: Morata.
Torres Santomé, J (2015). Diversidad cultural y contenidos escolares. Revista de Educación, 345. (pp. 83-110). Departamento de pedagogía, Universidad de A Coruña
Authorship
Lidia López, Paula Sengáriz, Cecilia Toca y Cristina Urrutia, 2020.