Resources

Over the past several decades of political, economic, social and cultural changes and developments throughout the world, the idea of education for international understanding (EIU) has evolved through the work of innumerable educators, researchers, institutions and organizations. Initially, the focus in school and tertiary programs tended to emphasize the need to increase the level of knowledge about other nations, societies and cultures as a key means to promote better, more “peaceful” international (economic and political) and intercultural relations. Especially in universities of the “North,” area studies of different regions and countries expanded and found their way into school-based curricula. In part, EIU was deemed important and helpful in the development of human resources needed to implement foreign aid programs. It was also a response to the increased internationalization of campuses due to the growing numbers of foreign/overseas students. By the 60s, however, a variety of social and political forces and movements were beginning to impact on this earlier focus of EIU. First, it was no longer viewed only in terms of understanding the relations between “nations” or “societies” across political and economic boundaries. EIU would need also to look closely at local and internal issues, and at problems of one’s own society that might significantly influence the direction and nature of international relations. Furthermore, conceptual perspectives on EIU began to reflect a spectrum of frameworks of understanding and analysis, from “conservative” and “liberal” to more “critical” paradigms. Underpinning the critical approaches was a questioning of the power inequities characterizing the international order of nation-states, and the need to overcome such gaps if the original vision of “world peace” was to be fulfilled. Third, the evolving theory and practice of EIU took on a host of societal, international and increasingly global issues deemed urgent at all levels of life.