Abstract

MACEDO, Elizabeth. For a policy to deal with differences. Cad. Pesqui. [online]. 2006, vol.36, n.128, pp. 327-356. ISSN 0100-1574.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0100-15742006000200004.

This work advocates that, in order to face multicultural societies, it is necessary for education to think culture as a place of enunciation and not just as a repertoire of shared meanings. It starts by analyzing conservative, liberal and multicultural projects dealing with cultural difference, arguing that since they consider difference as diversity, they are not able answer, as intended, to the demands of a multicultural society. Besides these projects, this article also analyzes perspectives on translation and dialogue between cultures, relaying mainly on the contributions of Santos and Burbules. Thus, the present work acknowledges the incommensurability of cultures but refutes present-day fragmented descriptions, taking sides in favor of negotiating the question of cultural difference. With such purpose, Bhabha's notion of ambivalence, as well as that of homogeneity, advocated by Laclau and Mouffe, Hall and Bhabha himself, is put forward. In this way, it tries to build a postcolonial agenda for thinking the difference

Keywords : EDUCATIONAL POLICIES; MULTICULTURALISM; CULTURE; EDUCATION.