Rekindling the vision of integration : cherishing critical voices

Abstract

Editorial: Honouring our tradition of at least one special edition a year, in this, our first and only general issue of PiE for 2007, our readers will find the usual, wide-ranging collection of transinstitutional, transnational, transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary contributions that emulate the standard of previous volumes and that contain a number of compelling themes, which provide the starting point for interpreting educational reality. Collectively these educational inquiries from across the educational spectrum constitute an effort to comprehend education. Crafted enthusiastically and assiduously by our diverse array of contributors to create a basis for interpreting and assessing reality, they draw attention to contemporary research developments across the spectrum of educational inquiry. As I page through this issue, I feel honoured to be associated with such a stellar array of academics. Some contributions are from professionals in fields related to education, an argument which I find particularly pleasing, for education, after all, takes place in the real world. Clearly, the scourge of elitism, racism, sexism and inequality still permeates our society and it is heartening to see that these issues are being tackled head-on in an attempt to promote fully democratic participation in education. Our contributors not only attempt to promote an understanding of the nature of continuing oppressive relationships, but also attempt to provide guidelines for challenging antiracist and antisexist education.