Thinking outside the (school)box: Bolivian perspectives and practices of intra-/intercultural and plurilingual education

Joetta Zoetelief

Mieke Lopes Cardozo

Abstract

In a world of continuous interrelations between different cultures and languages, the theme of interculturality is vital and is in large part regarded as a task of education. In Bolivia, where indigenous peoples claim recognition and representation of their cultures and languages, the debate on intercultural education is alive more than ever, particularly since in 2006 a new Plurinational government was installed. Under the presidency of Evo Morales, the first indigenous president of the country, in 2010 a new educational law named ‘Avelino Siñani-Elizardo Pérez’ (ASEP) was accepted. This ‘decolonising education law’ promotes education that is intracultural, intercultural and plurilingual for a society of ‘Vivir Bien’ (to Live Well), and strives for a more equal economic distribution, better recognition of cultural diversity and political representation for groups that historically were excluded from participation. (Future) teachers are envisioned as strategic political actors of change in these transformations. Taking Fraser’s (2005) social justice framework as starting point, this paper seeks to critically explore the role intercultural education and (future) teachers as agents of intercultural education (can) play in contributing to a society of ‘Vivir Bien’. It aims to contribute to the wider debate on the complex and contradictory role of education in conflict and social justice and how it can work to reproduce or amplify inequality, exclusion and social polarization or, conversely, contribute to social justice (North 2008; Dyer 2010; Davies 2005 as cited in Dyer 2010). As such, it aims to locate Bolivian debates on intra-/intercultural and plurilingual education within the broader academic debates on this topic. In addition, the paper exemplifies how such progressive educational visions – that envision education in a different way (or ‘out of the traditional school-box’) – are met with partly enabling and partly restricting educational environments.

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Roy Huijsmans