The Sociology of Education in Canada: Critical Perspectives Terry Wotherspoon Second Edition
Public education has been one of the central social institutions in Canada since Confederation. In this revised and updated second edition of The Sociology of Education in Canada, Terry Wotherspoon traces the historical development and organization of Canadian education, and describes sociological theories and analysis of education. Using a critical perspective, the author examines: schooling and its impact on children and youth in Canada; the roles of teachers and teaching, and how these have not changed over the years; the relationship between education and employment; how education succeeds - and fails - in its task of social reproduction; and contemporary debates over various educational options and their consequences.
Among the many topics considered are gender bias, cultural hegemony, racism, ethnicity, curricula, and Aboriginal needs. This uniquely Canadian text also includes a wide range of boxed excerpts on issues such as: the 1875 regulations for BC teachers, international perspectives on education, teachers' right to strike, adult education, and the impact of new technologies on learning. The numerous tables and figures have been updated to include the most recent census data from Statistics Canada. Terry Wotherspoon teaches in the Sociology Department, University of Saskatchewan, and has published widely on various aspects of Canadian schools and schooling. He is co-author, with Bernard Schissel, of The Legacy of School for Aboriginal People: Education, Oppression, and Emancipation (Oxford University Press, 2003).