This book discusses how psychologized language has come to dominate education and schooling. It critically reviews some major constructs in education—e.g. the mind, the self, identity, emotion, emotional intelligence, motivation, culture, language and meaning—and their grounding in psychologized discourses and suggests some possible ways to overcome these psychologized discourses and remedy their consequences. The book invites readers to move away from static, reified conceptualizations to a more active, social understanding of what education is all about. 

“In this book, Bekerman and Zembylas expose the ways in which meanings and concepts of identity, culture, and mind have become reified, separating the individual from her community and molding the student into the preferred citizen in the project of state controlled mass education. On the basis of their powerful critique, the authors advocate for a cultural analysis perspective that bypasses positivist criteria and argue for a renewed pedagogy.” (Michael A. Peters, Professor of Education, University of Waikato, New Zealand) “This brilliant book outlines the ways in which outmoded and psychologized ways of thinking and doing dominate policy, practice, and research in education. The authors, who are established thought-leaders in this field, argue clearly and persuasively that this is as catastrophic as it is bewildering. Despite its trenchant critique, the book holds out a message of hope for educators everywhere.” (Hilary Cremin, Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge, UK) 

Focuses on the ways that normative language/vocabulary use works to shape students’ and teachers’ perceptions of identity and difference Challenges educators to use theory, language, and concepts to think and act differently Chapters contain dialogue between the King and the Slave who debate lively various contentious issues raised in the book

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