Handbook Overview
The Handbook brings together in one volume the major research and scholarship related to multicultural education that has developed since the field emerged in the 1960s and 1970s. Research is broadly defined in this Handbook. It includes discussions and summaries of research using experimental and quasi-experimental designs, historical and philosophical inquiry, ethnographic studies, survey research, scholarship broadly defined, and insights gained from practice. Each chapter, which is written by a leading authority, critically discusses and summarizes the research on a specific topic, as well as describe the implications of the discussion for further research, policy, and practice.
The Handbook is divided into 12 parts. Part I describes the nature, history, goals, and status of the field. The major purpose of the chapters in this section is to provide readers with a description of the way in which the field has developed historically and of its various components and dimensions. Several salient issues, trends and developments that have significant implications for teaching and learning in a multicultural society are described in Part II. The issues discussed are access and achievement in math and science; assessment, standards and equity; and multiracial families and children.
Part III focuses on research and research issues in multicultural education. The chapters in this part describe examples of research in multicultural communities and classrooms as well as guidelines for conducting sound research in the field. The ways in which knowledge is constructed is a major research topic in both feminist and ethnic studies scholarship. Part IV focuses on knowledge construction and critical studies. Critical multicultural education, which is discussed in Chapter 13, has emerged as a notable trend in the field. The chapters in Part V examine ways in which researchers have described various ethnic groups in past and contemporary research and publications.
Throughout U.S. history immigration and issues related to the education of immigrants have been enduring and significant problems. A persistent tension has existed between providing cultural freedom for immigrants and shaping a national civic culture with shared values and democratic ideals. The tension between pluribus and unum that has existed since the United States was established still exists today. The three chapters that constitute Part VI describe the historical factors related to immigration and education in the United States, and the demographic, social, and psychological factors that influence the education of immigrant students.
The challenges and opportunities of educating specific ethnic groups is the focus of Part VII. The chapters in this part describe the research, issues, and guidelines involved in educating ethnic groups of color in the past, present, and future. Effective ways to educate language minority groups and to help all students acquire second language competencies is becoming increasingly important as the percentage of students who speak a first language other than English increases in U.S. schools, colleges, and universities. The chapters in Part VIII examine the research on second language teaching and learning and describe its policy implications.
The mean academic achievements of students such as Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, American Indians, and African Americans are significantly below that of Whites. The chapters in Part IX examine, summarize, and derive policy implications from the research regarding ways to increase the academic achievement of students from diverse racial, ethnic, language, and social-class groups.
An important aim of multicultural education is to help all students– including White mainstream students–to acquire the knowledge, attitudes, and values needed to function effectively in a pluralistic democratic society. The chapters in Part X focus on intergroup education and intercultural relations. Part X opens with a chapter on the history of intergroup education in the United States. The chapters in this Part summarize research and describe guidelines for improving interracial and interethnic relations in the nation's educational institutions.
Institutions of higher education, in part because of the increasing numbers of women and students of color that have entered their doors since the 1970s, are facing tremendous challenges and opportunities in their efforts to respond effectively to these population groups and to deal with intergroup relations on campus. The chapters in Part XI summarize research in higher education that deals with students, ethnic studies, women’s studies, curriculum reform, and multicultural teacher education.
Many individuals in the United States think of multicultural education and interracial problems as unique to the US. Yet multicultural education is an international discipline and field of study. It takes unique forms in each nation, yet it shares a number of overarching issues, concepts, and paradigms cross-nationally. The chapters in Part XII describe the historical development and current status of multicultural education research and developments in Australia, the United Kingdom, and South Africa.
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Comments on the Book by Leading Scholars
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"This comprehensive and enlightening volume embraces the major research and scholarship in multicultural education---tracing historical themes that shape our contemporary views, crossing disciplinary boundaries, joining theory and practice, and provoking a new public discourse about navigating the twin goals of excellence and equity in education. The Handbook of Research on Multicultural Educaiton will surely be a valuable resource for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers." |
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– Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, Emily Hargroves Fisher Professor of Education
Harvard University |
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"I am large, I contain multitudes" boasted Walt Whitman in his celebration of the American voice and spirit, "Song of Myself." His claim applies equally well to the second edition of the Handbook of Research on Multicultural Education, ably edited by James A. Banks and Cherry A. McGee Banks. Newly revised and expanded, this volume indeed contains a multitude of voices and perspectives, providing an invaluable resource for all those interested in issues of equity and the role of education in a pluralistic democracy. |
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– Pamela Grossman, Professor of Education, Stanford University |
| “Laden with new scholarship and updated revisions of some of the earlier chapters, this carefully conceptualized second edition of the Handbook promises to be an even more indispensable resource than its highly acclaimed predecessor. It presents both depth and breath in the field and is essential reading for new scholars, established scholars, practitioners, and policy maker alike—indeed, anyone seeking equality of educational opportunities for all students.” |
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– Vanessa Siddle Walker, Professor of Education at Emory University |
| “This book is a treasure-trove for anyone who is serious about multicultural education. Parents, teachers, undergraduates, post-graduates and accomplished scholars alike will encounter ideas and arguments that are challenging, positive and based on solid research. The editors have brought together an enormous range of debate, theory and fact in a single volume that will act as both an indispensable reference tool and a catalyst to new ideas and approaches.” |
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–David Gilborn, Professor of Education at the University of London, |
| “The Handbook is the most comprehensive and up-to-date collection of major research and scholarship related to multicultural education. Every scholar and practicing educator—both in multicultural education and general education—should read it.” |
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– Ana Maria Villegas, Professor of Education at Montclair State University |
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| “ It is hard to imagine a multicultural scholar, researcher, K-12 educator or administrator who could afford not to be thoroughly conversant with the rich content of this defining Handbook. Broadened, updated, and revised, this unrivalled second edition captures the diversity and impact of essential contemporary issues such as educational standards and provides a solid foundation for anticipating future developments.” |
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– Evelyn Kalibala, Director of Social Social Studies and Multicultural Education |
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