Mary Bushnell Greiner

Since the 1930s, scholars in the social foundations of education have influenced the field of education in two major ways: through professional preparation and development of teachers and school leaders, and through critically analyzing the social contexts of education, teaching, and learning. This scholarship applies multidisciplinary perspectives and uses democratic ideals as a framework for interpreting and evaluating educational institutions. The first two parts of this volume present the theoretical lenses used to study the social contexts, including long-established foundation disciplines such as sociology of education and philosophy of education as well as newer theoretical perspectives such as critical race theory, post-colonial studies, feminist educational theory, environmental studies, and cultural studies in education. The rest of the book demonstrates these approaches in applied research, examining such contemporary phenomena as globalization, media, popular culture, technology, youth culture, and schooling. This groundbreaking volume helps readers understand the history, evolution, and significance of this wide-ranging, often misunderstood, and increasingly important field of study.