Recent trends in the theory of comparative education

Abstract

Before carrying out the description of the actual tendencies in the theory of Comparative Education the steps by which it has arrived at its present state should be remembered. The periods that Kazamias, Bereday, Noah and Eckstein have pointed out in the development of Comparative Education are mentioned concluding with those suggested by Kelly and Altbach. The author does not agree with this custom of distinguishing phases, he thinks that the evolution of Comparative Education has been effected more by concrete epistemological doctrines which have effected some tendencies in the way of conceiving and putting Comparative Education into effect. 1 Neopositivism looks for a functional explanation of reality, trying to discover the laws which explain its phenomenons. Durkheim applied this view to Sociology and Anderson has done so to Comparative Education. He tries to isolate distinct variables and to discover the constant relations that unite some to others. Within this framework Anderson utilises the hologeistic method which measures theoretical variables in worldwide samples of human cultures. This method can also be applied to education, as Zern has done, defending the idea that a good education requires the obedience and discipline of the child, which should improve its socialization and intellectual achievement. Hologeistic research has barely been tapped. If the methodological difficulties inherent in the approah can be overcome it promises to become the most important tool in Comparative Education. 2 Neomarxism is also an approach to Comparative Education with the same ideas that are being repeated everywhere: that in capitalist countries education is controlled by a privileged minority who seek by means of it to establish the division of classes and exploit the workers. The principal exponent of this theory is Carnoy; others like Wallert state that analysis has to be made at a national level. 3. Neorelativzsm is represented by B. Holmes. Distrusting the concept of absolute measurement and the unconditional validity of general laws and affirming the relationship of the Natural Sciences, it achieves a mere approximation to the problem. According to this the Social Sciences and Comparative Education have to give up pure research and carry out a search for contextual generalisations that would help to resolve the practical problems. The authorities of the new Sociology of education and tnomethodology are also following this line. This trend is not able to explain certain human necessities and requirements which reveal an invariable and universal tendency at the deepest level.