Graff offers an insightful and down-to-earth perspective on the conflicts about “political correctness,” multiculturalism, and the humanities canon in our educational system. The author argues that these educational conflicts are a sign of the health and intellectual vitality of American higher education, not a sign of decline and disintegration—but the conflicts need to be used creatively. Graff suggests that the best solution to current conflicts over culture is to make them part of the object of study, using them as a new kind of organizing principle to give the curriculum clarity and focus. He asserts that teachers need to take strong positions on controversial questions and then invite students to argue these issues. Once students enter the debate, they can see the connections between different interpretations, ideas, and values and make better sense of their education and the culturally diverse world in which they live.
214 pp. 1992. W.W. Norton. College. ISBN 0-393-03424-0.
No. 02832