Multicultural categories in research on teacher education: reflections from the social class, race/ethnicity and gender and sexuality

Abstract

This paper discusses how multiculturalism has been studied on teacher education research. Between the years 2000 and 2006, the articles published in the journals highly evaluated, papers presented at ANPEd and ENDIPEs were used as data source. Considering these three sources, we found 13 articles, 17 papers at ANPEd and 27 in ENDIPE. Based on the reading and analysis of the characteristics and the results found in the selected studies, it is possible to affirm that the State of Rio de Janeiro concentrates the largest number of studies on the theme: the categories of social class, race/ethnicity and gender and sexuality. When these categories are analyzed based on concepts such as difference and identity, they tend to assume a binary and essential character. It finalizes highlighting that the categories discussed are still under the aegis of a binary logic and Manichean. The results indicate that those studies are marked by complains, that is, they shows what the training does not do or does mistakenly. The multicultural perspective still has a weak presence in teacher education, and there are categories completely silenced, as, for example, the religion.

Key words: teacher education, multiculturalism, survey.