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Dilemmas of a Successful People's Education Movement in India.
Government policies of developing nati.ons to stimulate economic development do not necessarily improve the living conditions of their citizens, most of whom are economically poor and politically powerless. A major criticism of attempts by most Western and national governments to promote development...
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| Format: | Printed Book |
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1989
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| Online Access: | http://10.26.1.76/ks/004706.pdf |
| Summary: | Government policies of developing nati.ons to
stimulate economic development do not necessarily improve the living
conditions of their citizens, most of whom are economically poor and
politically powerless. A major criticism of attempts by most Western
and national governments to promote development is that they serve
only the elite. This study of the Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad
(KSSP) discusses the limitations and potential of a popular education
movement in India. The KSSP, which translates into "Kerala Science
Literature Society," was begun in 1962 to make scientific knowledge
available to the people in the language of the state. Growth in
membership has been accompanied by an increasing involvement with
left-wing political activists. Dilemmas facing the KSSP are conflicts
between Marxist and middle-class leadership over definition of "the
people" and "science" and the relationship of science to religion and
to the state. Lessons that can be learned from the KSSP movement
demonstrate: the importance of an independent, sufficient financial
base; leadership dedication to original objectives; a large "critical
mass" of volunteers; less organizational hierarchy; recruitment of
the elite; alliance with other organizations; and utilization of the
arts as information disseminators. Despite its problems, the KSSP
provides an innovative, indigenous model for mass educational reform. |
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| Item Description: | Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Comparative and International Education Society (Cambridge, MA, March 31-April 2, 1989). |