“Unequal diversity” as a knowledge alliance: An encounter of Paulo Freire's dialogical approach and transdisciplinarity

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this self‐reflective paper is to focus on practical efforts to combat inequality and foster intercultural dialogue in education. It introduces “knowledge alliances”, a type of social practice open for education technologies.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is structured in a theoretical and an empirical part. The theoretical part ledge production is divided in two sections: the first one summarizes transdisciplinarity and Paulo Freire's dialogical pedagogy as two innovative approaches to knowledge sharing, production and appropriation. In the second section knowledge alliances are presented as innovative forms of lasting learning and research partnerships. The empirical part presents a case study and discusses the potential and limits of this specific knowledge alliance.

Findings

The paper demonstrates the importance of a partnership approach to combat inequality and discrimination. Knowledge alliance is a normative as well as an analytical concept to grasp the dynamics of lasting and transdisciplinary cooperation. For multicultural education, their implementation can be supported by learning technologies.

Research limitations/implications

The paper is a self‐reflection on a lasting learning and research cooperation which offers deep insights into practical challenges. The limitations of these socially innovative practices are the lack of ex‐ante scientific rigor.

Practical implications

The paper argues in favour of lasting cooperation.

Social implications

The paper shows the necessity to link practice and theory in knowledge alliances which last beyond the single project.

Originality/value

The paper introduces the term knowledge alliances and the related normative and analytical implications.

Citation

Novy, A. (2012), "“Unequal diversity” as a knowledge alliance: An encounter of Paulo Freire's dialogical approach and transdisciplinarity", Multicultural Education & Technology Journal, Vol. 6 No. 3, pp. 137-148. https://doi.org/10.1108/17504971211253985