ABSTRACT
In the contemporary rethinking of educational philosophies, educators who have moved into “postmodern” and “poststructuralist” paradigms are increasingly challenging paradigms informed by Marxist-inspired “critical theory.” This coincides with the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s, which has accelerated the rethinking of socialist views of the world. This chapter examines the practical implications of this rethinking for issues of quality and equality in education. It considers some of the strengths and weaknesses of socially critical theory and practice in education, explores some of the emerging systems of postmodern/ postcolonial thought, and reflects how new or syncretic theoretical perspectives might affect education practices. For this chapter, I have chosen two examples of educational problems within a Caribbean context as practical referents for discussing various perspectives from which to analyse educational reform.
