ABSTRACT
Concepts of civilisation and culture are frequently used to understand how humans live together from a global view. The ‘clash of civilisations’ view associated with Samuel Huntington has been most influential, while other discourses encouraging a ‘dialogue of civilisations’ have also had influence. These views paint the social world in a few broad strokes. Those writing about civilisation and culture tend to regard them as foundations for one’s view of the world. In relation, education is typically aimed in part at orienting people toward their civilisation and culture, and teaching about others. However, civilisational discourse has noteworthy limitations as an approach to viewing the social world when considered from alternative anthropological, political, and educational perspectives. This chapter critiques the place of civilisational discourse in education structuring and curriculum. In tracing the ways culture and civilisation manifest in education, it also gives a few examples of how civilisations, and in particular the clash of civilisations view, are embedded in education in different societies. Then a critique of civilisational discourse, and the clash of civilisations account, is provided.
