Multiculture and interculturality: implications of a lack in education

Abstract

This is a theoretical reflection from the sociological and anthropological perspectives of education, sustained in the focuses of multiculture and interculturality. The presentation is based on several studies carried out in the student residence at Universidad de Cienfuegos, in the Center-South of Cuba. They have combined quantitative and qualitative analysis, considering social, demographic variables and indexes related to satisfaction with access to culture, health, social life mediated by social class and sociocultural structure, which distinguishes specificities in the cultural biography of individuals and groups. Importance was attributed to the meanings given to the residence as a relevant space for educational life, the perceptions of the multiple and diverse relationships between the groups in it, as well as the levels of dialogues in the academic, scientific, and social fields. Several documents were analysed, and observations, questionnaires and depth interviews were conducted. From this context, the implications of the theoretical deficit in the educational management of the university residence have emerged. Such deficit limits the educational project in terms of curriculum development aimed at a more coherent socialization process. It is concluded that the lack of theoretical perspectives in higher education led the political view to occupy the first interpretation of the process, expressed in solidarity actions, and even when concrete and important results in the number of graduates are evidenced, the formative process was limited in terms of deep dialogue, cultural socialization to achieve unity among diversity.