The challenge: to say ‘something anthropological’ about schools

Abstract

The contribution analyses the complex and contradictory role of the school as a social institution. It explores different interpretations of schooling as a social lift, cultural barrier and frontier of encounter between cultures. The political and social implications of mass schooling in the context of globalisation are highlighted. Through an ethnographic perspective, the relationships between schools and cultural minorities are examined, highlighting the dynamics of resistance, negotiation and identity building in different educational contexts. In conclusion, the importance of considering school as a place of conflict and transformation is emphasised. Schools are places where social and cultural inequalities are reflected and translated into both emancipatory and repressive educational practices.