INTERCULTURALISM AND ITS EDUCATIONAL CONNOTATIONS: IN SEARCH OF ACADEMIC PARADIGMS

Abstract

The article deals with the constant presence of the human factor in the process of intercultural dialogue
with the outside world, which stems from its right to conduct and proclaim their views. Constitutive feature
of modern, humanitarian oriented reality is an ever wider understanding of man as a subject who has the full
right to a separate, individual point of view, a subjective view of the world and of himself. As a result, there
is an ontological and epistemological discourse realized in the perspective of individual communicative spaces
within the framework of accepted practices in society. This process displays recognition of ambiguity, localization
and multiplicity of a partial perspective, recognition of life without fundamental ideas of the Reason, Progress
and Autonomy. This situation implies the presence of peculiar ambiguity in the surrounding person of reality.
Subjective review of it occurs at the level of dichotomy and diversity.
The functioning of man in the intercultural dimension is of particular importance in the analysed context.
A modern person forms his individual identity in a world of changing cultures, in which the integration tendencies
coexist with those that create a sense of autonomy, cultural isolation or sovereignty. The term culture itself has
become unusually inclusive. In the formation of its definition we remove certain of its constitutive attributes
in order to emphasize the continuity of the process of occurrence and outline by the subjects of its identity, as well
as discussion of the recognition of the latter. On the basis of such a clear culture, the category of multiculturalism
is based. It relates to all phenomena and processes characteristic of the modern world, in which we deal
with heterogeneous social groups and spheres, “saturated” with colorful and diverse mix of values, patterns
and symbols derived from different cultural traditions or various cultural systems.
Based on the study of critical literature, additional levels of personality development with a special emphasis
on educational connotation are envisaged, including, in particular, the following components: equity and equality,
the process of comprehension of teaching and learning, the general school climate, global cooperation
for the benefit of the environment and the training of competition in conditions of the global economy, etc.