Fundamentalisms, Interculturality and Educational Processes. Building Bridges Instead of Walls

Abstract

This work presents different fundamentalisms which are gathering strength in our societies and their consequences, which favor rejection attitudes and behaviors against people considered different, threaten the human rights and the construction of the relations of acceptance and respect among different social groups. Its objective is to deepen the concept of fundamentalism and identify different types. It also proposes a position in front of this problem to promote a plural society and a democratic and intercultural citizenship education. This work integrates the research project about Interculturality, Ecology  of  Knowledge, and Educational  Practices,  developed  by  the  Study  Group  on  Daily  Life,  Education,  and Culture of the Department of Education of Catholic Pontifical University of Rio de Janeiro  (PUC-Rio), with the financial support of the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq). This work is arranged in two parts. In the first part, there is an approach about what is fundamentalism, its origin and plural variety in the contemporaneity. From this context, in the second part, some educational strategies are presented to

build bridges of dialogue and mutual acceptance among individuals and social-cultural and ethnic groups, instead of building walls of hate, rejection and discrimination. Conclusions present some considerations to deconstruct the fundamentalisms by claiming human rights and intercultural citizenship.