Utopianism and Education

Authors

  • Edward Wynne Edward Wynne is a professor at the College of Education, University of Illinois at Chicago Circle

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11575/jet.v10i3.43726

Abstract

Useful decisions about social policy must rest on a vision of where society is, and should be tending. Without such a vision, policy becomes a congerie of adhoe determinations, with each action undermining the other. Despite this need for vision, it is still desirable to consider the term utopian as a pejorative word. The word means establishing impossibly high standards of attainment. And impossible standards are not necessarily a spur to achievements. They can also be the source of disillusionment and cynicism, and stimulate unrealistic and unhistorical planning. In other words, applying utopian visions to the solution of real problems can be destructive.

Published

2018-05-11

Issue

Section

Articles