Education Policy and Equal Opportunity in Japan / / Akito Okada.

• Superior document: Title is part of eBook package: De Gruyter Berghahn Books Complete eBook-Package 2000-2013
• VerfasserIn: Okada, Akito,
• Place / Publishing House: New York ;, Oxford : : Berghahn Books, , [2011]; ©2011
• Year of Publication: 2011
• Language: English
• Series: Asia-Pacific Studies: Past and Present ; 4
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (218 p.)

In many societies today, educational aims or goals are commonly characterized in terms of “equality,” “equal opportunity,” “equal access” or “equal rights,” the underlying assumption being that “equality” in some form is an intelligible and sensible educational ideal. Yet, there are different views and lively debates about what sort of equality should be pursued; in particular, the issue of equality of educational opportunity has served as justification for much of the postwar restructuring of educational systems around the world. The author explores different interpretations of the concept of equality of educational opportunity in Japan, especially as applied to post-World War II educational policies. By focusing on the positions taken by key actors such as the major political parties, central administrative bodies, teachers’ unions, and scholars, he describes how their concepts have developed over time and in what way they relate to the making of educational policy, especially in light of Japan’s falling birthrate and aging society.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter -- CONTENTS -- FIGURES AND TABLES -- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS -- NOTES ON STYLE -- JAPANESE TERMS -- ABBREVIATIONS -- INTRODUCTION -- 1 THE INITIAL APPLICATION OF EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO THE EDUCATION SYSTEM IN JAPAN, 1868–1944 -- 2 THE INITIAL POSITION OF THE CONCEPT OF EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN EDUCATION, 1945–1950 -- 3 THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW PERSPECTIVE ON EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN EDUCATION, 1951–1959 -- 4 THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONCEPT OF EQUAL OPPORTUNITY UNDER THE HIGH ECONOMIC GROWTH PERIOD, 1960S–1970S -- 5 FROM HUMAN CAPITAL TO MARKET VALUES IN EDUCATION, 1980S–PRESENT DAY -- 6 EDUCATIONAL REFORM AND EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY IN CONTEMPORARY JAPAN -- CONCLUSION -- Appendix 1 THE JAPANESE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN 1937 -- Appendix 2 THE JAPANESE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN THE 1980S -- Appendix 3 THE JAPANESE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN 2008 -- BIBLIOGRAPHY -- INDEX