Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Politicizing Mathematics Education: Has Politics Gone too Far? Or Not Far Enough?

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Theories of Mathematics Education

Part of the book series: Advances in Mathematics Education ((AME))

Abstract

In this chapter we tackle increasingly sensitive questions in mathematics and mathematics education, particularly those that have polarized the community into distinct schools of thought as well as impacted reform efforts. We attempt to address the following questions:

  • What are the origins of politics in mathematics education, with the progressive educational movement of Dewey as a starting point?

  • How can critical mathematics education improve the democratization of society?

  • What role, if any, does politics play in mathematics education, in relation to assessment, research and curricular reform?

  • How is the politicization of mathematics education linked to policy on equity, equal access and social justice?

  • Is the politicization of research beneficial or damaging to the field?

  • Does the philosophy of mathematics (education) influence the political orientation of policy makers, researchers, teachers and other stake holders?

  • What role does technology play in pushing society into adopting particular views on teaching and learning and mathematics education in general?

  • What does the future bear for mathematics as a field, when viewed through the lens of equity and culture?

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Anyon, J. (1980). Social class and the hidden curriculum of work. Journal of Education, 162, 67–92.

    Google Scholar 

  • Benacerraf, P., & Putnam, H. (1964). Philosophy of Mathematics: Selected Readings. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Borgmann, A. (1984). Technology and the Character of Contemporary Life. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brantlinger, E. (2003). Dividing Classes: How the Middle Class Negotiates and Rationalizes School Advantage. London: Routledge Falmer Press, Taylor and Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burton, L. (2004). Mathematicians as Enquirers: Learning about Learning Mathematics. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Calfee, R. (2006). Educational psychology in the 21st century. In P. A. Alexander & P. H. Winne (Eds.), Handbook of Educational Psychology (2nd ed., pp. 29–42). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carey, D. A., Fennema, E., Carpenter, T. P., & Franke, M. L. (1995). Equity and mathematics education. In W. G. Secada (Ed.), New Directions for Equity in Mathematics Education (pp. 93–125). London, UK: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carslaw, H. S. (1924). The story of Mercator’s map. The Mathematical Gazette, 12(168), 1–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chipman, S. (1996). Female participation in the study of mathematics: The U.S. situation. In G. Hanna (Ed.), Towards Gender Equity in Mathematics Education (pp. 285–296). New York: Springer Science.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark, B. (1997). Social ideologies and gifted education in today’s schools. Peabody Journal of Education, 72(3&4), 81–100.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D’Ambrosio, U. (1990). The role of mathematics education in building a democratic and just society. For the Learning of Mathematics, 10(3), 20–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • D’Ambrosio, U. (1994a). Cultural framing of mathematics teaching and learning. In R. Biehler et al. (Eds.), Didactics of Mathematics as a Scientific Discipline (pp. 443–455). Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • D’Ambrosio, U. (1994b). On environmental mathematics education. Zentralblatt für Didaktik der Mathematik, 94(6), 171–174.

    Google Scholar 

  • D’Ambrosio, U. (1997). Ethnomathematics and its place in the history and pedagogy for mathematics. In A. B. Powell & M. Frankenstein (Eds.), Ethnomathematics: Challenging Eurocentrism in Mathematics Education (pp. 13–24). New York, NY: SUNY Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • D’Ambrosio, U. (1998). Mathematics and peace: Our responsibilities. Zentralblatt für Didaktik der Mathematik, 98(3), 67–73.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D’Ambrosio, U. (1999). Literacy, matheracy, and technoracy: A trivium for today. Mathematical Thinking and Learning, 1(2), 131–153.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D’Ambrosio, U. (2007). Peace, social justice and ethnomathematics. In B. Sriraman (Ed.), International Perspectives on Social Justice in Mathematics Education. The Montana Mathematics Enthusiast, Monograph 1 (pp. 25–34).

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis, P. J., & Hersh, R. (1980). The Mathematical Experience. Boston, MA: Birkhäuser.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ernest, P. (1988). The impact of beliefs on the teaching of mathematics. Paper prepared for ICME VI, Budapest, Hungary.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ernest, P. (1991). The Philosophy of Mathematics Education. London: Falmer Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freire, P. (1998). Pedagogy of Freedom: Ethics, Democracy, and Civic Courage. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greer, B. (2008). Critical notice on the national mathematics advisory panel. The Montana Mathematics Enthusiast, 5(2&3), 365–428.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gutstein, E. (2006). Reading and Writing the World with Mathematics: Toward a Pedagogy for Social Justice. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gutstein, E. (2008). The political context of the national mathematics advisory panel. The Montana Mathematics Enthusiast, 5(2&3), 415–422.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gutstein, E. (2009). The politics of mathematics education in the US: Dominant and counter agendas. In B. Greer, S. Mukhopadhyay, A. Powell, & S. Nelson-Barber (Eds.), Culturally Responsive Mathematics Education (pp. 137–164). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haynes, R. M., & Chalker, D. M. (1998). The making of a world-class elementary school. Principal, 77, 5–6, 8–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hersh, R. (1991). Mathematics has a front and a back. New directions in the philosophy of mathematics. Synthese, 88(2), 127–133.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herzig, A. H. (2002). Where have all the students gone? Participation of doctoral students in authentic mathematical activity as a necessary condition for persistence toward the Ph.D. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 50, 177–212.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hill, H. C., Rowan, B., & Ball, D. (2005). Effects of teachers’ mathematical knowledge for teaching on student achievement. American Educational Research Journal, 42(2), 371–406.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hodgkinson, H. (1991). Reform versus reality. Phi Delta Kappan, 73, 8–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Joseph, C. C. (1997). Foundations of Eurocentrism in mathematics. In A. B. Powell & M. Frankenstein (Eds.), Ethnomathematics: Challenging Eurocentrism in Mathematics Education (pp. 13–24). New York, NY: SUNY Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kim, K. E. (2005). Learning from each other: Creativity in East Asian and American education. Creativity Research Journal, 17(4), 337–347.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lakatos, I. (1976). Proofs and Refutations. Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin, B. (1997). Mathematics and social interests. In A. B. Powell & M. Frankenstein (Eds.), Ethnomathematics: Challenging Eurocentrism in Mathematics Education (pp. 13–24). New York, NY: SUNY Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin, D. (2008). E(race)ing race from a national conversation on mathematics teaching and learning: The national mathematics advisory panel as white institutional space. The Montana Mathematics Enthusiast, 5(2&3), 387–398.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moreno, L., & Trigo, M. S. (2008). Democratic access to powerful mathematics in a developing country. In L. English (Ed.), Handbook of International Research in Mathematics Education (2nd ed.). Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum and Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parent, D. G., Leiter, V., Kennedy, S., Livens, L., Wentworth, D., & Wilcox, S. (1994). Conditions of Confinement: Juvenile Detention and Corrections Facilities. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

    Google Scholar 

  • Powell, A. B., & Frankenstein, M. (1997a). Uncovering distorted and hidden history of mathematical knowledge. In A. B. Powell & M. Frankenstein (Eds.), Ethnomathematics: Challenging Eurocentrism in Mathematics Education (pp. 51–60). New York, NY: SUNY Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Powell, A. B., & Frankenstein, M. (1997b). Reconsidering what counts. In A. B. Powell & M. Frankenstein (Eds.), Ethnomathematics: Challenging Eurocentrism in Mathematics Education (pp. 13–24). New York, NY: SUNY Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schoenfeld, A. (2004). The math wars. Educational Policy, 18(1), 253–286.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schoenfeld, A. (2006). In P. A. Alexander & P. H. Winne (Eds.), Handbook of Educational Psychology (2nd ed., pp. 479–510). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seymour, E. (1995). The loss of women from science, mathematics and engineering undergraduate majors: An explanatory account. Science Education, 79(4), 437–473.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seymour, E., & Hewitt, N. M. (1997). Talking About Leaving: Why Undergraduates Leave the Sciences. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skemp, R. (1987). The Psychology of Learning Mathematics. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum and Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skovsmose, O. (1997). Critical mathematics education: Some philosophical remarks. The Royal Danish School of Educational Studies, Copenhagen (Denmark). Dept. of Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Informatics. 12 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skovsmose, O. (2004). Mathematics: Insignificant? Philosophy of Mathematics Education Journal, 18, 19 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skovsmose, O. (2005). Kritisk matematikkundervisning—for fremtiden Tangenten. Tidsskrift for Matematikkundervisning, 16(3), 4–11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sriraman, B., & Törner, G. (2008). Political union/mathematics education disunion: Building bridges in European didactic traditions. In L. English (Ed.), Handbook of International Research in Mathematics Education (2nd ed., pp. 656–690). London: Routledge, Taylor and Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spring, J. (2006). Pedagogies of globalization. Pedagogies: An International Journal, 1(2), 105–122.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sriraman, B. (2008). International Perspectives on Social Justice in Mathematics Education. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sriraman, B., & Steinthorsdottir, O. (2007). Emancipatory and social justice perspectives in mathematics education. Interchange: A Quarterly Review of Education, 38(2), 195–202.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sriraman, B., & Steinthorsdottir, O. (2009). Social justice and mathematics education: Issues, dilemmas, excellence and equity. In P. Ernest, B. Greer, & B. Sriraman (Eds.), Critical Issues in Mathematics Education (pp. 319–336). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walkerdine, V. (1997). Daddy’s Girl: Young Girls and Popular Culture. London: Macmillan. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mathematical Sciences, The University of Montana, Missoula, USA

    Bharath Sriraman & Matt Roscoe

  2. School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia

    Lyn English

Authors
  1. Bharath Sriraman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Matt Roscoe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Lyn English
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bharath Sriraman .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Mathematical Sciences, University of Montana-Missoula, Missoula, 59812-0864, U.S.A.

    Bharath Sriraman

  2. Centre for Learning Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove, 4059, Australia

    Lyn English

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Sriraman, B., Roscoe, M., English, L. (2010). Politicizing Mathematics Education: Has Politics Gone too Far? Or Not Far Enough?. In: Sriraman, B., English, L. (eds) Theories of Mathematics Education. Advances in Mathematics Education. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-00742-2_58

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-00742-2_58

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-00741-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-00742-2

  • eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and LawEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation