Educating Diversity: Policy Design, Cultural Recognition, and Educational Justice in Plural Societies

Authors

  • Narendra Maheswara IPB University Author
  • Putri Kania Tisnawati Universitas Pasundan Author
  • Mohd Rayyan Fattah Abd Malik Universiti Malaya Author
  • Omar Fawzi University of Cairo Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.65815/xgh4dz77

Keywords:

Multicultural Education, Educational Justice, Cultural Recognition, Education Policy, Plural Societies

Abstract

Increasing cultural diversity poses significant challenges for education systems, particularly in plural societies where social cohesion and equality remain contested. This article examines how education policies address cultural diversity and recognition, focusing on the relationship between policy design and educational justice. Using Indonesia as a contextual case, the study explores how multicultural principles are articulated in formal education policies and how they operate in practice. Although policies emphasize tolerance, inclusivity, and national unity, their implementation often marginalizes minority identities through standardized curricula and administrative uniformity. The findings reveal that cultural recognition in education is frequently symbolic rather than substantive, failing to address power asymmetries and social exclusion experienced by minority groups. This article argues that educational justice in multicultural societies requires policies that move beyond formal inclusion toward meaningful recognition of cultural difference. By linking education policy with broader debates on justice and recognition, this study contributes to international discussions on diversity governance in education.

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Published

2025-10-31

How to Cite

Educating Diversity: Policy Design, Cultural Recognition, and Educational Justice in Plural Societies. (2025). Indonesian Education Policy and Justice Review, 2(4), 1-30. https://doi.org/10.65815/xgh4dz77