Navigating Value Education in Multicultural Societies: Insights from Isaiah Berlin's Theory of Value Pluralism

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Abstract

In contemporary multicultural societies, value education must establish a robust ethical foundation to help students understand and manage diverse value conflicts while fostering social cohesion. This paper argues that Isaiah Berlin's theory of value pluralism, in contrast to monism, relativism, or determinism, offers a compelling ethical framework for designing and implementing value education. Berlin's theory acknowledges the existence of diverse and often conflicting values, emphasizing the need to respect and understand this irreducible plurality. Accordingly, school-based value education should reinforce humanistic principles, build a core value consensus, respect cultural differences, promote exploration of identity, and enrich students' value-based experiences. These efforts collectively enhance students’ ethical reasoning and capacity to navigate pluralistic societies.

Authors

• Xuan Tang, The University of Sydney

• Tian Fu, Capital Normal University