Chapter 18: Tolerance Education and Human Rights Education in Times of Fear: A Comparative Perspective

This chapter presents some findings of a comparative case study carried out within the framework of the International Network “Education for Democracy, Human Rights and Tolerance” of the Bertelsmann Foundation. The network consists of several NGOs, scientists, and experts from different countries in West and East Europe, Israel, Philippines, South America, and the United States. The aim of bringing together this international group was to provide an infrastructure and build a platform for intercultural exchange, projects, and research on issues of tolerance education. Organizations from 10 countries, although working in very different situations, found that they were linked by a common concern to explore the potential of education to foster nonviolence. Especially in times of conflict, the question arises: Is it possible to promote tolerance,democracy, and human rights through education? The project, “Tolerance Matters” (1998-2003), identifies fundamental issues in the field of education for democracy, human rights, and tolerance. The case studies examine educational responses in a wide range of cultural, social, and economic contexts. Set against an analytical framework that allows for comparison, the case studies explore the complexities, challenges, and opportunities inherent in attempting to use education as a mechanism for fostering understanding and tolerance. This unique collection of case studies offers a cross and intercultural approach to the issue of education for democracy. The hope was that this process would help to uncover some of the questions and concerns that are common to groups working on education for tolerance in different contexts or cultures. In the longer term this might contribute to progress on the identification of fundamental questions about the role of education in situations of cultural, political, or religious division (Dunn, Fritzsche, & Morgan, 2003a, 2003b).