Introduction: Multicultural education research in Asia Pacific

Over the last decades, various perspectives of multicultural education have been developed or proposed by academics and research communities. In this regard, Banks (2014) summarizes that multicultural education has been viewed variously as an idea, a concept, a reform movement, and/or a process (p. 1). Such diverse notions of multicultural education reflect different socio-cultural, religious, linguistic, and political contexts shaping multicultural education issues. Alongside this multiplicity of understandings of multicultural education, we believe that there are universal elements or common features that inform us about multicultural education. That is, we view multicultural education as a “field” where scholars and researchers strive to (re)construct the value of social justice, diversity, equity, and human rights through educational discourses and policies that appreciate cultural differences among both individuals and groups. As such, we also view multicultural education research as a research field that aims to 1) scrutinize inequality, discrimination, and injustice, which are often institutionalized in schools and permeate into our everyday lives; and 2) develop ideas, practices, and policies related to multicultural education (e.g., multicultural literacy, sensitivity, competence, perspectives) that help us to live together with others. In line with this scholarly view, this handbook aims to embody our understanding of multicultural education in the context of Asia Pacific in particular.