What is Educational Anthropology

The chapter argues for a synthesis of principles of constructivism with the political and legal dimensions of educational pluralism. This synthesis has been argued to give a determining and central position to pedagogies from below in the process of framing curriculum and organizing teaching learning activities in Indian schools. Constructivism and educational pluralism represent two voices which assert for relying on psychological principles and countering the dangers of political hegemony in educational landscape, respectively. They both talk about the importance of pedagogy from below as a helpful reality focused toolkit for undoing the effects of historical social inequity and breaking the hegemony of dominant class in the process of knowledge construction and dissemination. Integrative role of educational anthropologists with the help of ethnographic research on native communities across the world in developing innovative methods on how can local community knowledge be integrated into formal curriculum and pedagogic practice has been highlighted.