thehistoricalevolutionofdevelopmenteducationandthe（11页）.docVIP

The Historical Evolution of Development Education and the Study of the Interdependencies in the Promotion of Active Citizenship at Third Level in Central America Felipe Revollo, Ph.D. M.Sc. Development Education Research Network (DERN) – Irish Aid National University of Ireland, Galway I. Introduction This paper analyzes the term “Development Education” (DE) which currently is used in many Central American universities and based on multiple concepts and thematic orientations stemming from a series of socio-political and economic events that occurred worldwide in the last 40 years, with the aim of better understanding its origins, meanings, context of usage, and ongoing historical evolution. Although many of the interpretations of the concept DE are based on different institutional priorities and generational tendencies focused on a sometimes fragmented understanding of the word “development” (e.g. assistencialism, peace education, human rights, environment, sustainability, civic engagement, global citizenship, etc.), this document reminds us that social systems or “wholes” are much more than the highly specialized study of one or two of their components or the simple sum of their parts. In this regard, the apparently ‘invisible’ relations or ‘interdependencies’ between a series of constitutive elements of a conceptual system or global structure will be critically examined to promote a more holistic and interdisciplinary vision of DE at third level encouraging people at the same time towards action for a more just and equal society. II. Lack of Consensus on the Conceptual Definition of DE A wide range of ideas about what is meant by Development Education have been generated, articulated and modified over the years, but in general terms it could be said that DE “…describes a wide range of formal and non-formal education activities, including environmental, peace, human rights and multicultural education and there is some resistance to attempts to label