Kursbuch 193

It is considered a universal solution for almost every challenge of our time. Today, it holds the status of a civil, if not human, right. All the more astonishing is the stagnation of the recurring discussions about education. It is a topic for this course book. Education is spoken of, especially since humanity's essence is questioned without it. Education should be the force that makes a person what they truly are. Not without reason are educational qualifications at least as suitable for social distinction as material possessions or an elegant appearance. The expectations are therefore high – and since they are so high, education is regarded as the most powerful tool for solving global problems – at least neither money nor beauty suffice if they are not enriched with education and its benefits. This course book does not contradict that – how could it? It is aimed at an educated readership. However, it acknowledges that the world’s problems are still unsolved and that the radical expansion of the education system over the past 250 years has rather produced more of the known issues. It also takes into account the question of why educational discourses repeatedly gain momentum and then ultimately lead nowhere. And why they strangely resemble each other more than the enthusiasm of education reformers might suggest. With contributions from Konrad Paul Liessmann, Georg von Wallwitz, Heinz-Elmar Tenorth, Heiner Barz, Markus Rieger-Ladich, Armin Nassehi, Gerhard Roth, Ralph Schumacher, and Elsbeth Stern.