Knowledge, Pedagogy and Society: International Perspectives on Basil Bernstein's Sociology of Education

Over the course of the late-twentieth century Basil Bernstein pioneered an original approach to educational phenomena, taking seriously questions regarding the transmission, distribution and transformation of knowledge as no other before had done. Arguing tirelessly for change, more than any other British sociologist it is Bernstein who presents to us education as a social right and not as a privilege. It is this objective today that makes his work so important.

Knowledge, Pedagogy and Society seeks to clarify the broad brushstrokes of his theories, developed over the span of more than forty years, by collecting together scholars from every corner of the globe; specialists in education, sociology and epistemology to test and examine Bernstein’s work against the backdrop of their own research. From teaching content and the social, cognitive and linguistic aspects of education, to changes in the political climate in the early twenty-first century, this collection represents an open dialogue with Bernstein’s work using a forward-looking and dynamic approach.

Originally published in French with the explicit aim of locating Basil Bernstein’s theories alongside those of Pierre Bourdieu, one of the most important European sociologists, the French editors draw together a collection that offers a diverse background and perspective on Bernstein’s work and thought. Revised to include a new preface, a new introduction and revisited papers, the English edition will be a relevant resource for anyone interested in Bernstein, his reception and importance, as well as individuals working in the sociology of education, theory of education and education policy.

Daniel Frandji is Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the National Institute of Pedagogical Research (INRP) in Lyon, France.

Philippe Vitale is Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Provence (Aix en Provence), France.