Overview

Sociocultural environments prompt us to notice and mark certain differences over others. This book investigates five paradoxes in the discourses and practices around such differences: the paradox of mixing, standardization, narrative, proximity, and tolerance. Drawing on the notion of unit thinking, it explores how perceived differences emerge fluidly in specific contexts. Through critical analyses of race studies, language education, global education/study abroad, and volunteer/service work, the book examines how these fields build on or capitalize on pre-conceived differences. It opens up discussions for new understandings of differences that challenge essentialist framings and inform alternative practices.

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9781836953111

Table of Contents

Reviews

""True to its title, The Paradox of Difference offers fresh ways of thinking about how variances among places and groups of people are constructed and rendered meaningful and with what consequences. It is a highly considerate text; the author uses clear, precise language throughout each chapter and distills dense theoretical concepts well."" - Cori Jakubiak, Grinnell College

“True to its title, The Paradox of Difference offers fresh ways of thinking about how variances among places and groups of people are constructed and rendered meaningful and with what consequences. It is a highly considerate text; the author uses clear, precise language throughout each chapter and distills dense theoretical concepts well.” • Cori Jakubiak, Grinnell College

Author Information

Neriko Musha Doerr is Adjunct Professor at Ramapo College. Her publications include Fairies, Ghosts, and Santa Claus (Berghhahn, 2022), Transforming Study Abroad: A Handbook (Berghahn, 2020), The Global Education Effect and Japan: Constructing New Borders and Identification Practices (Routledge, 2020).

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