The Jesuit educational tradition has existed for more than 450 years, and today, there are more than 150 Jesuit primary and secondary schools in North and Latin America. Jesuit Education at the Crossroads tackles the lack of research on these schools by bringing together scattered studies and asking experts on the issues about the current challenges for Jesuit education. The landscape pictured by this collection of essays suggests that Jesuit primary and secondary education is at a historical moment, analogous to a crossroads. After a crisis between the 1960s and '80s, these schools were consolidated, establishing themselves in national and international networks. But the twenty-first century has brought new challenges. For instance, the secularization of culture is demanding an update of the Jesuit educational project; leadership is rapidly shifting from Jesuits to lay men and women, with multiple issues at stake; and researchers and policymakers are asking new questions about the role of these schools and school networks for equity and inclusion in each region. The book touches on these and other points that will be very relevant for all who are interested in the Jesuit educational tradition.

About the Author

Juan Cristobal Garcia-Huidobro, S.J. is president of the Chilean Network of Jesuit and Ignatian Schools.

Reviews

One could argue the Jesuit Education has always been at the crossroads, but the only possibility to choose the right road is to understand how it got there and where it wants to go... This book provides inspiring (and some highly controversial) analysis and research that will certainly boost discussion, research and better educational practices.

-- Jose A. Mesa, Secretary for Education, Society of Jesus

Jesuit education is interesting in and of itself, and Jesuit Education at the Crossroads provides a fascinating set of windows into its contemporary practice. But the volume will also be of interest to a broad audience because the contributors show how Jesuit education has conceptual insights and innovative practices to offer both secular and religious schools. Educators across many countries increasingly focus on social, ethical, and spiritual aspects of young people's development, and the Jesuit schools described in this collection embody insights into a whole person development that are widely applicable. The editors argue convincingly that Jesuit education confronts distinctive challenges and opportunities at this historical moment. I would encourage educators and policymakers to learn more about both current and emerging practices in Jesuit education, because this rich tradition has much to offer.

-- Stanton Wortham, Dean of the Lynch School of Education at Boston College

Jesuit Education at the Crossroads: Discussions on Contemporary Jesuit Primary and Secondary Schools in North and Latin America is packed with data, research, and interpretations about Jesuit education's way of proceeding at this historical moment and the differences between and among cultures and countries in what the Jesuit world would like to see as One America. The editor, Juan Cristobal Garcia-Huidobro, has gathered a wide, but representative scholarship placing the reader "at the crossroads." This work signifies a major contribution to updated scholarship on Jesuit primary and secondary education. Well done.

-- Robert Reiser, Executive Director of the Jesuit Schools Network of Canada and the United States



Book Information
ISBN 9781793604132
Author Juan Cristobal Garcia-Huidobro
Format Hardback
Page Count 312
Imprint Lexington Books
Publisher Lexington Books
Weight(grams) 694g
Dimensions(mm) 228mm * 160mm * 26mm