Introduction

Abstract

Multicultural education is still a contested concept. Definitions and conceptualizations vary both within and across countries (Banks 2009; Grant and Portera 2011; Gundara 2015). It even evolves over time, adding new concepts and ideas to its original meanings (May and Sleeter 2010; Wright et al. 2012). Despite such complexity, few would disagree that envisioning and implementing an inclusive education toward social justice and equity for all children regardless of their cultural group memberships is an integral part of multicultural education. Also, multicultural education is often understood as an important tool to equip all future citizens with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to live in a culturally diverse society. Most educational policies that are based on or influenced by multicultural principles valorize cultural diversity as a way of creating a new form of social unity for a democratic society. Multicultural education, in such a broad sense, has emerged as an important policy issue in an increasing number of countries around the world (Cha et al. 2012; Sutton 2005).