Κοινωνιολογία, εκπαίδευση και ανοικτότητα: μία ερμηνευτική προσέγγιση

Abstract

This article attempts to interpret openness in the light of the Sociology of Education, in order to lay the foundations for its understanding and possible adoption by educational systems. Sociologists of Education, almost half a century earlier, set – unwittingly – the first theoretical presuppositions of openness. Focusing on the two main representatives of the Sociology of Education, Pierre Bourdieu and Basil Bernstein, this article links openness to Bourdieu's habitus and the factors of openness to the so-called fields. The major findings of the research demonstrate that Sociologists of Education, in explaining the ills of school and higher education in their time, have come to timeless conclusions that can be taken into account in defining, interpreting and applying openness in the modern era. The modern globalised societies of the 21^st century require education systems to open up to support democracy, equity and human rights. Openness, therefore, as a policy and philosophy, is now a prerequisite and has the potential to respond to the challenges that education faces over time. However, defining and interpreting openness and, by extension, its practical application, are difficult and time-consuming tasks, as it is influenced by many factors related to the social context in question.