Inclusive education across Europe is marked by a significant number of confusions. These have arisen from practices that have been concerned with creating certainty and clarity about inclusive education, but which have produced rather different effects. In this lecture, I will explore the efforts at conceptualizing and operationalizing inclusive education and some of the confusions that have arisen as a consequence. I will consider the lack of reflection and debate on the purposes of inclusive education and consequences, then examine elements of politics and policy that have shaped the development of inclusive education, limited its emergence and added further layers of confusion.

I will suggest that the governments of European States, whilst appearing to offer continued support for inclusive education, at least at a rhetorical level, are also contributing, through their legislation and policies, to the ‘irresistible rise of the SEN industry’ (Tomlinson 2012: 267). The lecture will conclude with some reflections on the possibilities for better – rather than clearer – thinking about inclusive education.

Admission is free.

Print the poster

The seminar is arranged by Research Programme in Social Pedagogy, Inclusion and Leadership of Organizations (SILO)