Literary education and identity construction – empowering the oppressed and social equality

Abstract

Human history and news bulletins show the dramatic consequences of the negative construction of two fundamental othernesses: cultural and gender. Persistent symbolic and physical violence have been built on each. We explore how these two othernesses are constructed and subordinated –and how literary education can deconstruct these perceptions, create equality and empower. This is important because of the many forms of persistent cultural and gender inequality. We propose counteracting this inequality using literary education in line with intercultural studies or feminist criticism from literary studies.

Keywords

• equality
• feminism
• identity
• interculturality
• literary education