Critical reasoning for social justice: moral encounters with the paradoxes of intercultural education

The concepts and goals that are relied on in intercultural development programs have not been clearly situated in the social contexts of education. 'Steps' and 'strategies' are applied with varied interpretations to different subject areas. In preparing individuals for encounters with cultural otherness, these approaches often fall short. This article investigates the paradoxical terms of intercultural development and re-conceptualizes intercultural reasoning within moral and critical dimensions of education. The critical-interpretive systems approach is applied in proposing the agenda for intercultural reasoning in societies, an agenda that targets social justice. The article also highlights the shortcomings of reductionist and instrumentalist approaches across disciplines. In conclusion, the urgency of defining and uniting around a morally valid intercultural perspective emerges.