Metaphors of inclusive education

Conference reflections from the Global South

Abstract

This paper examines metaphorical frameworks employed at the 2024 International Conference on Perspectives and Practices of Inclusive Education in Kathmandu, Nepal. Drawing on observations from keynote addresses, conference papers, panel discussions and informal conversations during the two-day conference, the paper reflects on the dominant metaphors present in the discourse of inclusive education in the Global South.

Metaphors are fundamental tools through which humans make sense of complex realities, operating far beyond mere linguistic decoration to shape our understanding and potentially guide our actions. For those working in inclusive education, recognizing and analyzing these metaphorical frameworks is crucial because they may subtly influence how we conceptualize challenges, develop solutions, and implement policies.

Various metaphorical frames emerged through the discussions, including BUILDING (emphasizing collaborative construction), ECONOMY (focusing on investment and costs), WAR (highlighting challenges), and SPORTS (illustrating fairness issues). On the whole, however, the JOURNEY metaphor dominated across all discourse types, consistently appearing in various forms when discussing policy implementation, educational progress, and/or change towards more inclusive and equitable education. Conference delegates thus triggered a rich image schema involving multifaceted networks of related images and concepts, which are unpacked and examined in the paper.