PARIAHS: Marginalized Voices in Education Abroad

Few enjoy the privilege of creating their own identities. Jews, Blacks, Roma, Hillbillies, Witches,  and a myriad of others, demonized, erased or eradicated, demonstrate that identities are not necessarily a matter of individual choice. These ostensibly diverse figures do not control their own narratives and are subject to various forms of dehumanization and marginalization. They are defined by stereotypes that generate hate, fear, ridicule or romantic mythologies, sometimes, paradoxically, simultaneously. The author’s research integrates perspectives drawn from myth, literature, religious belief, histories, political ideologies, popular culture, and other sources, from the distant past to the disturbing present, to reveal the pervasive power of bigotry.

This book exposes those dynamics that have created a spectrum of hate from prejudice, through discrimination, towards persecution, exclusion and, in its darkest manifestations, ethnic cleansing, erasure, genocide. These figures, and the spaces they inhabit, are profoundly connected.  Their identities are formed by the interaction, or collision, between who they believe they are and how they are imagined to be through the hostility of others. They are invented as pariahs, outsiders who threaten or subvert the imagined cohesion of dominant communities. New imperatives emerge for international higher education. Conventional, simplistic concepts of identity or “culture” distort the unfamiliar environments students will encounter throughout their lives. The insights offered here indicate that a key task is to help students unlearn assumptions, to discard the baggage with which they travel across borders, real and metaphorical. The author deconstructs orthodoxies and demands that attention be paid to those silenced, ignored, dehumanized, victims of cruel myopia and immoral deafness.

Author:

Michael Woolf’s  career has been spent substantially in international contexts. Prior to working in education abroad, he completed a PhD in American Studies, taught literature at universities in the UK and Italy, and worked for BBC radio. He has held leadership roles in international education for many years and has published and edited extensively. He received the Peter A. Wollitzer Award (2020) from the Forum on Education Abroad. Pariahs draws directly upon his identity as a Jew born in London in 1947. The Holocaust was rarely discussed but fear of the hostility of others was palpable in landscapes of anxiety.

PRAISE for this book

"In this time of extraordinary ethnic and racial hatred across the globe, PARIAHS: Marginalized Voices in Education Abroad provides readers with a truly global context for recognizing the potential and the power of intercultural understanding, respect, and compassion. In this increasingly globalizing century, one must first recognize and then overcome the biases that are as second-nature to us as the air we breathe.  PARIAHS helps us take this first step; the next step is up to the reader." — Benjamin Rifkin, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Fairleigh Dickinson University, USA

"In PARIAHS, Woolf presents a profound study of identity and cultural exchange that resonates with challenges we see in Nepal’s evolving international education. His insights on marginalized communities speak to the global need for equity, offering valuable perspectives that can inspire Nepalese educators and policymakers to foster greater inclusivity and empathy in both local and international educational contexts." — Tirth Raj Khaniya, Professor and  Former Vice-Chancellor, Tribhuvan University, Nepal

"PARIAHS: Marginalized Voices in Education Abroad is a transformative exploration of the layered experiences of marginalized identities within global education. Woolf’s insightful analysis challenges educators to foster empathy and inclusivity, making this essential reading for those committed to a more equitable landscape in international education." —  Meghna Mehndroo, Principal, University Institute of Teachers Training and Research, Chandigarh University, India

"PARIAHS is a must-read that illuminates the lived experiences of marginalized communities in international education, urging readers to challenge and expand their understanding of identity and cultural exchange. Woolf’s work is both timely and transformative, offering a critical lens that encourages educators and students alike to engage with the complexities of diversity in global learning environments." — Dr. ‘Dimeji R. Togunde, Vice Provost for Global Education & Professor of International Studies, Spelman College, USA

“PARIAHS is first and foremost a book about identities and how these are constructed. It focuses on those identities that are imposed on a group of individuals and lead to their marginalization. It is a wonderful book which reminds us of the complexity of the world and warns all of us working in international education to avoid falling into the trap of oversimplification and generalization about the concepts of culture and intercultural learning in study abroad” —  Giorgio Marinoni, Manager, HE and Internationalization, International Association of Universities, France

"Michael Woolf in Pariahs challenges us to question the conventional notions of identity and culture in international higher education which are often simplistic and fail to reflect the diverse and complex realities that students encounter. The book aims to deconstruct these orthodoxies, encouraging readers to unlearn assumptions and challenge stereotypes." —  Amany Saleh, Ph. D., Professor of Curriculum and Instruction, Arkansas State University, USA

"Woolf's PARIAHS is a thought-provoking exploration of marginalized voices in international education. By examining complex identities and the impact of cultural exchange, the book challenges us to reimagine the role of education in fostering empathy and inclusivity. Through insightful analysis and compelling case studies, Woolf sheds light on the often-overlooked experiences of those who navigate the intersections of race, ethnicity, and class in global learning environments." — Marina Falasca, Professor, I.E.S. en Lenguas Vivas "Juan Ramón Fernández", Buenos Aires, Argentina

"PARIAHS: Marginalized Voices in Education Abroad is a compelling exploration of identity, marginalization, and cultural awareness. It examines the harmful impact of stereotypes while challenging readers to question and unlearn deeply ingrained biases." — Andrea Lee, Ed.D., Assistant Professor, Austin Peay State University, USA

"A wonderful book about identity from one of the most important voices in education abroad. Compassionate, wise, insightful and a must-read." — Michael Punter, Global Director of Theatre Education, CEA CAPA London, UK

In Pariahs, Michael Woolf offers a wide-ranging, nuanced, and timely discussion of how stereotypes have been created and used, historically as well as recently, to represent various marginalized groups globally.   — Ted Olson, Professor, Department of Appalachian Studies, East Tennessee State University, USA

"Pariahs" is a much-needed multidimensional road map showing scholars and students a new path towards self-discovery and identity, one that requires leaving our luggage behind and exploring the roads with an empathic and inclusive mindset." — Elena de Prada Creo, Vice Dean for International Affairs, University of Vigo, Spain

"A rich, in-depth review of many key cultural stereotypes we hold that often prevent us from truly listening and learning while on study-abroad programs." — Gene Hammond, Professor Emeritus of Rhetoric, Stony Brook University, USA

This book profusely and insightfully interrogates the assumptions we hold about others and the ones they hold about us, especially when viewed from the reality of education abroad and international education and cultural exchange. Written in fine flowing prose, well-researched, and garnished with rich knowledge of history, politics, race, Christian mythologies, and critical events that shaped the interactions between “The West and the Rest of Us,” Michael Woolf paints a portrait of what it means to live in a divided world as the “other,” existing at the mercy of the mainstream, and its deeper implications to study abroad and cultural exchanges. — Emmanuel E. Akanwa, Frederick Douglass High School, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, USA

"PARIAHS is an essential contribution to international education, providing readers with a nuanced understanding of the societal forces that shape marginalized voices. His work is both enlightening and necessary for anyone committed to diversity in global academia." — Uttam Gaulee, President, STAR Scholars Network, USA

"As an international graduate student, I resonate with the insights and stories thoughtfully told by Michael Woolf. PARIAHS provides readers with diverse viewpoints on the transformational experience of being in a foreign land." — John Jefferson Besa, MD, Harvard University, USA