The Author: C. A. Bowers recently retired from the faculties of the University of Oregon and Portland State University. In addition to being an invited speaker at universities worldwide, he has published over ninety-five articles in educational and environmental journals, as well as sixteen books that address the cultural roots of the ecological crisis. His most recent books include Rethinking Freire (co-editor, 2005); Mindful Conservatism (2003); Let Them Eat Data (2002); and Educating for Eco-Justice and Community (2001).

«Powerfully argued, this book provides needed insights for overcoming the loss of cultural identity, including the loss of respect for the deities, intergenerational knowledge, and nature caused by the promotion of modernist pedagogies within Andean communities.» (Jorge Ishizawa, Coordinator of PRATEC (Proyecto Andino de Tecnologías))«Western-style education is responsible for drawing children – from Mongolia to Mozambique, from Inuit to Aboriginal communities – into an urban consumer culture. Schooling effectively wipes out the self-esteem, collective memory, and ecological knowledge of cultures worldwide. C. A. Bowers’ writings are an essential read for anyone seeking to understand the root causes of our eco-social crises.» (Helena Norberg-Hodge, Author of ‘Ancient Futures: Learning from Ladakh’)«As exemplified by ‘The False Promises of Constructivist Theories of Learning’, C. A. Bowers is on the cutting edge of educational thought. Most educational thinkers continue to be trapped in the paradigm inherited from Western Enlightenment traditions, however, Bowers breaks from this paradigm and recharts the direction of global education.» (Joel Spring, Author of ‘Educational Ideologies Are Shaping Global Society’)