Radical Hope : Education and Equality in Australia

In Radical Hope, one of Australia's most original and provocative thinkers turns his attention to the question of education. Noel Pearson begins with two fundamental questions: How to ensure the survival of a people, their culture and way of life? And can education transform the lives of the disadvantaged many, or will it at best raise up a fortunate few? Pearson argues powerfully that underclass students, many of whom are Aboriginal, should receive a rigorous schooling that gives them the means to negotiate the wider world. He examines the long-term failure of educational policy in Australia, especially in the indigenous sector, and asks why it is always 'Groundhog Day' when there are lessons to be learned from innovations now underway. Pearson introduces new findings from research and practice, and takes on some of the most difficult and controversial issues. Throughout, he searches for the radical centre - the way forward that will raise up the many, preserve culture, and ensure no child is left behind.

Noel Pearson is a lawyer and activist. He has published many essays and newspaper articles. His first book, Up from the Mission, is a collection of essays that charts his life and thought from his early days as a native title lawyer to his position today as one of Australia's most influential figures.