| The purpose of this study was to articulate a post-positivist philosophy of international agricultural and extension education. The study was phenomenological, in that it tried to discover and describe the essence of international agricultural and extension education. In doing so, it articulated a philosophy which was both evolutionary and non-exclusionary as regards social divisions such as race, class, and gender.;A multi-faceted, qualitative methodology was used. The study first examined the historical and philosophical views of traditional agricultural education. A philosophy was then outlined. Next, the history and present status of the philosophy of general education was examined. This included an examination of post-positivist and postmodern philosophies. These two areas were then combined to form a postmodern, post-positivist philosophy of international agricultural and extension education.;This information was then compared with the opinions of professionals in the field. Seventeen members of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Educators (AIAEE) were interviewed. The results of the interviews were compared to the earlier derived philosophy to check for a "fit." Interview results showed that even though the profession and the Association were made up of enlightened individuals, younger members felt discriminated against by older members and most of the women felt that a gender bias existed. In addition, there was a perceived class distinction between Americans and "others." This distinction was also noticed between professors and other professionals and between professors and graduate students.;The following conclusions were reached. First, a post-positivist philosophy of international agricultural and extension education needs to transcend the traditional positivist view of philosophy. Positivist philosophy needs to be replaced with a postmodern philosophy. This philosophy should include: the transcendence of duality, the elimination of metatheory, the use of participatory and emancipatory educational methods, an acknowledgement that education is political, the creation of a research model based on improving the lives of the participants, and the development of an educational process based on a utopian vision of a free and just life for everyone. |
