DOI: 10.1177/0268580909358149 Beyond Differences The Sociology of Education in Cuba

abstract: The essay presents an in-depth analysis of the institutionalization of the Sociology of Education in Cuba, ranging from a critical investigation of the disci-pline to its inclusion in the curriculum for teacher training in contemporary Cuba. The essay describes the findings of several studies undertaken to determine the causes and consequences of, and solutions to, various issues surrounding the relationship between society and education. It also notes the insufficient instruc-tion given to Cuban teachers about sociological issues and the lack of texts that identify the key problems in a clear and systematic way. The investigation con-cludes with suggestions on consolidating the discipline within the sociological context of contemporary Cuba. Such suggestions include the need for connections between macro- and micro-sociological issues, the need for educational institu-tions to launch internal studies of themselves and the need for an examination of how changes in educational policy affect society. Such efforts would both contrib-ute to the development of the discipline and to a better understanding of the relationship between education and society