Page 418 - Cultural Studies of Science Education

33 “What Is Ours and What Is Not Ours?” 393

universal, and many other seemingly opposing attributes (Bhabha 1994). From a
post-colonial perspective, the notion of comprador intelligentsia represents an
intermediary person who serves the interests of his/her colonial master rather than
his/her own people (López 2001). Indeed, we (you and I) both may have this atti-
tude within us to varying degrees. On the contrary, I envisage that the notion of a
transformative attitude entails dispositions of going beyond restrictive legacies,
hegemonic worldviews and dualistic logics (O’Sullivan 2002).

A wholesale company
appoints a representative
Comprador rules the local market!

In my mind, a comprador intelligentsia supports and stands for uncritical impor-
tation of ideas from his/her colonial master(s), and acts as the key person to serve
the interests of westernisation in the name of globalisation. In the case of teacher
education, such a blind importation may result in uncritical use of the western
Modern Worldview as the orienting framework for mathematics teacher education
programs, thereby conceiving a dualistic view of knowledge (as object) and knowing
(as subject) (Dunlop 1999). On the contrary, an agent who works for transformation
advocates contextual adaptability and synergistic possibility of any worldviews and
knowledge systems, thereby striving to maintain a critical and inclusive outlook,
with the intention to promote an agentic view of mathematics teacher education.
Second, a comprador intelligentsia is often locked in the world of reformation.
In my view, the world of reformation constitutes a network of perspectives that are
less likely to encourage critical reflection, authentic and change-oriented vision and
meaningful participation of actual beneficiaries. Furthermore, reformation becomes