Abstract:

Against the current backdrop of an evolving global knowledge landscape and intensifying geopolitical tensions, there is an urgent need to transcend the Western-centric paradigm and reconstruct the theoretical and methodological framework of comparative education research. The “dialogue among civilizations” paradigm, as a vital means of reflecting on Western-centricism and revitalizing diverse knowledge traditions, provides new intellectual guidance and practical directions for comparative education studies. In this interview, Professor Ruth Hayhoe, drawing upon over half a century of her cross-cultural academic experience, systematically elucidates the core implications and practical pathways of her “dialogue among civilizations” paradigm. She discusses the methodological shift towards “China as a method” and “Asia as a method”, exploring the application value of narrative research and mixed methods in cross-cultural educational studies. She also clarifies the dialectical relationship between “story” and “history” in comparative education research, and the unique value embodied in Chinese normal universities. This provides significant insights into creating a new comparative education research paradigm based on “dialogue among civilizations” that integrates value-based concerns with practical significance. It also offers methodological references for Chinese educational studies to contribute to the reconstruction of the global knowledge system and demonstrate civilizational responsibility.

Key words: dialogue among civilizations, comparative education, narrative research, China as a method