The invisibility of the alternative alternative: an exploratory discussion of factors that stop us seeing educational alternatives in their vital otherness from the mainstream of educational practice more

This paper considers a theoretical lack of understanding in education that operates to exclude the possibility that 'alternative education' is very alternative from mainstream education. The argument considers usage of the 'term' alternative in mainstream education and how, when 'alternative' means theoretical and practical educational 'otherness', it is marginalised by some theorists to mean just another aspect of education meant as a whole and complete field. I argue that this is not possible based on empirical data collected and theoretical lines followed that show forms of education such as democratic schooling and autonomous home education function in many ways as a Kuhnian other world.