A radical approach to accounting education: educating the whole person as a response to the business crises of tomorrow

Abstract

This book presents a series of articles by Dr Kieran James and selected co-authors who present a radical holistic approach to accounting and business ethics education. The authors draw upon existentialist and Marxist philosophy, Freudian psychology and popular culture in the classroom to foster education and development of the whole person. The authors reject the traditional divides between 'professional' and 'personal' lives and between the 'economic' and the 'social' that encourage alienation and careerism. The punk rock music of the Clash and the character Raskolnikov in Fyodor Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment are used as powerful illustrations of critiques of established social institutions and self re-creation through helping others. In the final article, Kieran James and Setsuo Otsuka explore employment prospects for minority groups in accounting in Australia and reflect on the social and cultural obstacles that may need to be removed before a truly multi-cultural workforce can emerge. This article also reflects on how accounting education can better equip Chinese and minority students to work successfully in Australia. (Amazon)