The power of knowledge: a critical analysis of the depiction of ethnic minorities in China’s elementary textbooks

Abstract

This study critically analyzes knowledge about: (1) ethnic minority groups; (2) the dominant Han group; and (3) the interaction between ethnic minorities and Han presented in three types of elementary textbooks used in China. The analysis reveals that the knowledge about and the values and beliefs of the Han people are overwhelmingly dominant in all reviewed textbooks. At the same time, ethnic minority groups are marginalized and the knowledge about them is incomplete and stereotypical. In addition, most of the knowledge about ethnic minorities are constructed and presented from the perspective of the Han people. The results indicate that the dominant ideology and unequal power relations are reflected and reinforced through the strategic construction, selection, and presentation of knowledge in textbooks. It also calls for a need to incorporate more accurate and complete knowledge in textbooks for students to develop a critical understanding of the society.

Keywords:

• knowledge construction
• ethnic minorities
• critical discourse analysis (CDA)
• textbooks analysis

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my gratitude to the editors and anonymous reviewers for their invaluable feedback and suggestions. I would like to give special thanks to Dr James Banks for his encouragement and intellectual support. I am also grateful to Dr Geneva Gay and Dr Stevan Harrell for their thoughtful comments and constructive critique on earlier drafts of this article.