Teachers’ Cultural Maps: Asia as a “Tricky Sort of Subject Matter” in Curriculum Inquiry

Abstract

The refocussing of Australia–Asia relations is manifest in a combination of national policy moves in Australia. Parallel shifts have been made in Europe, the United States, Canada and New Zealand. In Australia, the curricular response to this shift has become known as “Asia literacy.” This study is drawn from a wider project that explores representations of Asia literacy in both espoused and enacted policy. Teachers in this study are welcoming of Asia literacy, however lack confidence in their ability to engage with it as “tricky sort of subject matter” that requires significant theoretical work to “know Asia,” and “Asian culture” in an “authentic” way. A seemingly insurmountable barrier is created by assumptions that knowledge of Asia can be discretely inserted into curriculum. Critical reflection on residual imperial notions that are evident in such assumptions can in turn open new possibilities to theorise curricular responses to Asia literacy.

Notes

Notes

A distinction can be made between multicultural and intercultural education; however, all education can be considered intercultural (Buchanan, ). This distinction is useful in highlighting two approaches to Asia literacy. Multicultural policy and education tend to have implications for the ethnic composition of Australian society and classrooms with initiatives to foster social cohesion and engagement with Australian national identity. Intercultural policy and education operate regardless of the ethnic mix in Australian society and classrooms, focussing on the wider global context to foster environmental, political and economic engagement with global issues. Multicultural policy is not the same in focus as intercultural policy or Asia literacy policy, but is interconnected through arguments for national and international harmony. Additionally, dynamics of Australia–Asia engagement are evident in Australian and global contexts, making Asia literacy relevant to both.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the First Nation peoples of Australia. Twenty‐eight percent of people that identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander live in Queensland and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students represent 8.4% of state school students (Queensland Government, ).