Asian/American Curricular Epistemicide

Chinese labor during the California Gold Rush. Japanese internment. Geopolitical segregation. Racial stereotypes. Asian/American Curricular Epistemicide: From Being Excluded to Becoming a Model Minority delves into how these events and issues are portrayed-or, in some cases, ignored-in today's K-12 social studies curricula. The authors' scholarly and personal backgrounds and experiences have specially situated them to undertake this objective yet critical analysis, as they examine the constructed historical narratives of Chinese and Japanese immigration, multiculturalism, and the overall hegemonic narrative as it has been shaped by the politicization of social studies curricula. This content analysis is intended to initiate a broader conversation about the methods behind a curriculum's formation. How is historical information selected, then molded into a particular narrative for public consumption? Through the authors' insightful exploration, educators and citizens alike may better identify how influential entities and agendas shape curricula behind the scenes. The authors hope that the light they bring to bear on this topic will equip readers to conduct their own analysis and to be more aware and constructively critical of our K-12 educational system. "At last, a book-length study that investigates Asian American representation in official school knowledge! Despite an extensive body of curriculum research on inclusion and representation of historically marginalized groups, Asian Americans and their perspectives have rarely received attention in and of themselves in curriculum studies. Despite some, although still incomplete, progress in curricular treatment of historically marginalized groups, Asian Americans are still almost absent, and when they appear, they are generally misrepresented in school textbooks. Hartlep and Scott's detailed and powerful analysis of Asian American representation in school textbooks and teaching materials used in K-12 schools makes a significant contribution to the curriculum research and curriculum writing toward a more inclusive, just, and transformative teaching and learning of the past and the present of the United States." - Sohyun An, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Social Studies Education, Kennesaw State University, USA