Learning About Diversity in Hong Kong: Multiculturalism in Liberal Studies Textbooks
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Learning About Diversity in Hong Kong: Multiculturalism in Liberal Studies Textbooks Liz Jackson1
De La Salle University 2016
Abstract Improving mainstream perceptions of diversity in Hong Kong is fundamental to enhancing equality and human rights in the society in the future. The importance of mainstream members of society learning to recognize diversity with less prejudice undergirds many of the aims of a recent educational reform, Liberal Studies. This paper evaluates the capacity of Liberal Studies to educate for multicultural understanding of cultural difference. Its primary data source is Liberal Studies textbooks, and it employs a qualitative content analysis to consider how diversity and ethnic, cultural, and religious differences are represented in the texts. The analysis is complemented by an examination of related resources teachers may use in the classroom (and are encouraged to use by the Hong Kong Curriculum Development Council): mainstream news articles and resources from the (government-provided) Web-based Resource Platform for Liberal Studies. The voices and views of some practicing teachers and pre-service teacher education students related to multicultural Liberal Studies resources are also included to provide a balanced picture. Based on this analysis, multicultural education as provided in major resources within the Liberal Studies curriculum appears inadequate. As diversity is reflected upon in resources analyzed here most often as problematic and stereotypical, interventions are needed if Liberal Studies is to enable multicultural appreciation and understanding among students in Hong Kong in the future.
& Liz Jackson [email protected] 1
University of Hong Kong, Runme Shaw 421, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Keywords Hong Kong Multiculturalism Textbooks Diversity Ethnic minorities Liberal Studies
Hong Kong faces numerous social tensions today. Identity politics between Mainland Chinese and Hongkongers has been a challenge since the handover in 1997. New Chinese immigrants to Hong Kong face prejudice and discrimination, while strong negative views about China’s educational and legal systems have been reflected in recent Hong Kong political events, such as the Occupy and Umbrella Movements and the 2012 National Education controversy (Jackson 2014a). At the same time, the ethnic minority population of Hong Kong has risen 30% in the last 10 years, to over 6% of the population (Kapai 2015). A recent report has found that despite the long-term presence and feelings of loyalty of ethnic minorities in Hong Kong, their need for equal rights has been overlooked, while they are cast in the media and public sphere as transient and migrant, only temporarily in Hong Kong (Kapai 2015; Unison Hong Kong 2012). Improving mainstream perceptions of diversity in Hong Kong is fundamental to enhancing equality and human rights in the future. The importance of mainstream members of society learning to recognize diversity with less prejudice undergirds many aims of a recent educationa
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