Decolonizing and De-Westernizing Gender in Hong Kong, Singapore, and South Korea

• In Event: Roundtable Session 52
  In Roundtable Session: De/Colonizing Gender and/in Early Childhood Education

Abstract

Although international scholars are interested in researching how gender relations are (re)produced on a world stage in order to understand the making of identities and inequities, little of this research involves young children in Asia. This paper sets out to understand why this gap exists and does so by exploring the cultural politics of gender in Hong Kong, Singapore, and South Korea. Data were generated through document and media analysis, surveys, and interviews. “Dialoguing” was also used with participants across three Asian contexts in order to produce intercultural knowledge about gender, young children, and early childhood teaching from Asian perspectives. The problematics of moving towards de-colonizing and de-westernizing gender will also be explored.

Author

• Mindy Blaise, The Hong Kong Institute of Education