Demographics, State Histories, and Representation: A Content Analysis of Immigration in Traditional, New, and Nongateway State Standards for U.S. History and Civics

• In Event: 29.032 - Paper Session 1

Abstract

In this content analysis of state U.S. history and Civics standards, we compared the treatment of the topic of immigration across three types of states with differing demographic orientations relevant to immigration – traditional gateways, new gateways, and “non-gateways.” Drawing on standards from 18 states, findings indicated three sets of tensions: a unified American story vs. local specificity, immigration as a historical vs civic issue, and favorable vs. unfavorable tenor of the standards. Through this project, we were able to draw some conclusions about the relationship between states’ immigration demographics and social studies standards. Thus, this study builds on the growing new gateway state literature and on the content analysis literature related to immigration and the formal social studies curriculum.

Authors

• Jeremy Hilburn, University of North Carolina - Wilmington

• Wayne Journell, University of North Carolina - Greensboro

• Lisa Brown Buchanan, University of North Carolina - Wilmington