A Postcolonial Narrative Inquiry Into the Identity Paradigm of Filipino American Adolescents Using Literary Texts

• In Event: Postcolonial Narratives in a Globalizing World

Abstract

This narrative inquiry examined the perceived identities of Filipino American adolescents, their postcolonial culture, perception as readers, and responses to the reading of literary texts about Filipino immigrants. The following findings were identified: (1) The identity shaping of Filipino American adolescents through the recognition of Filipino food and words; (2) Filipino American adolescents’ efforts to balance being Filipino and American; (3) Understanding postcolonial culture through the portrayal in books; (4) Lack of access to Filipino books in classrooms and libraries; and (5) Learning Filipino history outside the classroom. Thus, as guided by postcolonial discourses in identity and socio-cultural perspectives, the study analyzed identity issues among Filipino American adolescents and the implication of culturally relevant pedagogy in K-12 classrooms.

Author

• Charity Embley, Odessa College