A ParentCrit on Asian American Child's Navigation of Curriculum of American Exceptionalism

• In Event: The Social Studies Classroom as a Productive Site for Research on Learning and Instruction

Abstract

As a national myth, American exceptionalism presents the United States as uniquely virtuous among other world powers because the country was born out of anti-colonial revolution, and thus, it is inherently anti-imperial and goes to war only to save, prevent, or promote freedom and democracy in the world. How do children make sense of the dominant narrative of US benevolence and innocence in world affairs? How do children whose family histories are deeply shaped by US military intervention respond to American exceptionalism taught at school? Employing a postcolonial lens to teaching and learning of US history, this ParentCrit study investigates how an Asian American child navigates the curriculum of American exceptionalism.

Author

• Sohyun An, Kennesaw State University
  Presenting Author