Critical Economics, Critical Geography: Preparing Social Studies Teachers for Integrated Social Studies

• In Event: Critical Studies in the Social Studies

Abstract

The dominant themes of our era require the disciplinary tools of economics and geography, yet they remain under-explored in social studies education research. This self-study analyzes the unique opportunity of a methods course purposefully constructed to integrate the two disciplines in order to explore critical issues of inequality, racism, property rights, and the environment. After explaining the structure of the class and associated class activities, three important themes arose from the data. One, this structure deepened student consciousness of the dominant themes of the era. Two, it is challenging to merge that consciousness with relevant pedagogy. And three, teacher educators’ reflective processes should go beyond who, what, where, why, and how and involve deep considerations of critical pedagogy.

Author

• Neil Shanks, Baylor University