Enacting Ethnic Studies: Tensions That Emerge in Developing Ethnic Studies Curriculum

• In Event: Intercultural and Peacebuilding Approaches to Transformation in Curricula and Beyond

Abstract

This paper engages Ethnic Studies curricular development in an era of Ethnic Studies expansion (Cabrera, 2019). The question of curriculum development in high school Ethnic Studies remains underdeveloped, and this paper will make an essential contribution to inform research and practice in the realm of K-12 Ethnic Studies education. Through observations of a week-long curriculum development project for ethnic studies teachers and subsequent interviews with each of the four participants on the team, we find that four tensions emerge: (1) allowing open-ended argument and encouraging critical consciousness, (2) centering social injustice but avoiding "damage-centered" approaches, (3) elevating the unique stories of different marginalized communities while encouraging solidarity.

Author

• Suneal Kolluri, San Diego State University