Melting Pots, Salad Bowls, Hot Pot, or Dim Sum? Multiculturalism Beyond Western Societies

• In Event: Roundtable Group 4
  In Refereed Roundtable Session: Comparative Dialogues of East Asian Higher Education and Multiculturalism

Proposal

Melting Pots, Salad Bowls, Hot Pot, or Dim Sum? Multiculturalism Beyond Western Societies

Metaphors of melting pots and salad bowls have been used to illustrate different approaches to diversity in education, such as assimilationism and multiculturalism. However, these metaphors, with their bases in western philosophy and research, should be reconsidered from a global view. This presentation explores the distinctive orientations toward diversity in education in mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau. In particular, it compares how textbooks have represented ethnic and religious minorities in society against the backdrop of these systems’ political, cultural, and demographic histories. This presentation thus broadens understanding about how education can be a catalyst for change from a global, comparative view.

In mainland China, curriculum related to diversity emphasizes the values of unity and diversity and balances appreciation for cultural distinction with the need for harmony and stability. There is thus a sense that an ideal society is partly pluralistic but also assimilationist in orienting all toward a national perspective. In this case, the metaphor of the dumpling is useful. While there is uniformity of what a dumpling is, they can be composed with almost infinitely different ingredients. Hot pot is another helpful metaphor here, representing how diverse elements gradually share the same essence.

In Hong Kong, the educational historian Anthony Sweeting described the society as a steaming wok, as diverse elements mix briefly and intensely. A metaphor invoked in textbooks is that of milk tea. Milk tea reflects a core Chinese essence in the case of tea, as well as the influence of other cultures, such as British, Indian, and African, in the preparation of different styles. Here, the Chinese tradition of drinking tea and the British tradition of adding milk tend to be emphasized reflecting Hong Kong heritage and colonial legacy, although other elements can be seen. In Macau, the egg tart is used in textbooks, as it reflects the influences of China and Portugal while recent variations indicate other influences.

Taiwanese society and education is impacted by waves of Chinese immigration, indigenous and immigrant ethnic minority groups, and European and Japanese colonization. In this context, education has emphasized pluralism and mutual coexistence and acceptance. While bubble tea has been used to symbolize Taiwan, dim sum is also relevant, as it reflects how distinct sets can complement each other to comprise a full experience.

The aim of this presentation is to think beyond western metaphors, to expand perspectives on how education for diversity functions from a global comparative view. The point is not to assign the food metaphors stereotypically to these societies as if they are mutually exclusive with each other and with western views. Rather, we want to reflect on the variety of approaches to diversity within and across societies worldwide without assimilating global perspectives to those dominating in western thought. As such we hope to begin to develop a foundation for theorizing about education and difference in Chinese and other societies worldwide without depending on western views.

Authors

• Liz Jackson, University of Hong Kong

• Jason Cong LIN, The Education University of Hong Kong

• Fei Yan, The Education University of Hong Kong