Exploring Colonial Discourse in Affective Storytelling by Chinese Internationalized Schools

• In Event: Globalization and Education: Practices, Insights and Varied Analyses

Proposal

Introduction and Purpose of the Study

Under the trend of globalization, an increasing number of students are seeking more internationalized education (Young, 2018). At the same time, schools and educational systems are also pushed by globalizing forces to reform their curricula to more globally oriented models (Woods & Kong, 2020). As the world’s second largest economy (after the United States) and the second most populated country (after India), China hosts a large number of international schools. In the Chinese context, there are three types of international schools: (1) traditional foreign-owned international schools that only admit foreign citizens with some that permit Chinese citizens to attend; (2) stand-alone international schools that primarily admit Chinese students; (3) dual-curriculum international departments affiliated with local traditional schools (Young, 2018). Most of these international schools are private, located in urban areas in China, and charge a high cost of attendance (Ma & Wright, 2023).

Although the main focus of Chinese internationalized schools’ education is on delivering foreign curricula, these schools are obligated to provide Chinese national curriculum courses required and regulated by the Chinese government (Wright et al., 2022). Through such dual curricula, students from Chinese internationalized schools are expected to become globally oriented talents, capable of contributing to China and the global economy. However, there are scholars who question the idea of cultivating students to become global citizens through international education. According to Woods (2020), the global citizenship education promoted by international schools reflects and reproduces neoliberal Western values, and this problem is especially pronounced in China. While Woods and Kong (2020) used interviews and small group discussions to investigate the reproduction of Western values through international schools, Xu (2024) further analyzed British Columbia offshore schools’ websites to argue how the discourse on the websites reproduce whiteness and colonial ideologies in a global context. While Xu’s study focused solely on BC offshore schools, the current study will expand on previous research by examining how Chinese internationalized schools use websites as forms of affective infrastructure to perpetuate and normalize colonial logics and the supremacy of Western educational hegemony globally, often at the expense of other perspectives.

Theoretical Framework and Methodology

Using a cultural studies approach and drawing on affect theory, this study investigates how private international schools’ websites amplify and foster affect to their Chinese audiences while reproducing colonial discourse. This paper first introduces cultural studies and affect theory (Ahmed, 2014) as the theoretical foundations of this study. Subsequently, this paper introduces the methodology of Multimodal Critical Colonial Discourse Analysis (MCCDA), which combines Colonial Discourse Analysis (Young, 2004) and Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis (Pauwels, 2012). These techniques are used to investigate the websites and collect data for the study. Finally, through systematic data analysis, this study demonstrates how Chinese internationalized schools reproduced colonial discourse through affective storytelling on their websites. Overall, this study explores the research question of how colonial discourse has been represented by Chinese internationalized schools through affective storytelling?

By answering this research question, this study aims to enrich the internationalization of K-12 education literature through the application of a cultural studies approach to illuminate the representation of educational practices at Chinese internationalized schools and the role digital media plays in shaping perceptions and ideologies. By examining the colonial discourse on these schools’ websites, this study advocates for more decolonial and inclusive educational practices in international education that values and incorporates diverse cultural, epistemological and ontological perspectives.

Findings and Implications

The analysis revealed that these schools utilize affective language and imagery to create emotional connections with the audiences, while simultaneously perpetuating colonial narratives that privilege Western educational models and standards. This study shed light on how internationalized schools in China contribute to the reproduction of Western supremacy and colonial logics by framing Western educational practices as superior and essential for future success. This not only marginalizes local educational traditions but also reinforces socioeconomic and cultural hierarchies. In addition, this study reveals the role of digital media as an affective infrastructure that shapes social imaginaries and ideologies. Through affective storytelling, these schools shape the understanding of international education which perpetuated the desirability of Western education.

This study recommends administrators in internationalized schools to be mindful of the colonial discourses embedded in their marketing strategies. While the use of affective storytelling can be effective in attracting prospective students and their parents, it is crucial to ensure that the narratives do not perpetuate the supremacy of Western educational models at the expense of local traditions and values. Administrators are recommended to create a more balanced representation of their educational experiences that celebrate diversity and inclusion. Additionally, incorporating decolonial practices into the international curricula and pedagogical approaches should be considered to foster a more critical and culturally responsive educational environment. This study also recommends Chinese parents and students to be aware of the underlying colonial discourses that often accompany the marketing of internationalized schools. While these schools offer valuable opportunities for global learning and future success, it is important to critically assess the narratives presented and consider the potential implications for cultural identity and local values. Parents should seek out schools that not only provide a high-quality education but also respect and integrate Chinese cultural traditions and perspectives. Students, on the other hand, should be encouraged to develop a critical awareness of the global and local dynamics that shape their educational experiences and to embrace a pluralistic view of knowledge and learning.

This study acknowledges its limitations. The analysis was limited to the websites of eleven Chinese internationalized schools in Shanghai. Future research could expand the scope to include schools in other regions and countries to provide a more comprehensive understanding of how internationalized schools utilize affective storytelling and colonial discourse in a global context. Additionally, this study primarily focused on the content presented on school websites. Future research could incorporate other research data such as interviews to gain deeper insights into the motivations and perceptions behind these narratives.

Author

• Zhenyang Xu, Michigan State University