Hip Hop to Wreck the Technique: Mapping Culture Onto Pedagogical Content Knowledge in Social Studies

• In Event: Resisting the Paradigm: Connecting Culture, Narrative, and Innovation in Educational Practice

Abstract

This paper explores how Black and Latinx social studies teachers use Hip Hop culture to disrupt traditional curricula and promote inclusive civic identities. By integrating elements of Hip Hop, such as MCing, DJing, and graffiti, these teachers enhance engagement and challenge oppressive narratives. The study employs a critical qualitative case study approach, examining five educators' practices through interviews, observations, and artifacts. Findings highlight the teachers' deep understanding of Hip Hop's sociohistorical and sociocultural contexts, their commitment to ideological clarity, and their use of Hip Hop pedagogies to foster critical civic knowledge and resistance to dominant educational paradigms.

Authors

• Delandrea Hall, University of North Texas

• Cinthia S. Salinas, University of Texas at Austin