Ethnic Studies
- Darlene Edgar
Thangaraj, S. I. (2021). Racing the Muslim: strategies for teaching race and ethnic studies in the education curriculum. Urban Education, 56(7), 1042–1066. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0042085920972449
Introduction to Ethnic Studies in Education Curriculum:
Ethnic studies emerged in the 1960s to address histories of race and racism, counter white settler colonial narratives, and acknowledge the interactions of ethnic and racial groups in US history.
However, conservative educational factions often devalue ethnic studies, viewing them as illegitimate due to perceived lack of objectivity and adherence to Western epistemologies.
Challenges and Obstacles in Ethnic Studies:
Recent attempts, such as those by the Trump administration, aim to remove diversity training and critical race theory from public institutions and eliminate ethnic studies from school curriculums.
White teachers are often inadequately prepared to teach racially diverse students, leading to an inadequacy in addressing racial inequities in the classroom.
Expanding Race and Ethnic Studies:
Ethnic studies should not solely focus on the black/white racial binary but also incorporate the experiences of Middle Eastern and Muslim Americans, challenging dominant racial narratives.
By utilizing Critical Race Theory (CRT), educators can understand the dynamic nature of race and racism and counter simplistic racial binaries.
Historical Context and Counter-Narratives:
An examination of early 20th-century US history reveals racial ambiguity and mobility among Middle Eastern and South Asian immigrants, challenging traditional racial binaries.
Social scientific literature and cultural studies provide interdisciplinary tools to deconstruct universal understandings of race and ethnicity.
Pedagogical Strategies and Pop Culture Engagement:
Pedagogical approaches include using art, storytelling, and pop culture to challenge dominant racial ideologies and representational practices.
Students can create counter-narratives through art and pop culture productions, engaging critically with racialized representations.
Intersectionality and Black Muslim America:
Understanding the intersection of race, religion, and anti-Muslim racism is essential, particularly in challenging the whitening of Muslim America and anti-black racism within Muslim communities.
The body becomes a critical site for understanding racial formations and representations, prompting students to critically examine their own bodily comportment and racialized readings.
Innovative Pedagogical Approaches:
Equipping future teachers with Critical Race Theory and expansive syllabi can challenge dominant racial logics and incorporate non-Western epistemologies in education.
By deconstructing white/black racial binaries and incorporating diverse perspectives, educators can create innovative and politicized projects in the classroom to address racial inequities.
Expanding Knowledge and Decolonizing Pedagogy:
Incorporating non-Western epistemologies and pedagogies in the curriculum can help decolonize knowledge and power structures within education.
Broadening the study of race beyond US-centric perspectives allows for a more comprehensive understanding of racial dynamics globally.
In summary, the article emphasizes the importance of expanding race and ethnic studies to include diverse perspectives and challenges educators to engage in innovative pedagogical approaches to address racial inequities in education.