A reconceptualisation of 'knowing Asia' in Australian education

Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Salter, Peta
Peta Salter
Abstract

Since 1969, over 60 Australian government and non-government policies, documents, committees, working parties and organisations have explored the need to 'know Asia'. In schools, this engagement is conceptualised as 'Asia literacy' and disseminated in the emerging Australian Curriculum through the cross-curriculum priority 'Asia and Australia's engagement with Asia'. However, 'Asia literacy' often struggles for purchase in Australian education. I argue that finding traction requires disruption of the dominant discourse of 'Asia' as a unitary construct and questioning what constitutes 'Asia'. This article explores how discourse can be reconceptualised to open up space for schools to engage with 'knowing Asia'.

Journal

Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education

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Volume

36

ISBN/ISSN

1469-3739

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Issue

6

Pages Count

14

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Publisher

Routledge

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EISSN

N/A

DOI

10.1080/01596306.2014.967178