The Struggle for Identity in Today's Schools Cultural Recognition in a Time of Increasing Diversity

by Hicks Townes, Faye; Alford, Betty; Ballenger, Julia; Cozart, Angela Crespo; Harris, Sandy; Horn, Ray; Jenlink, Patrick M.; Leonard, John; Mumford, Vincent, Ed.D; Rudolph, Amanda; Sloan, Kris; Stewart, Sandra; Townes, Faye Hicks; Woo, Kim

• ISBN13: 9781607091073
• ISBN10: 1607091070
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-05-16
• Publisher: R&L Education

Summary

The Struggle for Identity in Today's Schools examines cultural recognition and the struggle for identity in America's schools. In particular, the contributing authors focus on the recognition and misrecognition as antagonistic cultural forces that work to shape, and at times distort identity. What surfaces throughout the chapters are two lessons to be learned in relation to identity. The first lesson is that identities and the acts attributed to them are always forming and re-forming in relation to historically specific contexts, and these contexts are political in nature, i.e., defined by issues of diversity such as race, ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, gender, and economics. The second lesson presented by the authors is that identity forms in and across intimate and social contexts, over long periods of time. The historical timing of identity formation cannot simply be dictated by discourse. The identities posited by any particular discourse become important and a part of everyday life based on the intersection of social histories and social actors. Importantly, the social-cultural use of identities leads to another way of conceptualizing histories, personhoods, cultures, and their distributions over social and political groups.

Author Biography

Patrick M. Jenlink is professor of doctoral studies in the Department of Secondary Education and Educational Leadership and director of the Educational Research Center at Stephen F. Austin State University. Faye Hicks Townes is associate professor of education in the Department of Teacher Education, School of Education, Health and Human Performance, College of Charleston.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	p. ix
Preface	p. xi
Introduction: Cultural Identity and the Struggle for Recognition	p. 1
Cultural Identity-Toward a Politics of Identity	p. 9
Affirming Diversity, Politics of Recognition, and the Cultural Work of Schools	p. 14
Dialoguing Toward a Racialized Identity: A Necessary First Step in a Politics of Recognition	p. 30
Misrecognition Compounded	p. 49
The Struggle for Recognition-Embracing Cultural Politics	p. 61
Recognition, Identity Politics, and English-Language Learners	p. 67
Identity Formation and Recognition in Asian American Students	p. 85
Curriculum and Recognition	p. 99
Extracurricular Activities and Student Identity: Participation in Fine Arts Activities	p. 112
Recognition, Identity Politics, and the Special Needs Student	p. 123
Athletes, Recognition, and the Formation of Identity	p. 143
Parental Involvement: Low-Socioeconomic Status (SES) and Ethnic Minority Parents' Struggle for Recognition and Identity	p. 156
Reaching Out to Parents as Partners in Preparing Students for Postsecondary Education	p. 169
Difficult Conversations about Cultural Identity Issues	p. 182
Value-Added Community: Recognition, Induction-Year Teacher Diversity, and the Shaping of Identity	p. 197
Coda: Recognition, Difference, and the Future of America's Schools	p. 207
About the Editors and Contributors	p. 211
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