World Cultures and Ethnocentrism
An American high school student studies abroad in Turkey for one year. After he returned to the United States, he felt that he had nothing in common with his American friends because they had no worldview. He had been to Turkey and experienced a new culture and had gained a better understanding about the similarities and differences of world cultures. A foreign exchange student visiting the United States said that American students needed to learn that “America is not the center of the world.” These student experiences were written in an article by Garii about how to “internationalize” curriculum in the United States. The author states that curriculum should be broadened so teachers can add international perspectives to their already existing curriculum. For example in United States history, when teaching the American Revolution, the teacher could help students understand the war’s effects on other nations, as well as the different views and interpretations of the war by diverse races and nationalities (Garii, 2000). Students should learn to read textbooks critically and always think about the other side of the story, from other perspectives.
Another article tells about Thai exchange students in the United States and their experiences with ethnocentrism. These exchange students reported that many American students did not know where Thailand was on a map and often called it Taiwan. Americans also held negative stereotypes about Thai people, like that the women were all prostitutes and that the people were not civilized. Some students asked if they had television in Thailand. Some American students called the students Chinese or simple Asian. These experiences gave the Thai students a very negative impression of Americans and led them to question their education system (Scott, 1999).
Students need to be alerted to this ethnocentrism, but first, teachers must be alerted to their own ethnocentrism. This problem is not being solved because educators do not see it as a problem. Teachers should study other cultures to better educate their students from an unbiased perspective. Then, students can be taught to be more aware of their own ethnocentrism and taught how to recognize it and prevent it (Scott, 1999).
Another example of ethnocentrism in curriculum is the image of Africa in textbooks and curriculum. This is largely the responsibility of the news media because they only ever report negative images and stories about the continent. They never report about the long-existing issues that cause the negative images and stories. Social studies classrooms should focus on these big picture issues, like genocide, ethnic hatred, and nation building, so students can learn to look at this news media more critically and have more empathy for Africa and its people. Africa is unique to study because it is unlike the West in many parts. The villages of Africa have a sense of community that nowhere in the West has, and it would be beneficial for students to study the differences and similarities to the West (Pahl, 1996). Students should learn an unbiased lesson on Africa, where they are given more information than just what they hear on the news.
Another article tells about Thai exchange students in the United States and their experiences with ethnocentrism. These exchange students reported that many American students did not know where Thailand was on a map and often called it Taiwan. Americans also held negative stereotypes about Thai people, like that the women were all prostitutes and that the people were not civilized. Some students asked if they had television in Thailand. Some American students called the students Chinese or simple Asian. These experiences gave the Thai students a very negative impression of Americans and led them to question their education system (Scott, 1999).
Students need to be alerted to this ethnocentrism, but first, teachers must be alerted to their own ethnocentrism. This problem is not being solved because educators do not see it as a problem. Teachers should study other cultures to better educate their students from an unbiased perspective. Then, students can be taught to be more aware of their own ethnocentrism and taught how to recognize it and prevent it (Scott, 1999).
Another example of ethnocentrism in curriculum is the image of Africa in textbooks and curriculum. This is largely the responsibility of the news media because they only ever report negative images and stories about the continent. They never report about the long-existing issues that cause the negative images and stories. Social studies classrooms should focus on these big picture issues, like genocide, ethnic hatred, and nation building, so students can learn to look at this news media more critically and have more empathy for Africa and its people. Africa is unique to study because it is unlike the West in many parts. The villages of Africa have a sense of community that nowhere in the West has, and it would be beneficial for students to study the differences and similarities to the West (Pahl, 1996). Students should learn an unbiased lesson on Africa, where they are given more information than just what they hear on the news.
So how can we solve these problems?