Emphasis on 'culture' in psychology fuels stereotypes, scholar says
by Burke, Mack
Per Gjerde’s work is now older but is also interesting- highlights many of the issues people are bringing up now with terms like “culturally relevant pedagogy” or cultrually responsive teaching- something we are trying to figure out- what is “evidence-based” culturally responsive teaching? The terms are being used is sloppy and varied ways….but the idea that one may be invertedly reinforcing cultural stereotypes- this thing about what is a cultural stereotype vs. a cultural characteristic again?
https://news.ucsc.edu/2004/07/531.html
MDB
7 months, 3 weeks
“Like Being in Purgatory”: Cultural Identity Mapping Centers Hmong American Experiences of Biculturalism
by Burke, Mack
The Journal of Cross Cultural Psychology has some interesting ones as well- for those that remember- the Hmong were allied with the US during Vietnam, which was really a proxy war with China (like Korea- tied up with fights with Communism and the Cold War). Like the current Afghan refugees in San Antonio, they would have been killed by the Chinese backed North Vietnamese communists if not relocated…the whole culture thing gets complicated.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/00220221241230009
As a side- my father has a good friend who was Hmong…had to vouch for him in court if I remember correctly- had caned his then teenaged daughter…and when the judge asked why…”because if I don’t, the streets will…”
MDB
7 months, 3 weeks
Cultural constructions of the mentally ill in South Africa: A discourse analysis, part one
by Burke, Mack
This is another example that is interesting as we try to figure out what the heck is a culturally responsive practice. This would be an example of the more moderate to extreme form of the cultural relativist view—that a disability or mental illness is a social-cultural myth or determined by culture. For example, in the case of child abuse I sent a while back, if the culture does not view it as abuse, is it abuse? Sort of truth justified by consensus criteria. And of course- they cite Foucault- which is kind of funny- given he and the other deconstructionists were French.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1354067X221131998
This paper proposes that the ‘oppressed’ have morphed to include the mentally ill. If the mentally ill now form part of the ‘oppressed’ population, it must be asked whom the oppressor is. According to the explicated participant discourses, institutionalized models of health (western medicine) as well as traditional models of health (indigenous medicine) oppress the mentally ill. Participant two described a ‘western medicine’ psychiatric hospital room that ‘actually looked like a prison room’. While participant five stated that in indigenous traditional healers’ shrines where the mentally ill are often ‘bounded like a dog or an animal’.
And starting to see more of this type of language also in our area but especially in international journals related to disability.
“epistemicide’ – the near complete replacement of Indigenous knowledge systems for the epistemological paradigm of the colonist” Also part of the decolonization stuff seeping into the field that poses science is a form of western oppression.
Not sure what to think of it all…but you all can help with that!
MDB
7 months, 3 weeks
I married a Traveller
by Burke, Mack
This is an interesting one from the cultural psychology literature- for whatever reason- the qualitative research isn’t as ideologicial and seems more factual in nature. I think there was a reality TV show on Travelers in the US? I think I watched a couple of them…wonder what special education looks like for them? Or school for that matter? MDB
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1354067X241254451
7 months, 3 weeks
Take the pledge- stop saying special
by Burke, Mack
This was another that crossed desk from University of New Hampshire.
https://stopspecial.org/<%0bhttps:/stopspecial.org/>
To be charitable, I get what they are trying to do…it is very easy to put people in stereotypical “boxes”- that makes sense- but as Sailor from KU said…we should just say “education”- but then- you still have to figure out education for who? What kind of education for who? Maybe the “who” doesn’t really exist…it is all this stuff right now about the “myth of normativity” being pushed under the neurodiversity umbrella…there is no normal so…everything is normal? Or perhaps everything is abnormal? It is a postmodern theme running throughout just about every field in the social sciences I think right now…
MDB
7 months, 4 weeks
Special ed classroom closures in Ontario
by Burke, Mack
Passing along from Dr. Wiley at Kent State- the trend of closing of special programs under the inclusion and equity umbrella is going to be a pickle here in the US as well- and is a worldwide trend with the focus on incluson. English/French and disability- how is that for L1/L2. Like Quebec, much of Ontario is French speaking…MDB
“The OCDSB's review is focused on elementary programming including English with Core French, Early French Immersion, special education and more to "determine whether the current program model still serves the needs of the community," board spokesperson Darcy Knoll said.”
https://www.thoroldtoday.ca/local-news/special-ed-classroom-closures-leav...
7 months, 4 weeks