Complicated narratives of “Korean-ness”: Towards strategic provisionality in parental involvement

Seungho Moon, Jeesun Jung

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to advance the discourse on parental involvement drawing from Butlerian notion of strategic provisionality. In developing a new approach to understanding cultural differences and their relation to Korean parental involvement, the authors analyze qualitative and quantitative data from five New York metropolitan elementary schools. The authors examine the ways in which ‘Korean-ness’ and Korean parental involvement are discursively constructed and embodied in sociopolitical and historical contexts in the United States. We present two themes related to Korean parental involvement: (a) the double-edged component of respect for teachers and (b) biopolitics related to English language and parental involvement. By challenging normalized understanding about Korean-ness, the authors suggest a different approach to ethnoepistemology in order to enrich discourses concerning parental involvement and ethnic/racial studies.

Original languageAmerican English
JournalEducation: School of Education Faculty Publications and Other Works
Volume21
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 2018

Keywords

  • Korean studies
  • parental involvement

Disciplines

  • Education
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences
  • Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
  • Sociology
  • Ethnic Studies

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