The Base Layer of “Multicultural Co-existence Education” in Japan: Focusing on the Positionality Declaration by Minorities in Schools

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Other Title
  • 日本型「多文化共生教育」の古層―マイノリティによる立場宣言実践によせて―
  • ニホンガタ 「 タブンカ キョウセイ キョウイク 」 ノ コ ソウ : マイノリティ ニ ヨル タチバ センゲン ジッセン ニ ヨセテ

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Abstract

<p>The concept “multicultural co-existence” in Japan is widely criticized, because it is basically based on the unilateral desire of majorities to act “tolerantly”, hiding the underlying social structure of inequality and discrimination. Those critiques are understandable. This paper, however, argues that the important implication of the concept “co-existence” lies in the possibility that it enables us to transfer our standing positon from minority (those to be discriminated) to majority (those open to discriminate someone), considering the contentious debate among Japanese influential intellectuals on the concept “co-existence” and the theoretical attainment in the realm of intercultural education studies in Japan. In other words, the concept provides the basis to the educational philosophy that aims as the “pedagogy of the oppressors”.</p><p>From this viewpoint, the author focused on the “positionality declaration practice” originated in the early 1970s, when the movement for human rights education was raised and recognized, the declaration practice as the foundational layer of “co-existence” education in Japan. In the declaration practice, students from Buraku communities were motivated to share their Buraku origins and Koreans-in-Japan students were encouraged to introduce themselves using their Korean name. It is well known that those practices were severely criticized in that minority students usually came to have frustration due to their “coming out” and severely questioned for whom and for what they engaged in that process. However, it is necessary to appreciate the declaration practice because it can forcefully locate majorities in the situation where they need the “act of co-existence” to survive.</p>

Journal

  • Intercultural Education

    Intercultural Education 44 (0), 65-81, 2016-08-31

    Intercultural Education Society of Japan

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