What We teach our Children: A Comparative Analysis of Indigenous Australians in Social Studies Curriculum, from the 1960s to the 1980s

This article conducts a comparative analysis of topics connected to Indigenous Australians in the Social Studies curriculum taught in Queensland (Australia) schools in the 1 960s and in the 1 980s. Apple’s (2000) ‘mentioning’ is applied to examine the representations of this group. ‘Mentioning’ is...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Heather Louise Sharp
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Hipatia Press 2013-06-01
Series:Historia Social y de la Educación
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hipatiapress.com/hpjournals/index.php/hse/article/view/488
_version_ 1828060316571795456
author Heather Louise Sharp
author_facet Heather Louise Sharp
author_sort Heather Louise Sharp
collection DOAJ
description This article conducts a comparative analysis of topics connected to Indigenous Australians in the Social Studies curriculum taught in Queensland (Australia) schools in the 1 960s and in the 1 980s. Apple’s (2000) ‘mentioning’ is applied to examine the representations of this group. ‘Mentioning’ is used as a way to explain information that is included in a minimal way and does not cover the focus topic in any real depth or with engaged substance. Compared with the significant political and social gains made by Indigenous Australians, and their supporters, in the 1 960s, this article finds that the resulting effect on changes to school curriculum are minimal. Second, this article finds that the static nature of curriculum stands in stark contrast to the changing and changed discourses operating in the wider community. Third, this article asserts that the incorporation of important national history topics within an all-encompassing Social Studies curriculum, results in an a-historical, present-mindedness being taught to students in place of historical accuracy and rigour. Finally, the international importance of history/culture wars that many nations have experienced over the past ten to fifteen years is presented in this article, through direct links to school curriculum selection by governments and advisory boards.
first_indexed 2024-04-10T21:55:07Z
format Article
id doaj.art-188fd24dd6f540689a7468cf67ed7487
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2014-3567
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-10T21:55:07Z
publishDate 2013-06-01
publisher Hipatia Press
record_format Article
series Historia Social y de la Educación
spelling doaj.art-188fd24dd6f540689a7468cf67ed74872023-01-18T09:53:57ZengHipatia PressHistoria Social y de la Educación2014-35672013-06-012210.4471/hse.2013.11What We teach our Children: A Comparative Analysis of Indigenous Australians in Social Studies Curriculum, from the 1960s to the 1980sHeather Louise Sharp0University of Newcastle This article conducts a comparative analysis of topics connected to Indigenous Australians in the Social Studies curriculum taught in Queensland (Australia) schools in the 1 960s and in the 1 980s. Apple’s (2000) ‘mentioning’ is applied to examine the representations of this group. ‘Mentioning’ is used as a way to explain information that is included in a minimal way and does not cover the focus topic in any real depth or with engaged substance. Compared with the significant political and social gains made by Indigenous Australians, and their supporters, in the 1 960s, this article finds that the resulting effect on changes to school curriculum are minimal. Second, this article finds that the static nature of curriculum stands in stark contrast to the changing and changed discourses operating in the wider community. Third, this article asserts that the incorporation of important national history topics within an all-encompassing Social Studies curriculum, results in an a-historical, present-mindedness being taught to students in place of historical accuracy and rigour. Finally, the international importance of history/culture wars that many nations have experienced over the past ten to fifteen years is presented in this article, through direct links to school curriculum selection by governments and advisory boards. https://hipatiapress.com/hpjournals/index.php/hse/article/view/488social studiescurriculumhistory/culture warsindigenous educationAustralian education
spellingShingle Heather Louise Sharp
What We teach our Children: A Comparative Analysis of Indigenous Australians in Social Studies Curriculum, from the 1960s to the 1980s
Historia Social y de la Educación
social studies
curriculum
history/culture wars
indigenous education
Australian education
title What We teach our Children: A Comparative Analysis of Indigenous Australians in Social Studies Curriculum, from the 1960s to the 1980s
title_full What We teach our Children: A Comparative Analysis of Indigenous Australians in Social Studies Curriculum, from the 1960s to the 1980s
title_fullStr What We teach our Children: A Comparative Analysis of Indigenous Australians in Social Studies Curriculum, from the 1960s to the 1980s
title_full_unstemmed What We teach our Children: A Comparative Analysis of Indigenous Australians in Social Studies Curriculum, from the 1960s to the 1980s
title_short What We teach our Children: A Comparative Analysis of Indigenous Australians in Social Studies Curriculum, from the 1960s to the 1980s
title_sort what we teach our children a comparative analysis of indigenous australians in social studies curriculum from the 1960s to the 1980s
topic social studies
curriculum
history/culture wars
indigenous education
Australian education
url https://hipatiapress.com/hpjournals/index.php/hse/article/view/488
work_keys_str_mv AT heatherlouisesharp whatweteachourchildrenacomparativeanalysisofindigenousaustraliansinsocialstudiescurriculumfromthe1960stothe1980s