Skip to main content

Curriculum as a Process of Conditioning in Asia: Ideology, Politics, and Religion

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Curriculum in International Contexts

Part of the book series: Curriculum Studies Worldwide ((CSWW))

Abstract

In this chapter, Kumar discusses the concept of curriculum as a process of conditioning in the Asian educational context drawing on a number of case studies. Based on the analysis of these studies, three pertinent themes emerge that illustrate how cultural, ideological, political, and religious factors influence educational policies and curriculum design and reform in these countries. The first theme explores the ideological control of teaching and curriculum as illustrated in case studies from Japanese, South Korean, Afghan, Malaysian, and Hong Kongese educational systems. The second theme discusses nationalism, globalization, and moral values as manifested in case studies related to the political influence on moral education in China, the incorporation of Kokoro education in Japan, ideological debates on the inclusion of moral and nationalistic values in Singaporean educational policy, the prioritization of docility and harmony values in Macau’s education, and the discussion of Filipino and Vietnamese curriculum designs in developing unique national identities. The third theme gives an account of religious influence on education with a focus on Indian, Pakistani, and Malaysian contexts.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 119.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Adler, S. A., & Sim, J. B. (2008). Secondary social studies in Singapore: Intentions and contradictions. In D. L. Grossman & J. T. Lo (Eds.), Social education in Asia (pp. 163–182). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Althusser, L. (1971). Lenin and philosophy and other essays (B. Brewster, Trans.). London: New Left Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aziz, K. K. (2004). The murder of history. Lahore: Vanguard.

    Google Scholar 

  • Belton, P. (2009). Non Piu Andrai: Bullets, burkas, books-education policy and its discontents in communist and Taliban Afghanistan. In M. L. Lall & E. Vickers (Eds.), Education as a political tool in Asia (pp. 198–219). London and New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernardo, A., & Mendoza, R. (2009). Makabayan in the Philippine basic education curriculum: Problems and prospects for reforming student learning in the Philippines. In C. H. Ng & P. D. Renshaw (Eds.), Reforming learning: Concepts, issues and practice in the Asia-Pacific region (pp. 181–197). London: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bhattacharya, K. (2014). Rabindranath Tagore: Adventure of ideas and innovative practices in education. New York: Springer Science & Business Media.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cave, P. (2009). The inescapability of politics? Nationalism, democratization and social order in Japanese education. In M. L. Lall & E. Vickers (Eds.), Education as a political tool in Asia (pp. 47–66). London and New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chant, R. H. (2009). Developing involved citizens: The role of personal practical theories and action research in a standards-based social studies classroom. Teacher Education Quarterly, 36(1), 181–190.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chant, R. H., Heafner, T. L., & Bennett, K. R. (2004). Connecting personal theorizing and action research in preservice teacher development. Teacher Education Quarterly, 31(3), 25–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen, S. (2008). A critical reflection on the reform of the high school history curriculum in Taiwan. In D. L. Grossman & J. T. Lo (Eds.), Social education in Asia: Critical issues and multiple perspectives (pp. 87–110). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Constantino, R. (1975). The Philippines: A past revisited. Manila: Tala Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cornett, J. W. (1990). Teacher thinking about curriculum and instruction: A case study of a secondary social studies teacher. Theory and Research in Social Education, 28(3), 248–273.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crook, N. (1996). The transmission of knowledge in South Asia. Essay on education, religion, history and politics. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diokno, M. S. (1997). Becoming a Filipino citizen: Perspectives on democracy and citizenship. In M. S. Diokno (Ed.), Citizenship and democracy in Filipino political culture, vol. 1 (pp. 17–38). Quezon City: UP Third World Studies Center.

    Google Scholar 

  • Evans, R. W. (2004). The social studies wars: What should we teach the children? New York: Teachers College Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eppert, C., & Wang, H. (Eds.). (2008). Cross-cultural studies in curriculum: Eastern thought, educational insights. London and New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foucault, M. (1977). Discipline and punish: The birth of the prison (A. Sheridan, Trans.). New York: Pantheon Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foucault, M. (1980). Power/knowledge: Selected interviews and other writings 1972–1977 (C. Gordon, Ed. & Trans.). Great Britain: The Harvester Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foucault, M. (1982). Archeology of knowledge. London: Tavistock.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grossman, D. L., & Lo, J. T. (Eds.). (2008). Social education in Asia: Critical issues and multiple perspectives. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Han, C. (2009). Creating good citizens, or a competitive workforce, or just plain political socialisation? Tensions in the aims of education in Singapore. In M. L. Lall & E. Vickers (Eds.), Education as a political tool in Asia (pp. 102–119). London and New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Higashi, J. (2008). The Kokoro education: Landscaping the minds and hearts of Japanese. In D. L. Grossman & J. T. Lo (Eds.), Social education in Asia: Critical issues and multiple perspectives (pp. 39–56). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hung, H. T. (2015). The making of citizens in Islamizing Malaysia. In E. Vickers & K. Kumar (Eds.), Constructing modern Asian citizenship (Vol. 5, pp. 196–214). London and New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hursh, D. W., & Ross, E. W. (Eds.). (2000). Democratic social education: Social studies for social change. New York: Falmer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jho, D. (2008). Korean social studies teacher gatekeeping in the teaching about North Korea. In D. L. Grossman & J. T. Lo (Eds.), Social education in Asia: Critical issues and multiple perspectives (pp. 13–39). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krishnamurti, J. (1953). Education and the significance of life. London: Victor Gollancz.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kumar, A. (2013a). Curriculum as meditative inquiry. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar, A. (2013b). Education as a political tool in Asia: An essay review. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 33(2), 222–234. [Invited essay review].

    Google Scholar 

  • Kumar, A. (2014). Meditative education: A proposal for the existential renewal of teacher education in the 21st century. In M. J. Harkins & Z. Barchuk (Eds.), Conversations with international teacher educators: Teaching in a global world (E-Book). Halifax: Faculty of Education, Mount Saint Vincent University. http://www.msvu.ca/en/home/programsdepartments/education/facultyresearch/drmaryjaneharkins/teachingandlearninginaglobalage/default.aspx.

  • Kumar, A., & Downey, A. (2018). Teaching as meditative inquiry: A dialogical exploration. Journal of the Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies, 16(2), 52–75. Available online at https://jcacs.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/jcacs/article/view/40339/36397.

  • Kumar, K. (2001). Prejudice and pride: School histories of the freedom struggle in India and Pakistan. New Delhi: Viking.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kumar, K. (2007). Battle for peace. New Delhi: Penguin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kumar, A. (2008). A review of the book Social education in Asia: Critical issues and multiple perspectives. Education Review: A Journal of Book Reviews. [Invited book review] Available online at: http://www.edrev.info/reviews/rev715.htm.

  • Lall, M. (2009a). Globalization and the fundamentalization of curricula: Lessons from India. In M. L. Lall & E. Vickers (Eds.), Education as a political tool in Asia (pp. 157–178). London and New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lall, M. (2009b). Education dilemmas in Pakistan: The current curriculum reform. In M. L. Lall & E. Vickers (Eds.), Education as a political tool in Asia (pp. 179–197). London and New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lall, M., & Vickers, E. (Eds.). (2009). Education as a political tool in Asia. London and New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Law, W. W. (2011). Citizenship and citizenship education in a global age: Politics, policies, and practices in China. New York: Peter Lang.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, W. O., Grossman, D. L., Kennedy, K. J., & Fairbrother, G. P. (Eds.). (2004). Citizenship education in Asia and the Pacific: Concepts and issues (Vol. 14). Hongkong: Kluwer Academic and Comparative Educational Research Centre, The University of Hongkong.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lehman, J. (1995, August 29). Okinawa’s Legacy. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from https://login.proxy.hil.unb.ca/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/398496067?accountid=14611.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maca, M., & Morris, P. (2015). Education, national identity and state formation in the modern Philippines. In E. Vickers & K. Kumar (Eds.), Constructing modern Asian citizenship (Vol. 5, pp. 125–148). London and New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mendoza, R., & Nakayama, S. (2003). Makabayan curriculum for secondary schools in the Philippines: The development of citizenship. Educational Research for Policy and Practice, 2, 13–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitter, R. (2007). The Nanking Massacre. Vingtième Siècle. Revue D’histoire, 94(2), 11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morris, P. (2009). Education, politics and the state in Hong Kong. In M. L. Lall & E. Vickers (Eds.), Education as a political tool in Asia (pp. 83–101). London and New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perez, L. G. (1998). The history of Japan. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rose, C. (2015). Going global? National versus post-national citizenship education in contemporary Chinese and Japanese social studies curricula. In E. Vickers & K. Kumar (Eds.), Constructing modern Asian citizenship (Vol. 5, pp. 83–104). London and New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ross, E. W. (Ed.). (2014). The social studies curriculum: Purposes, problems, and possibilities (4th ed.). Albany: State University of New York Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ross, E. W. (2017). Rethinking social studies: Critical pedagogy and the pursuit of dangerous citizenship. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ross, E. W., Cornett, J. W., & McCutcheon, G. (1992). Teacher personal theorizing: Connecting curriculum practice, theory, and research. Albany: State University of New York Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosser, Y. C. (2003). Islamization of Pakistani social studies textbooks. New Delhi: Observer Research Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roy, K. (2003, February). The new NCERT textbooks, in rewriting history. Seminar, 522. Available online at: http://www.india-seminar.com/semframe.html.

  • Salim, A., & Khan, Z. (2004). Messing up the past. Evolution of history textbooks in Pakistan 1947–2000. Islamabad: SDPI.

    Google Scholar 

  • Salomon, M., & KĂªt, V. D. (2009). Doi-moi, education and identity formation in contemporary Vietnam. In M. L. Lall & E. Vickers (Eds.), Education as a political tool in Asia (pp. 139–156). London and New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schon, D. A. (1983). The reflective practitioners: How professionals think in action. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schon, D. A. (1987). Educating the reflective practitioners: Toward a new design for the teaching and learning in the professions. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Slatter, D. H. (2012). Toyko. In H. K. Anheier & M. Juergensmeyer (Eds.), Encyclopedia of global studies (pp. 1652–1654). Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stanley, W. B. (2001). Social studies: Problems and possibilities. In W. B. Staley (Ed.), Critical issues in social studies research for 21st century (pp. 1–14). Greenwhich, CT: Information Age.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, E. (2009). ‘Reverse! Now play forward’: Education and the politics of change in Malaysia. In M. L. Lall & E. Vickers (Eds.), Education as a political tool in Asia (pp. 120–138). London and New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thornton, S. J. (1991). Teacher as curricular-instructional gatekeeper in social studies. In J. P. Shaver (Ed.), Handbook of research on social studies teaching and learning (pp. 237–248). New York: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vickers, E. (2009). The opportunity of China? Education, patriotic, values and the Chinese state. In M. L. Lall & E. Vickers (Eds.), Education as a political tool in Asia (pp. 53–82). London and New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vickers, E., & Kumar, K. (Eds.). (2015). Constructing modern Asian citizenship (Vol. 5). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vong, S. (2008). Discourses and practices of the moral and civic education curriculum in secondary schools in Macao. In D. L. Grossman & J. T. Lo (Eds.), Social education in Asia (pp. 137–162). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wurfel, D. (1988). Filipino politics: Development and decay. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zaidi, S. A. (Ed.). (2003). Social science in Pakistan in the 1990s. Islamabad: Council of Social Sciences Pakistan.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ashwani Kumar .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Kumar, A. (2019). Curriculum as a Process of Conditioning in Asia: Ideology, Politics, and Religion. In: Curriculum in International Contexts. Curriculum Studies Worldwide. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-01983-9_5

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-01983-9_5

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-01982-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-01983-9

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics