School history textbooks have typically served to reinforce a sense of national identity and national belonging, often through constructing or reinforcing a distinction between the national "self" and foreign "others". What have often been overlooked in history textbook researches is how ethnic minorities have been portrayed to…

Historians work in a discipline with few inherent concepts and are obliged to draw upon many fields in recreating the past. Yet authors of most school history texts, state and national standards and curriculum materials seldom incorporate economic analysis in their work. Just look at state standards that include Adam Smith and John Locke but draw…

The history curriculum in Hong Kong schools is unique in having separate subjects--history and Chinese history--with distinct content, pedagogy, and assumptions about the discipline of history. In contrast to conventional theories of colonial education, this may have been a mutually convenient collaboration between the government and local…

Explores contributions to educational policy and practice of tensions about and aspirations for the future of Hong Kong. Examines political and economic influences on educational development during five historical periods, 1844-1997. Presents three recent case studies of connections between the "1997 factor" and educational policy,…

Provides historical background to the recent democracy movement in China and its outcomes. Examines the extent of human rights violations and whether democracy can take hold in China. Highlights implications of government repression for international relations. Argues Chinese democracy will require restoration of political pluralism and civil…