This book examines the evolving role played by the social studies classroom in shaping national identity and contributing to Orientalism, which depicts the peoples of the Middle East as "the Other" relative to those of the United States and Europe.

Building upon the momentum of critical approaches to examining the nature of knowledge, the role of schools in society, and the trends within social studies education and its hidden curriculum, the volume crucially shifts the focus towards a more global emphasis, examining the nature of Orientalism and the school as a setting where Orientalist logic and assumptions about the Middle East and its inhabitants are reified. Focusing on the ecosystem of social studies knowledge production and working within the sociology of knowledge, it traces this evolution across the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries.

A novel and unique exploration of knowledge construction, and presenting a vision for a more nuanced and multifaceted portrayal of the Middle East that corrects for the deleterious aspects of Orientalism while avoiding a romanticized apologetic, it will appeal to scholars, researchers and educators with interests in decolonizing education, social studies education, the history of education, and race and ethnicity studies.

Book Information
ISBN 9781032456836
Author Daniel Osborn
Format Hardback
Page Count 256
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd