National identity, patriotism and studying politics in schools: A case study in Hong Kong

National identity, patriotism and studying politics in schools: A case study in Hong Kong

• Yuen, Timothy Hong Kong Institute of Education
• Byram, Michael University of Durham, UK

Compare: A Journal of Comparative Education, 37(1), 23-36, 2007

Routledge

2007

• G Curriculum, Teaching & Learning: Specific Disciplines
  • GE Social Sciences, Business & Law
• G Curriculum, Teaching & Learning: Specific Disciplines
  • GF Humanities & Arts

Foreign Countries Politics Patriotism Teacher Attitudes Nationalism Secondary Education Teaching Methods Civics Citizenship Education China Hong Kong

• Hong Kong

• 1997.7 onwards

• Secondary Education

After reunification with the People's Republic of China in 1997, Hong Kong was turned into a special administrative region. The new government has repeatedly emphasised the development of national identity and patriotism. One of the locations where these issues might be expected to appear is in the teaching of Government and Public Affairs (GPA), an optional subject offered to secondary students aged 15-18. The aim of this paper is to study the perceptions of GPA teachers in order to address two issues. First, how do GPA teachers who teach politics in schools construe 'national identity' and 'patriotism'? Second, do the teachers believe studying politics through the subject GPA can enhance national identity and patriotism among the students? The findings show that the teachers understand national identity and patriotism critically. They insist politics should be taught in a rational way. At the same time, they think teaching politics in a rational way, with no appeal to the emotions as is the current practice, will enhance neither the students' sense of national identity nor their patriotism.
[Copyright of Compare: A Journal of Comparative Education is the property of Routledge. Full article may be available at the publisher's website:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03057920601061729 ]

• English

Journal Articles

• 03057925

• 10.1080/03057920601061729

https://bibliography.lib.eduhk.hk/bibs/ef5dc64d

2010-09-24