Curious about George: Postcolonial Science and Technology Studies, STEM education policy, and colonial iconicity

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis essay addresses the colonial and cultural iconography of Curious George as a curious monkey and contemporary Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) ambassador. We critically consider how the United States’ political desire to compete globally through STEM leadership is both promoted and popularised through Curious George. Drawing on Postcolonial Science and Technology Studies, we argue it is crucial to critically read the colonial grounds under which popular figures are predicated in concert with the circulation of contemporary politics. Specifically, we attend to the colonial roots of curiosity and the frontier mentality that underlie Curious George’s push for STEM education while advocating for the rethinking of discourses that situate STEM as a value-free solution to global competitiveness. Through a postcolonial reading of Curious George, we demonstrate how the historical relationship between curiosity, primates, and science also produce colonial connotations that should provide scepticism to the current educational push that thrusts young learners to ‘get curious’. Understanding how the West constitutes themselves in opposition to the monkey icon better enables readers to understand how the trope of curiosity, essential in current scientific discourse, positions Curious George as a vehicle for directing citizens to read STEM educational policy as ideologically neutral.