How do we teach about ethnic and cultural diversity in PETE? A discourse analysis of interviews from Norway, Aotearoa/New Zealand and Canada

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background Although social justice has been a topic of interest in physical education for over 40 years, research still shows that physical education excludes and marginalises students based on various identity dimensions. Presently, with societies becoming more diverse, there is heightened anticipation for teacher educators to demonstrate ‘cultural responsiveness’ or ‘cultural competence’. Purpose This paper investigates how Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) educators in Norway, Aotearoa/New Zealand and Canada construct teaching about ethnic and cultural diversity. Methods This study’s data comprise 23 interviews with PETE educators from three countries. We analysed the interviews using concepts from discourse theory and a framework from multicultural education. Findings While the way teacher educators discuss teaching about issues of ethnic and cultural diversity in PETE highly depends on each country’s contexts, there still are overlaps encapsulated by discourses. Our analysis suggests most discursive articulations from interviews reproduced liberal discourses, with fewer discursive articulations from conservative and critical discourses. Furthermore, the discourses constructed certain subject positions for students and teacher educators that carry implications for practice. Conclusion Although there are consistent attempts to engage with critical discourses, the dominance of liberal discourses persists in PETE in all three countries. This prevalence poses a risk of perpetuating othering and marginalisation.