Policy Debates and Indigenous Education: The Trialectic of Language, Culture, and Identity

Abstract

In this chapter, we explore several policy debate topics associated with indigenous education with a focus on the issues of indigenous languages, cultures, and identity. Highly political by nature, the terms indigeneity and indigenous rights are central to most policy debates with direct implications on social justice issues, human rights, and education in general. Besides examining global indigenous declarations that directly influence indigenous education, we also examine policy debate issues within five country contexts—in China, Mexico, Taiwan, Uganda, and the United States. We use the term indigenous genocide to account for any former, current, or future government policy that intentionally causes the assimilation of indigenous peoples into the dominant national culture. Examples are given in the five case countries of how indigenous genocide can lead to the genocide of indigenous peoples’ languages, cultures, and/or identities. The chapter concludes by highlighting the central role indigenous education can play in being able to curb or reverse indigenous genocidal policies. Crucial to reversing anti-indigenous policies is the involvement and empowerment of indigenous peoples in every facet of the policy planning and implementation processes.