Reflections on structural inequality, struggle and the meanings of citizenship: a zainichi Korean teacher narrative

Abstract

Teachers across the globe engage in day-to-day struggles for justice, often with support from unions and community-led groups. Teacher narratives reveal opportunities forbuilding an inclusive theory and practice of education for social justice. I profile one teacher, a third generation zainichi Korean permanent resident in Japan, employed to teach ethnic studies. Her account highlights teachers’ political and moral responsibilities, and ways in which professional and political commitments may coincide. Her work is contextualisedwithin historical and ongoing struggles for equality in Japan. Despite structural inequalities , she empowers students to claim their rights. Through the curriculum, she challenges asymmetrical power relations and hate speech, presenting a complex narrative of twentieth century Japanese history. She presentsa cosmopolitan vision, to meet the challenges of global citizenship. I argue teachers need to recognise both ethical and political dimensions of their role, to provide a solid foundation in empowering youth to work for justice and human rights. .