Teaching Transnational Asian American History Using a Human Rights Approach: Illustrating with Chinese American History

Abstract

As an increasing number of states mandate or consider the incorporation of Asian American history into school curricula, educators and curriculum developers are actively responding to this growing demand. Recognizing the transnational nature of Asian American history and the explanatory power of Asian Critical (AsianCrit) Theory in addressing this complexity, I advocate for the pedagogical effectiveness of a human rights framework. This framework provides a valuable scaffold for students’ learning and the development of a transnational perspective. After reviewing multiple typologies of Human Rights Education, I propose that the C3 Inquiry framework offers a robust model for implementing Human Rights Education. This approach provides a comprehensive strategy for teaching about, through, and for human rights within the context of teaching and learning about Asian American history. To illustrate this approach, a sample unit plan focusing on key moments in Chinese American history is presented.