How does mobility and structural racism intersect in international schools and affect students?
This is the e-handout for the online presentation for the SPAN Symposium held on 5-6 March 2022. It includes a list of resources mentioned in the presentation and additional resources.
Core topics
- How does the hidden curriculum of structural racism show up in international schools?
- What happens when a child’s identity mirrors are distorted?
- What does internalized racism look like for international school students?
- How do the hidden narratives told by school staff impact students?
- How does transition issues related to mobility intersect with issues of structural racism?
Main text
Growing Up in Transit: The Politics of Belonging at an International School. Danau Tanu, 2018.
Resources mentioned in the presentation (in order of appearance)
Safe Passage: How mobility affects people & what international schools should do about it. Doug Ota, 2014.
Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds, 3rd Edition. David Pollock, Dr. Ruth E. Van Reken and Michael Pollock, 2017.
Children At Promise: 9 principles to help kids thrive in an at risk world. By Dr. Tim Stuart, 2003.
‘Third Culture Kids: The Return Home’ by Tim Brantingham in Sandwich Parenting.
Additional resources
TCKs of Asia live forums & Third Culture Stories podcast. Highly recommended for those who want to better understand the experiences of Asian third culture kids. Topics covered:
- cultural loss and shame due to the impact of cultural hierarchies on identity (Season 2, Episode 3: Mixed Loyalties – When Choosing is Difficult);
- hidden loss of language and intimacy with parents (Season 2, Episode 1: A Foreigner in My Own Family);
- internalized racism at the point of repatriation (Season 1, Episode 2: Language & Power).
If your children are living away from the family with guardians or in a dorm, see also: Third Culture Kids & Parachute Kids – Building Their Resilience with experts Dr. Tim Stuart and Dr. Jang Eun Cho. Co-hosted by Dr. Danau Tanu & Sundae Bean.
Misunderstood: The Impact of Growing Up Overseas in the 21st Century. Tanya Crossman, 2016. See also www.tanyacrossman.com
For more resources, see here.