Examining the representation of Latino/a Literature in High School Literature Textbooks
The Civil Rights/Chicano/a movement fought for political and education representation in the United States toward Latinos; paving the way for a dramatic shift in the American educational system. Increasing representation efforts broke the silence of many cultures, including Latino/a culture. However, even though Latino/as are the largest minority group in the U.S., they still lack representation within the mainstream educational curriculum. This paper seeks to examine the high school literature textbooks used in Clemente high school and evaluate how Latino/as are represented in this body of literature. The study conducted a content/literary analysis, by identifying common themes in the books, and addressing the number of pages and pieces of Latino/a literature. The results found several literary themes, and various Latino/a cultures represented, however representation of Latino/a literature overall is still limited. This is a particularly important, in light of the increasing number of Latino/a students attending Chicago Public Schools.
School:
University of Southern California
Department:
American Studies / Ethnicity
Research Advisor:
Antonia Darder
Department of Research Advisor:
Educational Policy Studies
Year of Publication:
2008