Term
Summer 2021
Capstone
Thesis
Degree Name
MA-TESOL
Primary Advisor/Dissertation Chair
Andreas Schramm
Secondary Advisor/Reader One
Carlene Gibson
Peer-Reviewer/Reader Two
Chanelle McCloud
Abstract
This research study examines how anti-Black sentiment influences Black teachers’ experiences in South Korea, using the critical race theory (CRT) framework to analyze various forms of anti-Black sentiment (ABS) and explore correlations between major tenets of CRT and types of ABS. Previous research has concluded that Black teachers continue to face overt racism in South Korea. Also, there continues to be a lack of empathy or disinterest in discussing racism in Korea. Unfortunately, the amount of research that focuses on the experiences of Black teachers teaching English in East Asia, primarily South Korea, is scarce. This study will add to the lack of research in TESOL (Teaching English to speakers of other languages) concerning the issues of anti-Black sentiment in Korea. I used data from a survey of ten (10) participants to measure instances of anti-Black sentiment that teachers experienced. In addition, more data was collected from a follow-up, semi-structured interview of two (2) participants exploring how forms of ABS correlate to eight tenets of critical race theory: interest convergence, critique of liberalism, storytelling, revisionist history, structural determinism, racial intersections, essentialism & anti-essentialism, and cultural nationalism/separatism. The survey and interview findings indicate that 80% of the participants experience ABS in Korea. Furthermore, Korean nationalism intertwined with White supremacy ideologies exported through imperialism is rooted in anti-Black sentiment. Overall, the findings show that critical race theory can be applied in any cultural context to deconstruct racist ideology and challenge English programs that lack proper multicultural education.
Research Methodology
Interview, Survey (attitude scale, opinion, questionnaire)
Keywords
Adult Education, International Teaching, Multicultural Education, Social Justice
Recommended Citation
Nelson, Kenya, "Critical Race Theory: Measuring Anti-Black Sentiment In South Korean English Education" (2021). School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations. 4533.
https://digitalcommons.hamline.edu/hse_all/4533
dc_type
text
dc_publisher
DigitalCommons@Hamline
dc_format
application/pdf
dc_source
School of Education Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations