The Use of Postcolonial Theory in Social Studies Education Some Implications

In this essay I explain the basic tenets of postcolonial theory and its possible implications for teaching social studies and global issues in American high schools. The use of this theory is becoming increasingly significant, given the growing Islamophobia and Orientalism in the United States, the ongoing uprisings in the Middle East, and the divide between East and West at the political levels. Also, it recognizes the right of the Other for appropriate representation, self-determination, and justice. The essay allows scholars, teachers, and educators to enrich their strategies of critique, and their pedagogical repertoire, and to prepare critically and globally informed citizens.