Teachers as postcolonial intellectuals: History teachers' strivings to decolonize the South Korean curriculum

초록

Since Korea's liberation from Japanese rule in 1945, history education has been shaped by nationalist and anti-communist ideologies that reinforced authoritarian regimes and perpetuated colonial and Cold War epistemologies. This study examines the role of South Korean history teachers, particularly those belonging to the National Association of History Teachers (NAHT), as postcolonial intellectuals striving to decolonize and democratize the history curriculum. It draws on the conceptualization of teachers as postcolonial intellectuals, informed by Henry Giroux's notion of transformative intellectuals, Frantz Fanon's critique of colonial subjectivity, and Edward Said's analysis of imperial knowledge production. In addition, this study employs the framework of Asia as Method to investigate South Korean history teachers' engagement in epistemic resistance and critical consciousness formation. It demonstrates how the NAHT challenged dominant historical narratives by promoting democratic citizenship education; integrating marginalized voices, such as those of women, workers, and colonized nations, into the curriculum; fostering peace education rooted in historical reconciliation and transnational solidarity; and decentering Western-centric perspectives to reframe the world history curriculum. The findings highlight the transformative potential of educators in postcolonial societies and offer insights for other societies seeking to decolonize the curriculum.

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