Author Information
Yi Yin Chen, Chungnam National University, South KoreaChangsoo Hur, Chungnam National University, South Korea
Abstract
This study aims to explore the struggles of recognition that Indigenous students face within Taiwan’s educational system through examining how an Indigenous school forms the Indigenous culture within a mainstream education system. Employing Axel Honneth’s theory of recognition as an analytical framework, the research focuses on three dimensions: emotional support (love), cognitive respect (rights), and social esteem (solidarity). Through an ethnographic approach involving fieldwork, interviews, and participant observation, the study investigates how Indigenous culture is either affirmed or marginalized across school, family, and societal contexts. The findings reveal that, despite the Taiwan government's policies, such as the Indigenous Education Act, intended to support Indigenous cultural preservation, Indigenous culture remains at risk of marginalization and instrumentalization in curriculum design, language education, and societal valuation. In response, this study interprets from the perspective of Axel Honneth’s theory of recognition and indicates the concept of cultural agency, emphasizing that students must be granted the freedom, institutional protection, and societal acceptance to shape their own cultural identities. By addressing the limitations of dominant educational paradigms, the research contributes to a deeper understanding of Indigenous educational challenges and offers theoretical and policy insights for advancing genuine cultural recognition and equity.
Paper Information
Conference: PCE2025Stream: Challenging & Preserving: Culture
This paper is part of the PCE2025 Conference Proceedings (View)
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To cite this article:
Chen Y., & Hur C. (2025) An Educational Ethnographic Study of Recognitional Struggles in an Indigenous Key Elementary School in Taiwan ISSN: 2758-0962 The Paris Conference on Education 2025: Official Conference Proceedings (pp. 671-686) https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2758-0962.2025.51
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2758-0962.2025.51
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