Spaces for variations in the Asia Literacy 'Policy Gap'

This chapter interrogates theoretical complexities of the construal of Asia and Asia literacy in education policy in the Australian context. It explores the values and objectives at play in the representation of the 'problem' that requires an Asia learning 'solution'. To a certain extent, the positioning of Asia learning in policy is "creative" (Bacchi, 2009, p. 211) of neoliberal and neo-colonial constructs of the problem in the first place. Asia learning is simultaneously positioned as both 'problem', in a perceived lack of Asia knowledge needed to ensure economic futures for Australia in the Asian cen-tury, and 'solution' as an imperative to increase this knowledge. Central to this 'solution' is the cross-curriculum priority in the Australian Curriculum. This chapter interrogates the trajectory of such policy from 'text' to 'in context' in the classroom, and the way in which school actors both respond to and create space to re-imagine narrative possibilities of the 'solution'. These re-imagined narratives can represent encouraging departures from governing neoliberal approach-es; however residual imperial notions of 'Asia' and ‘Asian culture’ enduringly haunt them. The latter highlights the im-portance of teacher’s intellectual engagement in theoretical work regarding how they will 'know' Asia, as a necessary pre-cursor to 'doing', though 'doing' is often what dominates dis-cussion of classroom enactment. This chapter concludes by exploring the possibilities for teachers to navigate the multiple and dialectical spaces for variation in the Asia literacy 'policy gap'

Teachers' cultural maps: Asia as a "tricky sort of subject matter" in curriculum inquiry

The refocussing of Australia–Asia relations is manifest in a combination of national policy moves in Australia. Parallel shifts have been made in Europe, the United States, Canada and New Zealand. In Australia, the curricular response to this shift has become known as "Asia literacy." This study is drawn from a wider project that explores representations of Asia literacy in both espoused and enacted policy. Teachers in this study are welcoming of Asia literacy, however lack confidence in their ability to engage with it as "tricky sort of subject matter" that requires significant theoretical work to "know Asia," and "Asian culture" in an "authentic" way. A seemingly insurmountable barrier is created by assumptions that knowledge of Asia can be discretely inserted into curriculum. Critical reflection on residual imperial notions that are evident in such assumptions can in turn open new possibilities to theorise curricular responses to Asia literacy