Student-Teachers’ Views on Racism and Racial Nomenclature in Children’s Literature

• Main Authors: Matea Butković, Ester Vidović
• Format: Article
• Language: Bosnian
• Published: University of Tuzla, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences 2019-05-01
• Series: Društvene i Humanističke Studije
• Subjects: children’s literature; EFL; inclusive education; initial teacher education; intercultural competence; racial nomenclature
• Online Access: http://www.dhs.ff.untz.ba/index.php/home/article/view/261/197

This research aims to explore student-teachers’ views on racism and racial nomenclature in order to uncover if they are equipped with the right knowledge to recognize discriminatory language, to explore their opinions on the appropriateness of racial nomenclature in children’s literature, and to probe their views on the existence of racial discrimination in Croatia. 28 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in integrated university studies of Primary Education took part in the research. The starting point was an excerpt from Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin, which was followed up with a two-part questionnaire. The research findings illuminated that a substantial part of the participants show a lack of knowledge and possible biases with re- gards to their views on (in)appropriate nomenclature as well as a lack of awareness of racial discrimination in Croatia. On the other hand, the vast majority of participants believe children should know about the existence of racism and the social construct of race from an early age but seem conflicted about which racial nomenclature should be included.