Cultural Historical Contexts
This chapter introduces some of the cultural-historical background necessary to understanding the perspectives of educators in Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and the U.S. While recognizing the complex, evolving nature of culture, it provides an overview of some broadly shared, culturally embedded ideas about disability, stigmatization, and the self that are prevalent in East Asia and the U.S. In East Asian contexts, these include culturally specific folk beliefs, Confucianism, Buddhism, internationalism, and Westernization; as well as important historical events shaping modern educational systems put in place after World War II. In the multicultural U.S. context, common ideas and educational practices relevant to disability are shaped by ideas pertaining to individuality, independence, achievement, and internationalism, as well as important historical events such as the civil rights movement.