Creepy White Gaze: Rethinking the Diorama as a Pedagogical Activity

Authors

  • Andrea Sterzuk University of Regina
  • Valerie Mulholland University of Regina

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11575/ajer.v57i1.55452

Keywords:

gaze, colonialism, pedagogy, race, diorama

Abstract

Drawing on gaze and postcolonial theory, this article provides a theoretical discussion of a problematic photograph published in a provincial teachers’ newsletter. The photo consists of a White settler child and two White settler educators gathered around his heritage fair entry diorama entitled “Great Plains Indians.” This article analyzes this image to gain a better understanding of how curriculum and pedagogical activities work discursively to produce dominant and dominated racial positions in Saskatchewan.

Reposant sur un regard et sur une théorie postcoloniale, cet article offre une discussion théorique d'une photographie inquiétante publiée dans un bulletin provincial pour enseignants. La photo représente un enfant et deux enseignants, tous des pionniers blancs, entourant le diorama que l'élève a préparé pour une célébration du patrimoine et qui s'intitule « Great Plains Indian ». Nous analysons cette image afin de mieux comprendre l'effet discursif des activités pédagogiques sur la production de positions raciales dominante/dominée en Saskatchewan.

Author Biographies

Andrea Sterzuk, University of Regina

Andrea Sterzuk holds a doctorate in second-language education from McGill University and is an assistant professor of language and literacies education in the Faculty of Education at the University of Regina.

Valerie Mulholland, University of Regina

Valerie Mulholland is an associate professor of language and literacy education in the Faculty of Education, University of Regina.

Downloads

How to Cite

Sterzuk, A., & Mulholland, V. (2011). Creepy White Gaze: Rethinking the Diorama as a Pedagogical Activity. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 57(1), 16–27. https://doi.org/10.11575/ajer.v57i1.55452

Issue

Vol. 57 No. 1 (2011): Spring

Section

ARTICLES

License

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA COPYRIGHT LICENSE AND PUBLICATION AGREEMENT

If accepted, authors will be asked to sign a copyright agreement with the following points:

A. Where there is any inconsistency between this Copyright License and Publication Agreement and any other document or agreement in relation to the same subject matter, the terms of this Agreement shall govern.

B. This document sets out the rights you are granting in relation to publication of your article, book review, or research note entitled (the “Article”) through inclusion in the academic journal titled Alberta Journal of Educational Research (the “Journal”) published through the Faculty of Education, representing the Governors of the University of Alberta (the “Journal Editor”).

C. There will be no payment to you for this publication and grant of rights. In consideration of the agreement to publish the Article in the Journal:

1. You are warranting that:

  1. the content of the Article is your original work, and its content does not contain any material infringing the copyright of others; or, where the Article is not entirely your original work, you have obtained all necessary permissions in writing to grant the rights you are giving in this agreement;
  2. the content of the Article does not contain any material that is defamatory of, or violates the privacy rights of, or discloses the confidential information of, any other person;
  3. the Article has not been published elsewhere in whole or in part, and you will not allow publication of the Article elsewhere without the consent of the Journal Editor;
  4. the names of all co-authors and contributors to the Article are:

2. You agree to license the copyright in the Article to the Journal Editor, on a worldwide, perpetual, royalty free basis; and to the extent required by the terms of this agreement. You shall retain the right at all times to be acknowledged as the/an author of the Article.

3. You further agree that the Journal Editor has the entitlement to deal with the Article as the Journal Editor sees fit, and including in the following manner;

  1. The right to print, publish, market, communicate and distribute the Article and the Journal, in this and any subsequent editions, in all media (including electronic media), in all languages, and in all territories, ing the full term of copyright, and including any form of the Article separated from the Journal, such as in a database, abstract, offprint, translation or otherwise, and to authorize third parties to do so;
  2. The right to register copyright of the Journal;
  3. The right to edit the Article, to conform to editorial policy as the Journal Editor sees fit.

4. If any co-author or contributor to the Article does not sign this agreement, the Journal Editor reserves the right to refuse to publish the Article.