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Problematizing The Use Of The Cultural Autobiography In Pre-Service Multicultural Education Courses, Aaron C. Bruewer, Gilbert Park, Jayne Beilke

Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education

This paper explores the qualitative methodology of narrative life history as an instructional tool for pre-service teachers at a midwestern regional public university. Specifically, the authors problematize the use of the cultural autobiography assignment for undergraduate teacher candidates enrolled in required multicultural education courses in order to evolve its use. While life history has the potential to promote critical reflections on one’s own position in a complex interplay of power relations, it can also reify pre-existing prejudicial attitudes as currently used. The paper includes composite quotes from the papers of 85 undergraduate students to support authors investigation, as they suggest …