Whose Immigration Story?: Attending to Hidden Messages of Material in Social Studies

Abstract

Sometimes materials used in schools with good intentions can have effects opposite from those stated. Through the microscopic analysis of a parent-student immigration interview assignment on a social studies unit on immigration, this article aims to uncover the hidden story that underlies the questions asked. In so doing, it intends not only to problematize the promotion of a simplistic and outdated narrative but also to use this analysis as a foundation for the development of a counter-narrative of complex and up-to-date attention to immigration. The article concludes with a developing checklist for evaluating existing and new material related to immigration.