Power in Education by Henry T Trueba

Power in Education by Henry T Trueba

Originally published in 1994, this case study focuses on the empowerment of some of the poorest Miao peasants who eventually became university students and obtained high prestige as part of mainstream Chinese society. The data gathered shows the profound devotion and commitment Miao students had to their villages, families and community, and how they made enormous sacrifices in order to reach academic excellence in school, and with it honour and respect for their families and communities. The book covers the theoretical context of ethnic identity and academic achievement, the historical context of the Miao people in China, the testimonies of students and their professors relative to their university experiences, and a discussion of the meaning of ethnic identity for them. This volume emphasizes the role of ethnicity that motivates students to achieve, and thus the power of education in helping even the poorest peasants become self-confident and achieve highly in a competitive society.

Dr Henry Trueba (1931–2004) was, at the time of original publication, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost at the University of Houston, Texas. He had also been the Dean of the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and before that the Associate Dean for Letters and Sciences and Director of the Division of Education at the University of California, Davis. He had held a number of distinguished awards for scholarship. He published extensively in the field of ethnicity and race and the effects of educational achievement on minority groups.

Dr Yali Zou was, at the time of original publication Associate Researcher and Postdoctoral Fellow in the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She had held a number of awards for the excellence of her teaching. She has published widely on issues concerned with language skills.