Asian Perspectives on Education: Inclusivity and Diversity

The idea of “Asia” is contested in the literature as a concept in terms of unification in any sense e.g., regionally, economically, and politically (see Duara [1995] 2019; Acharya, 2010), which makes a book of this nature challenging. The use of inclusion and diversity as a lens of discovery is not only synchronically topical but provides an important outlet for unheard voices and marginalized perspectives otherwise silenced or ignored in education and Asian literature. The lens by which the book is written combines multiple streams of diversity and inclusion with that of K-12 and higher education in an Asian context, and it allows room for individual Asian voices and perspectives both in and outside the classroom.

Inspired by a panel presented at the 2021 New York Conference on Asian Studies (NYCAS) on the very topic of inclusivity and diversity in Asian education, the book broadened the original focus from the COVID-centered to one that allowed the exploration of a wider geographic area and cultural area as well as new subjects. Moreover, our text includes a focus on individuals with disabilities, multicultural education, and cross-disciplinary efforts across cultures. This book covers broader topics regarding inclusivity and diversity in education from multiple Asian perspectives and ranges from various educational levels (that is, elementary, secondary, and post-secondary institutions), different school settings (that is, public and private schools), and a variety of Asian countries and areas (that is, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, and Taiwan). This book gives a well-rounded representation of the issues through theoretical focus, practical applications, and research studies, contributed by authors from various international institutions and countries or countries of origin, including Bangladesh, China, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, and the United States.

Dr. Jie Zhang is Professor of Special Education at State University of New York (SUNY) Brockport. She left Shanghai, China to pursue her lifelong dream to become a teacher and earned PhD in Exceptional Learning from Tennessee Technological University. Her research focuses on the efficacy of interventions for children with disabilities, services for children with diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds and their families, and Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) in higher education, especially as related to pedagogy and assessments. She has published 31 peer-reviewed journal articles at the national/international level, four book chapters, 85 conference presentations and 21 invited presentations at the national/international level. Dr. Zhang received SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching, Open SUNY Online Teaching Ambassador Award, Outstanding Academic Advising Award, and the Inaugural Outstanding Global Engagement Award from SUNY Brockport.

Dr. Natalie Sarrazin is Professor of Music at the State University of New York (SUNY) Brockport. Natalie is an ethnomusicologist and music educator and was interim Co-Director of the Arts for Children Program for five years. Natalie earned her PhD in Ethnomusicology from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a Master’s in Music Education from Peabody Institute of Music at the Johns Hopkins University. Natalie’s research areas include music education and ethnomusicology; her music education research includes multicultural and integration, and her ethnomusicology focus includes popular music and music education in India, where she has completed over 20 years of fieldwork and research. Dr. Sarrazin has authored 4 books, and numerous book chapters, articles and invited presentations. She received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activity in 2021.

inclusivity, diversity, education, Asia, Asian perspectives