The Linguistics Journal September 2009 Special Edition Language

The Linguistics Journal – September 2009
Apart from the above factors which can be related to the fostering of national identity, most
studies found that national identity could in fact be shaped by education. For example, Salomon and Ket
(2007) found that education was the main factor attributing to national identity formation in
contemporary Vietnam. Merry (2005) researched the relationship between schooling and national
identity maintenance. Similar studies have been conducted in different countries, e.g. Su (2006) & Liu
and Hung (2002) examined how Taiwanese school curricula placed impact on political ideology and
national identity. Su (2007) analysed the content of textbooks and their ideological representation of
national identity. Bass (2008) also studied how the Tibetan primary curriculum affected the formation of
Tibetan identity. Collet (2007) examined how Canadian school policies and practices supported and
challenged the identities of a Muslim traditional (Somali) group in Canadian public schools. Johnson
(2007) found that the formal curriculum of Ecuador attempted to erase the significance of Black people
from the economic and social development of the nation. Students of African descent meanwhile also
attempted to move towards “Whiteness” as they negotiated the dominant discourse of national identity.
Lall (2008) investigated how education was used to create antagonistic national identities in India and
Pakistan. Yonah (2008) investigated how the Israeli education system handled a Palestinian minority
group in Israel.
Having reviewed related studies conducted in foreign contexts, social factors and education
appear to be the main sources of national identity change. As for the HK context, it was again found that
relevant studies conducted in HK context have been limited. The most recent ones were Lo and
Merryfield (2008) and Yuen and Byram (2007). Apart from the works of Lo and Merryfield and Yuen &
Byram, relatively recent works include Law and Ho’s (2004) and Ho’s (2003) studies.
The Linguistics Journal – Special Edition Page 42