The new assimilationism: The push for patriotic education in the United States since September 11

Abstract

Since September 11, 2001, arguments have been put forward for a sort of specifically non-pluralistic, conservative, patriotic educational policy in the United States, by educators historically sympathetic toward assimilationist policies and curriculum in U.S. schools. In response to pluralist calls for tolerance if not positive recognition of Muslims and Islam in public schools, these and other critics of multiculturalism frame positive recognition in this case as mutually exclusive with the nation's continued flourishing via patriotic, assimilationist education. In this essay, the author traces a line between assimilationism as an historical force and, at one time, sanctioned policy in education and elsewhere within the United States, to arguments being made more recently for patriotic education in response to calls for positive recognition of Muslims in schools since 9/11. The author first discusses assimilationism as a philosophical commitment in the United States historically, in order to flesh out the main features of assimilationism and pluralism and compare and contrast the two. Though this discussion does not focus singly on education, the second and third sections analyze more recent educational trends against multicultural education and toward patriotic education, particularly since 9/11, respectively, critically evaluating their implications for educating about difference, and in the case of Islam. The author argues that historically and today these sorts of pushes for assimilationism and patriotism and against multiculturalism serve ultimately to exclude rather than to include more people, despite the proponents' alleged commitment to equality and individual liberty as promoted in the U.S. constitution.