Toward a New Synthesis of American History? Issues of Immigration, Cultural Diversity and National Identity in the Curriculum Framework for California Public Schools, 1984-1991. Une nouvelle synthèse historique? Immigration, diversité culturelle et identité américaine dans les programmes d'histoire des écoles primaires et secondaires en Californie (1984-1991) En Fr

Résumé En Fr

This paper provides an historical account of the initiative of the State of California to reform its history-social science curriculum along multicultural lines. The author intends to offer an insight into the American culture wars from the vantage point of primary and secondary education. The paper examines the changing representation of American cultural diversity as conveyed in the 1988 framework within the context of the national debate over American identity and common culture. The idea that "ail Americans are immigrants", including Native Americans and African Americans, is the guiding thread of a new synthesis of American history which strives to integrate previously omitted voices within a unifying historical narrative. The case study of the California history-social science curriculum reform exemplifies the attempt of historians and educators to settle down the debate over ethnie diversity and find the common ground that could bind ail American citizens together.

Pour comprendre qui est « le Peuple américain » (ou pour comprendre s'il existe un peuple américain), les peuples américains ont tenté de se comprendre à l'intérieur des limites d'un récit particulier, d'une histoire dont les termes définissent leur identité, même si ce récit raconte la diversité.