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Disrupting normalised discourses: ways of knowing, being and doing cultural competence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 February 2019

Karen Sinclair
Karen Sinclair*
Affiliation:
School of Creative Industries, University of South Australia, St Bernards Road, Magill, SA 5072, Australia
*
Author for correspondence: Karen Sinclair, E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

The concept of cultural competence is a multifaceted construct that requires careful consideration as it raises questions as to whose ‘truth’ is being advocated. This paper draws on findings from a qualitative study which used an indigenous methodology of yarning to investigate early childhood educators’ understandings and perspectives of cultural competence. Adopting a poststructuralist approach to grounded theory, data were analysed to identify themes that reflected educators’ understandings and perspectives. This paper presents a snapshot of these themes along with a framework of positioning self in relationship to ways of knowing, being and doing cultural competence. I conclude by suggesting that this framework can provide opportunity for educators to disrupt normalised discourses and re-conceptualise cultural competence.

Keywords

Cultural competencediscourseearly childhoodregimes of truthyarning
Type
Research Article
Information
The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education , Volume 50 , Issue 1 , August 2021 , pp. 203 - 211
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2019

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