Cultural Citizen’s Conscience of Migrants Children in a Thailand – Lao PDR Border School

Authors

  • Wasan Sapphasuk Ph.D. Candidate in Education (Multicultural Education), Department of Educational Foundation and Development, Faculty of Education, Chiang Mai University, Thailand.
  • Nongyao Nawarat Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Education Foundation and Development, Faculty of Education, Chiang Mai University, Thailand.

Keywords:

Cultural citizen, migrants’ children, border school, Thailand – Lao PDR border area

Abstract

This article aims to analyze the cultural citizen’s conscience towards the migrant children who come from diverse cultural backgrounds at a school in Thailand near the Lao PDR border. The researchers conducted a qualitative study by collecting the data as follows: 1) semi-structured interview of 8 students who are the children of migrants; 2) documents, and 3) classroom observation, as well as other activities in the school. The field data was collected at Baan Rimkhong school, Chiang Khong District, Chiang Rai Province from 1st August 2018 – 31st October 2018. This research found that migrants’ children in Baan Rimkhong School were discriminated against by the nation-state. They were bullied, disdained and insulted by their classmates. Nevertheless, these students tried to maintain their cultural integrity in various spheres of endeavor. They shared the memberships and common consciences in terms of racial, ethnic group, community fellow members, organization members, and being one of the citizens in the nationstate. These mentioned unisons were used for compromising, claiming, and affirming that they were able to access to the fundamental rights and freedom equally. This article suggested that border school should realize to the importance of equity and respect for all students who have diverse cultural backgrounds and different nationalities as well as should design and implement educational pedagogy and curriculum, which are proper for the context of the cultural citizenship.

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Published

2020-06-16

How to Cite

Sapphasuk, W., & Nawarat, N. (2020). Cultural Citizen’s Conscience of Migrants Children in a Thailand – Lao PDR Border School. Scholar: Human Sciences, 12(1), 262. Retrieved from http://www.assumptionjournal.au.edu/index.php/Scholar/article/view/3827