Skip to main content
Top
Published in:

25-03-2023 | Original Paper

Resisting Techno-Orientalism and Mimicry Stereotypes in and Through Data Science Education

Author: Lee Melvin Madayag Peralta

Published in: TechTrends | Issue 3/2023

Login to get access

Activate our intelligent search to find suitable subject content or patents.

search-config
loading …

Abstract

The perceived importance of data in society has led to a surge in interest towards data science education. This article seeks to build on existing literature concerned with the sociopolitical, cultural, and ethical dimensions of data science education by considering the salience of two interrelated concepts discussed in Asian and Asian American studies and postcolonial studies: techno-Orientalism and the Filipino mimicry stereotype. These concepts describe the positioning of Asians and Asian Americans, and Filipinos in particular, as performance machines who are adept at copying the ideas of dominant groups but incapable of innovation themselves. This article situates techno-Orientalism and the Filipino mimicry stereotype within broader conversations around postcolonial data politics and then argues for the possibility of including these concepts in data science education curricula. Finally, this article discusses Gaskins’s techno-vernacular creativity as one path for resisting techno-Orientalist and mimicry discourses.
Literature
go back to reference Bargagliotti, A., Franklin, C., Arnold, P., Gould, R., Johnson, S., Perez, L., & Spangler, D. A. (2020). PreK-12 guidelines for assessment and instruction in statistics education II (GAISE II): A framework for statistics and data science education. American Statistical Association and National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Bargagliotti, A., Franklin, C., Arnold, P., Gould, R., Johnson, S., Perez, L., & Spangler, D. A. (2020). PreK-12 guidelines for assessment and instruction in statistics education II (GAISE II): A framework for statistics and data science education. American Statistical Association and National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
go back to reference Benjamin, R. (2019). Race after technology: Abolitionist tools for the new Jim code. Polity Press. Benjamin, R. (2019). Race after technology: Abolitionist tools for the new Jim code. Polity Press.
go back to reference Bhabha, H. (1984). Of mimicry and man: The ambivalence of colonial discourse. October, 28, 125–133. Bhabha, H. (1984). Of mimicry and man: The ambivalence of colonial discourse. October, 28, 125–133.
go back to reference Buolamwini, J., & Gebru, T. (2018). Gender shades: Intersectional accuracy disparities in commercial gender classification. In Conference on fairness, accountability and transparency (pp. 77–91). PMLR. Buolamwini, J., & Gebru, T. (2018). Gender shades: Intersectional accuracy disparities in commercial gender classification. In Conference on fairness, accountability and transparency (pp. 77–91). PMLR.
go back to reference Burke, L. E. C. A., & Wallace, J. (2020). Re-examining postcolonial science education within a power-knowledge framework: A Caribbean case study. Science & Education, 29, 571–588.CrossRef Burke, L. E. C. A., & Wallace, J. (2020). Re-examining postcolonial science education within a power-knowledge framework: A Caribbean case study. Science & Education, 29, 571–588.CrossRef
go back to reference Couldry, N., & Mejias, U. A. (2019). Data colonialism: Rethinking big Data’s relation to the contemporary subject. Television & New Media, 20(4), 336–349.CrossRef Couldry, N., & Mejias, U. A. (2019). Data colonialism: Rethinking big Data’s relation to the contemporary subject. Television & New Media, 20(4), 336–349.CrossRef
go back to reference De Kosnik, A. (2017). Perfect covers: Filipino musical mimicry and transmedia performance. Verge: Studies in Global Asias, 3(1), 137–161.CrossRef De Kosnik, A. (2017). Perfect covers: Filipino musical mimicry and transmedia performance. Verge: Studies in Global Asias, 3(1), 137–161.CrossRef
go back to reference de Laat, P. B. (2019). The disciplinary power of predictive algorithms: A Foucauldian perspective. Ethics and Information Technology, 21, 319–329.CrossRef de Laat, P. B. (2019). The disciplinary power of predictive algorithms: A Foucauldian perspective. Ethics and Information Technology, 21, 319–329.CrossRef
go back to reference Fekete, A., Kay, J., & Röhm, U. (2021). A data-centric computing curriculum for a data science major. In Proceedings of the 52nd ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (pp. 865–871). Fekete, A., Kay, J., & Röhm, U. (2021). A data-centric computing curriculum for a data science major. In Proceedings of the 52nd ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (pp. 865–871).
go back to reference Foucault, M. (1977). Discipline and punish: Birth of the prison. Vintage Books. Foucault, M. (1977). Discipline and punish: Birth of the prison. Vintage Books.
go back to reference Foucault, M. (2003). Society must be defended: Lectures at the Collège de France, 1975–76. Picador. Foucault, M. (2003). Society must be defended: Lectures at the Collège de France, 1975–76. Picador.
go back to reference Gaskins, N. (2021). Techno-vernacular creativity and innovation: Culturally relevant making inside and outside of the classroom. MIT Press.CrossRef Gaskins, N. (2021). Techno-vernacular creativity and innovation: Culturally relevant making inside and outside of the classroom. MIT Press.CrossRef
go back to reference Gutiérrez, K. D., & Rogoff, B. (2003). Cultural ways of learning: Individual traits or repertoires of practice. Educational Researcher, 32(5), 19–25.CrossRef Gutiérrez, K. D., & Rogoff, B. (2003). Cultural ways of learning: Individual traits or repertoires of practice. Educational Researcher, 32(5), 19–25.CrossRef
go back to reference Harding, S. (1992). Rethinking standpoint epistemology: What is “strong objectivity”? The Centennial Review, 36(3), 437–470. Harding, S. (1992). Rethinking standpoint epistemology: What is “strong objectivity”? The Centennial Review, 36(3), 437–470.
go back to reference Hardy, L., Dixon, C., & Hsi, S. (2020). From data collectors to data producers: Shifting students’ relationship to data. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 29(1), 104–126.CrossRef Hardy, L., Dixon, C., & Hsi, S. (2020). From data collectors to data producers: Shifting students’ relationship to data. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 29(1), 104–126.CrossRef
go back to reference Iftikar, J. S., & Museus, S. D. (2018). On the utility of Asian critical (AsianCrit) theory in the field of education. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 31(10), 935–949. Iftikar, J. S., & Museus, S. D. (2018). On the utility of Asian critical (AsianCrit) theory in the field of education. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 31(10), 935–949.
go back to reference Isin, E., & Ruppert, E. (2019). Data’s empire: Postcolonial data politics. In D. Bigo, E. Isin, & E. Ruppert (Eds.), Data politics: Worlds, subjects, rights (pp. 207–227). Routledge.CrossRef Isin, E., & Ruppert, E. (2019). Data’s empire: Postcolonial data politics. In D. Bigo, E. Isin, & E. Ruppert (Eds.), Data politics: Worlds, subjects, rights (pp. 207–227). Routledge.CrossRef
go back to reference Kitchin, R. (2013). Big data and human geography: Opportunities, challenges and risks. Dialogues in Human Geography, 3(3), 262–267.CrossRef Kitchin, R. (2013). Big data and human geography: Opportunities, challenges and risks. Dialogues in Human Geography, 3(3), 262–267.CrossRef
go back to reference Lee, V. R., Wilkerson, M. H., & Lanouette, K. (2021). A call for a humanistic stance toward K–12 data science education. Educational Researcher, 50(9), 664–672.CrossRef Lee, V. R., Wilkerson, M. H., & Lanouette, K. (2021). A call for a humanistic stance toward K–12 data science education. Educational Researcher, 50(9), 664–672.CrossRef
go back to reference Levy, K. (2015). The contexts of control: Information, power, and truck-driving work. The Information Society, 31(2), 160–174.CrossRef Levy, K. (2015). The contexts of control: Information, power, and truck-driving work. The Information Society, 31(2), 160–174.CrossRef
go back to reference Lyon, D. (2003). Surveillance as social sorting: Computer codes and mobile bodies. In D. Lyon (Ed.), Surveillance as social sorting: Privacy, risk, & digital discrimination (pp. 13–28). Routledge. Lyon, D. (2003). Surveillance as social sorting: Computer codes and mobile bodies. In D. Lyon (Ed.), Surveillance as social sorting: Privacy, risk, & digital discrimination (pp. 13–28). Routledge.
go back to reference Mertala, P. (2020). Data (il)literacy education as a hidden curriculum of the datafication of education. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 12(3), 30–42.CrossRef Mertala, P. (2020). Data (il)literacy education as a hidden curriculum of the datafication of education. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 12(3), 30–42.CrossRef
go back to reference Noble, S. (2018). Algorithms of oppression: How search engines reinforce racism. NYU Press.CrossRef Noble, S. (2018). Algorithms of oppression: How search engines reinforce racism. NYU Press.CrossRef
go back to reference Paris, D., & Alim, H. S. (2014). What are we seeking to sustain through culturally sustaining pedagogy? A loving critique forward. Harvard Educational Review, 84(1), 85–100.CrossRef Paris, D., & Alim, H. S. (2014). What are we seeking to sustain through culturally sustaining pedagogy? A loving critique forward. Harvard Educational Review, 84(1), 85–100.CrossRef
go back to reference Parvin, N., Rouse, R., Alvarez, D., Haghani, S., Clark, S., Gaskins, N., …, Gupta, S. (2022). Mess and making matters in feminist teaching. Catalyst: Feminism, Theory, Technoscience, 8(1), 1–45. Parvin, N., Rouse, R., Alvarez, D., Haghani, S., Clark, S., Gaskins, N., …, Gupta, S. (2022). Mess and making matters in feminist teaching. Catalyst: Feminism, Theory, Technoscience, 8(1), 1–45.
go back to reference Rafael, V. L. (1994). White love: Census and melodrama in the United States colonization of the Philippines. History and Anthropology, 8(1–4), 265–297.CrossRef Rafael, V. L. (1994). White love: Census and melodrama in the United States colonization of the Philippines. History and Anthropology, 8(1–4), 265–297.CrossRef
go back to reference Roh, D., Huang, B., & Niu, G. A. (2015). Techno-orientalism: Imagining Asia in speculative fiction, history, and media. Rutgers University Press. Roh, D., Huang, B., & Niu, G. A. (2015). Techno-orientalism: Imagining Asia in speculative fiction, history, and media. Rutgers University Press.
go back to reference Said, E. (1978). Orientalism. Pantheon Books. Said, E. (1978). Orientalism. Pantheon Books.
go back to reference Shah, N. (2019). “Asians are good at math” is not a complement: STEM success as a threat to personhood. Harvard Educational Review, 89(4), 661–702.CrossRef Shah, N. (2019). “Asians are good at math” is not a complement: STEM success as a threat to personhood. Harvard Educational Review, 89(4), 661–702.CrossRef
go back to reference United States. (1905). Census of the Philippine Islands (Vols. 1-4). Government Printing Office. United States. (1905). Census of the Philippine Islands (Vols. 1-4). Government Printing Office.
Metadata
Title
Resisting Techno-Orientalism and Mimicry Stereotypes in and Through Data Science Education
Author
Lee Melvin Madayag Peralta
Publication date
25-03-2023
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
TechTrends / Issue 3/2023
Print ISSN: 8756-3894
Electronic ISSN: 1559-7075
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-023-00842-0

Premium Partner