Legislating whiteness: an emotion discourse analysis of divisive concepts legislation

Abstract

This research examines a state-level response to national political movements to decentre whiteness in American social studies education. Aiming to better understand how emotions systemically sustain and build connections to whiteness, this emotion discourse analysis examined how fear and hope shaped the content of and support for legislation mandating a race-evasive approach to teaching in public schools. Fear of what learning about racism might provoke and disrupt was a driving force behind the policy. Despite emotion discourses resisting the policies and identifying the harm such censorship would cause for students and education more broadly, the policy became law laying the foundation for further policy moves to protect whiteness in education spaces. This research highlights the need for social studies curricula that expand students’ capacity to identify and analyse the social and political significance of emotions.