Social Studies Within and Across Borders: Exploring the Transfer of Ideas in Time and Space

Abstract

This paper analyzes how general trends in American social studies curriculum ideas have made their way into British Columbia’s (BC) social studies program over the last century. The findings explore how some concepts travel across international borders and the impact that local social, political and economic contexts play in influencing which ideas are integrated into curricula and which aren’t. BC presents an interesting case study of globalization: local educational officials have often been open to curriculum change as they have understood BC to be a knowledge economy. The paper also comments on the impact that social, economic and political contexts and policy developers may play in relation to curricular change.