ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the social construction of 'race' in increasingly globalised context of education policy making. It also examines the particular articulation of the Asian in deterritorialised education policy discourse generated out of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). The chapter discusses three closely interrelated critical discursive moments, where the Asian as a racial construct was foregrounded in Australian education policy discourse. The first critical moment took place in response to the dominance of East Asian cities and countries in PISA 2009 and 2012. Many Australian scholars participated in debate over whether or not Australia should look to Asia for lessons for its education reform. Second critical moment relates to media debate over the problem of 'tiger parenting' and use of private coaching among Asian Australians in Australian metropolitan cities. The third critical moment looked at significance of Asian cultural background in determining PISA results.
