ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors considers the relationship between place and identities, and how context can influence and shape understanding. A critical pedagogy of place prioritizes learning connections between the local, regional, national, and global contexts, while also considering power and privilege. The word critical as used in this way does not mean to be critical or to criticize, but rather to consider the role of power. If students are to learn how to participate in decision making about the role of the river in their community in terms of its economic, social, and environmental impact, a broader view is needed. In contrast, a critical pedagogy of place asks students and teachers together to consider how peoples might live in a place that is distinct from as well as connected to other places. While the word “stereotype” suggests negative representations, the term “rural imaginary” captures the imaginary rural in our minds—those stereotypes as well as images of romanticized rural communities.
