ABSTRACT
Cosmopolitanism and multiculturalism play significant roles in society and education in Hong Kong, particularly in relation to the needs of diverse students to be positively included. In relation, Liberal Studies is a major part of the curriculum in government schools which has global, cosmopolitan, and multicultural goals. This chapter discusses Liberal Studies from a holistic view. It first discusses what Liberal Studies is and its role in relation to multicultural education. Next, I explore textbook treatments of diversity and ethnic and religious minorities and how cultural difference plays out. I show that despite lip service paid to multicultural values, the curriculum can be seen to have assimilationist values and play a role in nationalisation. The chapter ends with a discussion of one other way Liberal Studies does not live up to cosmopolitan expectations, exploring the experience of South Korean international students training to be Liberal Studies teachers.
