comment

A rose by any other name…

We enjoyed reading your views on whether the term ‘Third Culture Kid’ is now outdated

In the ‘Comment’ section of the most recent issue of this magazine, we as Editors questioned whether the widelyused term Third Culture Kid, or TCK, has now passed its sellby date, by virtue of the diversity and increasing complexity of its usage and the associated lack of clarity as to its precise meaning. We invited readers to express their views on the matter and, given the differing contexts which we are aware International School readers represent, we had hoped that a wide range of views might be forthcoming. We were not disappointed! In fact we are delighted by the response (not only because it shows that the Comment page is actually read!), and encouraged by the willingness of readers to share their thoughts – borne out of that diversity of contexts and experiences. We thank all our respondents wholeheartedly.

We have decided to feature, in this issue, five of the responses received, chosen for the differing perspectives they bring on the topic – which represent the range of different views expressed also by others. We anticipate that in future issues we may be able to include some of the other responses received. Mary Langford writes here on the subject from the basis of both experience and emotion, having been a TCK herself, contending that – whilst she loathes the label – it is a term that is widely understood! Shamiela Davids, meanwhile, questions the extent to which the term has applicability in the reality of the world today, while Bonnie Friedmann brings another perspective – expressing her views as someone who has come to the term for the first time. The term will continue to be used, argues Richard Pearce, while pointing out that as single labels are at the root of many of today’s problems, there are likely to be difficulties in agreeing on a shared label that could apply with equal validity across the complex and diverse nature of the issues that confront children in the modern world – which is so different from that of the mid-20th century when the term was created. Carol Inugai-Dixon shares her reservations concerning the difficulty of finding terms which can apply across constantly changing circumstances, while declaring her loyalty to a term that has, she says, stood us in good stead to date and should not yet be abandoned. Even our intrepid Fifth Columnist, E T

We have decided to feature five of the responses received, chosen for the differing perspectives they bring on the topic.

Ranger, could not resist the temptation to ask the question: Is there life beyond ‘TCK’?

There are, no doubt, many other terms that have been borrowed over the years from cognate disciplines and that have been applied to our own, emerging, field of international education. There are also undoubtedly many terms that were created within the international education field, but at a different time and in differing contexts, for which questions of current validity and relevance arise in our rapidly changing world. We invite readers to share with us their thoughts on other such terms – as have a number of readers already in respect of the TCK label, to whom we express our thanks.

Mary Hayden and Jeff Thompson

Mary Hayden and Jeff Thompson Editors Jonathan Barnes Editorial Director James Rudge Production Director Alex Sharratt Managing Director

For Editorial enquiries contact Mary Hayden and Jeff Thompson Email: editor@is-mag.com Website: www.is-mag.com

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