ERIC Number: EJ1177489
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015
Pages: 20
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1323-577X
EISSN: N/A
History School Textbooks and Key Events: A Survey of Russian Teachers
Zajda, Joseph; Smith, Ken
Educational Practice and Theory, v37 n2 p59-78 2015
The politicizing of Russian history textbooks and the imperatives of the Russian history standards to promote patriotism and rejection of Western models of history education signal a new ideological transformation in history education in the RF. Ideology, in this case the 'national ideology' promoted by President Putin (2014), and his followers, has a powerful influence on the new representations of key events in Russian history. Some scholars argue that school history textbooks represent a clear manifestation of ideological discourses in historiography and historical understandings (Zajda & Whitehouse, 2009; Zajda, 2014a). The ideological function of textbooks has been analysed by Apple (1979, 2004), Anyon (1979), Geertz, (1964), Macintyre and Clark (2003), Pratte, (1977), Sutherland, (1985), Henderson & Zajda (2015; Zajda (2015), and others, mainly through the framework of structuralist and post-structuralist discourses in curriculum and pedagogy. An analysis of current Russian history textbooks demonstrates that there has been a definite ideological shift in the politicizing of history education in schools across the RF, and an ideological re-positioning of Russian history textbooks, in their interpretation and emphasis of historical narratives. It signals a pronounced exercise in forging a new identity, nation-building and a positive re-affirmation of the greatness of the contemporary Russian state (Zajda, 2014b). Grounded in the historical-comparative research methodology paradigm, this article discusses the results of a questionnaire given to Russian history teachers. It discusses their views and attitudes towards key events and their preferences for specific history textbooks in Grades 6-11.
Descriptors: History, Textbooks, Teacher Surveys, History Instruction, Historiography, Statistical Analysis, Secondary School Teachers, Teacher Attitudes, Questionnaires, Foreign Countries, Political Socialization, Comparative Analysis, Cultural Context, Historical Interpretation
James Nicholas Publishers. PO Box 5179, South Melbourne, VIC 3205 Australia. Tel: +61-39-696-5545; Fax: +61-39-699-2040; e-mail: custservice@jnponline.com; Web site: https://www.jamesnicholaspublishers.com.au/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Russia; Russia (Moscow)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A