Identity, diversity and citizenship: A critical analysis of textbooks and curricula in Irish schools

Abstract

Despite the long presence of migrant communities, Ireland was only transformed to a net-receiving immigration nation in 1996, and is currently experiencing net emigration in the wake of a sharp economic downturn. Debates about immigrant incorporation and educational responses are still at a relatively early stage. This study, which forms part of a larger project, set out to explore the role of schools and curricula in developing citizenship and the conception of Irish identity implicit therein. The article draws on citizenship curricula as well as some textbooks used in citizenship lessons. It argues that the curriculum at primary level emphasizes diversity and active citizenship in a plural society to a greater extent than the curriculum at secondary level. Moreover, there are discrepancies between the progressive rhetoric of policy documents and the content of textbooks and other curriculum material. This raises important questions of inclusivity in a still Catholic-dominated education system.

Citizenship, nationality and minorities in Turkey's textbooks: from politics of non-recognition to ‘difference multiculturalism’

“…Similar trends are also observed in Irish history textbooks following the 1996 curriculum reform, which emerges as 'a post-national document' with its redefinition of Ireland as a multicultural society (Faas and Ross 2012). Curriculum planners in Greece, too, noted the importance of addressing the issue of diversity in current Greek society (Faas 2011).…”

“…The curriculum reform can also be seen as part of global convergence among education systems that led to the adoption of student-centred pedagogy and the need to address issues of identity and difference. It should be noted, however, that the Ministry's official statements on curriculum reform, in contrast to Greek, Irish or Korean cases as mentioned above (Faas 2011;Faas and Ross 2012;Moon 2013), did not include any explicit reference to redefining Turkey as a culturally diverse society. In other words, the official papers did not invoke any reference to recent identity-based claims to recognition as a rationale for the development of the new curriculum and textbooks.…”

“…Until the 1960s and 1970s, education systems in Europe remained mono-cultural, characterised by an assimilationist ideology (Faas and Ross 2012). However, increasing immigration, new claims to recognition of minorities and the impact of globalisation led to the development of new educational policies in democratic societies.…”

“…The increasing identity-based claims to recognition of minorities as well as transnational configurations such as the EU challenge the older nationalising models of education (Bromley 2014). Recent research points to a trend towards a re-narrativising of national history along with an attempt to transform nationalist ideologies and to address the issue of social diversity in textbooks in several European countries Faas and Ross 2012). However, responding to challenges posed by minorities' claims to recognition through educational policies and curriculum reform involves several tensions, as shown by various studies (Altinyelken 2011;Faas 2011;Moon 2013;Agirdag, Merry, and Van Houtte 2014).…”

Politics: interest, participation and education. Comparing the Republic of Ireland with Germany

“…In Ireland, many of those who teach CSPE have spoken about their 'lack of formal training' on how to teach the subject and how they were 'conscripted' into it (Faas and Ross 2012;Gleeson 2009). For example, a recent Irish study (Bryan and Bracken 2011, 269) concluded that 'only a very small number of the in-career teachers who participated in their study had undertaken any in-service training in the field' and also reported (2011,269) that the teachers interviewed for their study '….…”