Negotiating Ethnic Diversity and National Identity in History Education : International and Comparative Perspectives

This edited book explores the problems and challenges of negotiating the representation of ethnic minorities within history education. It investigates how states balance the (non-)acknowledgement of the reality of cultural or religious diversity, and the promotion of a point of convergence in history education to foster national identity. Shifting our attention away from the intractable challenges posed by post-conflict countries for reconciliation, the contributors draw attention to the need to explore ways to prevent or pre-empt conflicts and exclusion through history education, which could contribute to developing a more sustainable culture of peace. Drawing on a wide range of contexts and sources, this book asks how history education could contribute to forming critical, historically informed, and committed young citizens. The book will be of interest to students and academics working on themes such as nationalism, citizenship, ethnicity, history education, multicultural education, peace studies and area studies, as well as practitioners in the fields of history, social studies, civic or citizenship. Acknowledgements Contents Notes on Contributors Abbreviations List of Tables 1: Introduction: Negotiating Ethnic Diversity with National Identity in History Education Introduction Divergent Patterns in the Politics of Multiculturalism From the Interstate to Domestic Politics of History Textbook Revision Interstate Cultural Diplomacy The ‘Cultural Turn’ in the Politics of History Education The History Textbook as a Site of Negotiation of National Identity National Identity as a Figured World The Power of Historical Narratives and Disenchantment Unresolved Debates: The Relationship Between History Education and National Identity A Comparative Perspective The Politics of Curricular Inclusion/Exclusion: The Price of National Cohesion References Part I: The Politics of Reconciliation and History Education in Post-conflict Contexts 2: Peace Through History Education: The Activities of UNESCO, the Georg-Eckert-Institut and the Council of Europe Introduction: From the Nineteenth Century to the End of the Second World War UNESCO Georg-Eckert-Institut Council of Europe Other Actors Conclusion References 3: Cure or Disease? History Education and the Politics of Reconciliation in East Asia Introduction: The Inescapability of Politics Some Comparative Observations from Opposite Ends of Eurasia Weaponising History in Postwar East Asia Warring Peace? History in Postcolonial Nation Building The Fragile Foundations of Transnational Curricular Dialogue China’s Rise, National Insecurity and Intensifying ‘History Wars’ Conclusion References 4: Unity in Diversity or Political Separation Driven by Cultural Difference? Textbook Revision in Bosnia and Herzegovina Introduction Historical Layers Reform as an International and Local Project: Oscillating Between Intervention, Cooperation and Hesitation A New Theme, but Old Images of Oneself and the “Other”? Conclusion References 5: Curricular Decentralisation as an Antidote to “Burmanisation”? Including Ethnic Minorities’ Histories in Myanmar’s Government Schools (2011–2020) Introduction Teaching History Until 2011: A Brief Historical Background Teaching Ethnic Histories in the 2011–2020 Context Developing the Local Curricula Experiences and Challenges in the Different States Conclusion References Part II: Negotiating the History of Minorities in European Settler Countries and a Former Empire 6: Portrayals of Ethnic Minorities, Migration and Empire in English History Textbooks, 1910–2020 Introduction British Identity, Ethnic Diversity and the ‘Great Tradition’, 1910–1970 The Emergence of ‘New History’ and the Challenge to Tradition, the 1970s–1990s History Education, History Textbooks and Ethnic Diversity in the Twenty-First Century Conclusion References 7: History Education and Historical Thinking in Multicultural Contexts: A Canadian Perspective Introduction The Canadian Context Educational Context Historical Thinking Approach Indigenous Peoples in Canada Québec and the Québécois Nation Ethnocultural Diversity Some Limits on and Future Directions for Historical Thinking Conclusion References 8: National Identity in the History Curriculum in Australia: Educating for Citizenship Introduction Multiculturalism: Public Discourse on Ethnic and Cultural Diversity Australian History Curriculum: The National Context Curriculum Materials: History Textbooks in Australia Intersections with Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders Case Study: The Batman Treaty Case Study: The Afghan Cameleers Language Used to Describe the Cameleers The Cameleers in Relation to Other Groups Conclusion References 9: Potentially Transformative: Aligning Māori Perspectives, Difficult Histories and Historical Thinking Introduction Commemorating the New Zealand Wars Curricular Autonomy and Meeting the Needs of Local Communities ‘Give Me My History!’ Aligning History with Indigenous Views of the Past: Ka mua, ka muri Conclusion References Part III: Reconciling Ethnonationalism with Ethnic Diversity in Asia 10: Reconstructing the Nation: Struggles in Portraying Ethnic Minorities in Chinese Mainstream History Textbooks Introduction 1952 Textbooks: Non-Han Groups as Non-Chinese ‘Others’ 1955 Textbooks: Non-Han Groups Becoming Chinese Minority Nationalities 1992 Textbooks: ‘Diversity in Unity’ and the Most Multicultural Conception of Nationhood Defined in PEP History Textbooks 2001 Textbooks: ‘Unity Above Diversity’ and Returning to a Han Ethnocentric Understanding of National History Discussion and Conclusion References 11: Historical Narratives and National Identity in Lower Secondary History Textbooks in Malaysia (1959–2020) Introduction Background Thematic and Discourse Analysis of Textbooks by Period Period I (1959–1977): Malaya/Malaysia in World History Period II (1978–1988): Malay-Centric Multicultural Narrative Period III (1989–Present): Ethno-Malay Nationalist Narrative Conclusion References Cited History Textbooks Academic References 12: National Identity and History Teaching in Singapore: Bringing the Malays Back in Introduction The ‘Problem of Race’ The ‘Problem’ of History: The 1960s and 1970s History Revived, the 1980s Turnbull as Template National Education and The Singapore Story Bringing the Malays Back in References School and university textbooks, school curricula/syllabuses and other resources for use in schools English-language newspapers and news services Non-English-language newspapers 13: Constructing the Thai Race in Thai History Textbook Narratives Introduction Origins of Thai History The Role of History Textbooks: From Absolutism to Democracy The Era of Nation Building and the Monoethnic State The Malay-Muslims with the ‘Wrong History’, Highland Peoples with ‘No History’ History Textbooks in the Era of National Education Reform Conclusion References 14: Afterword: Minorities and History Teaching References Index