INTERCULTURAL EDUCATION IN ROMANIA: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL EDUCATION TEXTBOOKS FOR 6TH GRADE STUDENTS

Abstract

In this paper, we aim to examine intercultural education textbooks, a subject that has been introduced in Romania, in the new school curriculum for middle school in 2017, for the 6th grade. The research uses content analysis to identify and analyze the cultural topics, the types of interactions that are suggested, and the extent to which these textbooks address social justice issues. We will approach both the textual and the visual elements of the textbooks. The data is analyzed on four levels, using a social justice perspective, mainly Iris Young’s conceptualization of oppression. First, we explore the micro level which refers to the characters’ attitudes and values; then the macro level which comprises historical and political factors. Further, we examine the international dimension comprised in the analyzed textbooks. Finally, we are interested in the authors’ position. For this purpose, we employ Hilliard’s (2014) conceptual frameworks, developed from Gray (2010) – to which we added 12 topics – and Risager (1991). Moreover, the research proposes further analysis and inquiries on the subject of intercultural education in Romania.