An analysis of historical texts in Turkish middle school social studies textbooks

Dinç E., Kıral N. Z.

History Educators International Research Network [HEIRNET], Padua, Italy, 26 - 28 August 2026, pp.59, (Summary Text)

  • Publication Type: Conference Paper / Summary Text
  • City: Padua
  • Country: Italy
  • Page Numbers: pp.59
  • Anadolu University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

In Türkiye, textbooks have long maintained their vital role as the primary tool for delivering the curricula. Based on this, the primary objective of this research is to examine textbooks prepared in accordance with the social studies curricula—comprehensively revised in 1998, 2005, 2018, and 2024—in terms of the types and discursive characteristics of the historical texts they contain. The presentation format of historical texts in social studies education plays a critical role in developing students' historical thinking skills and the processes of perceiving, understanding, and conceptualizing the past. Designed as a qualitative case study, this research utilizes the document analysis method. Various textbooks prepared according to the aforementioned curricula serve as the primary documents. They will be analyzed to find out the structure of the historical narratives presented, the quality of the language used, and the ways in which these texts are supposed to engage students. Within the scope of the review, the texts will be analyzed based on how they justify historical information or link it with evidence, as well as the investigative approach employed when evidence is utilized. Specifically, the study seeks to determine whether the texts possess a static-didactic structure that transmits information directly, or a multi-perspective approach that encourages students to inquire through historical evidence. It is expected that the findings will reveal how changes in the curricula are reflected in the historical narratives of textbooks and provide a detailed account of the educational functions of the historical texts included.