CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2023
| Author | Nishida, Eri |
|---|---|
| Title | Figures of Nationalism in Japanese English Textbooks from the 1970s to the Present: Focusing on Changes in Course Objectives and in Content |
| Summary | The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of nationalism in the qualitative changes in post-war Japanese secondary school curricula. In this investigation, high school English textbooks from the 1970s to the present are analysed in terms of changes in Japan's English language education system and foreign policy, the ways in which the country and its culture have appeared and changed in Japanese English textbooks, and what the characters and subject matter embody and how this has changed over time. The study also examines how the values promoted by these textbooks have changed. English textbooks were chosen for this study because in Japan, they are characterised by their use of a foreign language as a way of expressing the country and its people. This study covers the period from the 1970s to the present, when all high schools in Japan were fully enrolled and the effects of education are considered to have spread to a wider range of classes. Textbook research, particularly English textbook research, is one of the most active research fields in Japan, with a wide range of previous studies; however, as far as the author could find, there are no studies focusing on the ways in which the home country - Japan - appears in English textbooks. The present study therefore seeks to identify the ways in which nationalities appear in textbooks, along with changes in the objectives of the Courses of Study, and to examine in detail the impact of the Courses of Study and the social conditions behind their creation on Japanese high school English textbooks (specifically, textbooks with a high adoption rate, i.e. those likely to have actually been used by a large number of students). This study’s analysis reveals the following with regard to form and content. Firstly: concerning form, there was an increase in Japan-related content in the textbooks as the period surveyed here progressed, not only in terms of Japanese characters featured but in terms of content, with a notable increase in Japanese subjects. Secondly: as the period progressed, Western English-speaking countries appeared less and less, and there was an increase in material from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and other regions that were less commonly featured in textbooks in the first year examined by this study. The results of the content analysis reveal, firstly, a change in the way subjects from the newly introduced non-English-speaking regions were treated. This study’s examination shows that the view of Asia and Africa in these textbooks changed from ‘countries needing rescue’ to 'equal countries'. Secondly, and most importantly, the characteristics of the textbooks’ representations of Japan have been identified. An examination of the descriptions of the five categories of 1) culture (daily life, manners and customs, stories, essays, geography and history, traditional culture, youth culture), 2) science and technology, 3) war and peace, 4) public welfare, and 5) environment and coexistence, finds that only positive or ‘victimhood’ content related to Japan was presented across all areas. Particularly conspicuous is the focus in the War and Peace section on texts about events in other countries or the damage Japan has suffered in war; this appears to emphasise a view of Japan as a victim, ignoring its responsibility for wartime atrocities. Moreover, while critical material on racism and environmental issues in other countries appears in the textbooks, there is no material on these issues as they occur in Japan itself. In response to the question "Why has there been an increase in content about Japan in English textbooks?", the study’s conclusions are as follows: 'In the process of the post-war recovery of the political and economic self-confidence of the Japanese people, the Courses of Study have increasingly changed to reinforce nationalism. This may be related to the fact that the Courses of Study have always been revised under conservative regimes. Under the certification system, English textbooks have changed their content in a way loosely anticipating political intentions. Unlike in Japanese history textbooks, which are the subject of intense debate, the ongoing reinforcement of nationalism in Japanese English textbooks is not clearly visible. Unless more people in Japan become aware of the hidden curriculum this trend represents, there is a danger that active debate on English textbooks will not take place and more nationalism-inciting textbooks will be created. True international understanding requires an understanding of the negative as well as the positive aspects of things. However, it is undeniable that Japanese English textbooks to date may make it difficult for students to learn about the negative aspects of Japan, and about countries and regimes with which Japan does not have particularly strong relations. While it is acceptable to have pride in one's country, this pride should not fuel excessive nationalism. The author argues that Japanese English textbooks should be changed with these points in mind. |
| Supervisor | Odawara, Rin |
| Department | History MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2023/nishida_eri.pdf |
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