Educational textbooks have the power to influence pupils’ perception of the world. In the subject of English, this specifically concerns learning about cultures in different parts of the world where English is used. The purpose of this study is to identify the characteristics of cultural representation in two English Language Teaching (ELT) textbooks with the aim to make the hidden curriculum visible and to raise awareness among publishing houses and teachers. Using a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) based on Fairclough’s (2001) three-dimensional model in combination with Barthes’ (1977) Visual Semiotics methodology, we investigated which regions and countries were presented and how their cultures were constructed through texts and images. These findings were further compared to the cultural values and content of the Swedish curriculum, the genre of textbooks, and existing hegemonic discourses in society. In the analysis, Kachru’s (1986) Circles of World Englishes, Machin and Mayr’s (2012) toolkit for CDA, McKay’s (2010) interpretation of Anderson’s (1983) imagined communities, and Said’s (2003) concept of Orientalism were applied. Our findings show that the inner circle dominates and is depicted as superior in contrast to the outer and expanding circles. Although the textbooks include a variation of different cultures which is in line with the curriculum, representation of the outer and expanding circles is often stereotypical and underdeveloped which reinforces hegemonic discourses instead of acting to restructure them. This corresponds to previous studies in the genre, and hence, educators must work to ensure that the hidden curriculum in ELT textbooks is continuously made visible and challenged.

En esta investigación se evaluaron las estrategias de representación gráfica utilizadas para construir la identidad étnica en la conceptualización de videojuegos peruanos, a lo cual se postuló la hipótesis de que esta representación identitaria logra el objetivo de generar un interés e influencia sobre los jugadores peruanos. Para llegar a esta conclusión, se analizaron documentalmente seis videojuegos locales y de concepto peruano producidos del 2009 al 2019. Asimismo, se encuestó a sesenta usuarios peruanos, a quienes se les presentaron tráilers de estas entregas seleccionadas para que evalúen la percepción identitaria en su gráfica, y respondan si es que consideran importante la representación peruana y si esta influye en su intención adquisitiva. Los resultados del análisis documental sugieren una tendencia al tema de la cosmovisión y cultura andina, con casos excepcionales en donde las locaciones son la selva peruana o Lima Metropolitana. En los resultados de las encuestas se encontró que los usuarios consideraban la jugabilidad mucho más importante que la representación peruana en los videojuegos, además que el 50% de los usuarios consideró que este concepto peruano afectaba su interés. Podemos concluir entonces que existe un estereotipo no discriminante que coincide con la percepción internacional que se tiene del peruano exclusivamente andino. Las opiniones de los usuarios presentaron un indicio respecto a que, aunque la representación peruana fuese importante hasta cierto punto, no es indispensable y no es competencia junto a la importancia de la jugabilidad o trama de una entrega. / In this paper we evaluated the graphic representation strategies that were used in the construction of ethnic identities in the conceptualization of peruvian video games, in which we offered the hypothesis about how this ethnic representation successfully accomplishes at developing interest and influencing over peruvian gamers. To achieve this conclusion, six local video games with a peruvian concept that were produced between 2009 and 2019 were evaluated. Likewise, sixty peruvian gamers tested and were shown the trailers of the previously chosen games so they could evaluate their self-identity perception in the graphic and answer if they consider such peruvian representation as important or influential over their purchase intention. The results of this analysis suggest a tendency towards andean worldview and culture, with exceptional cases where games were in the peruvian rainforest or the city of Lima. The user tests found that most users considered playability, as much more important than peruvian representation and, 50% of the users considered that this representation influenced their interest in the releases. Therefore, we can conclude that there’s a non-discriminative stereotype that matches the international perception that the world has of the exclusively andean peruvian. The general user opinions showed an indication that, even if peruvian representation is important to a degree, it isn’t essential and doesn’t compete against the importance of the playability and story of a videogame release. / Trabajo de investigación

The Swedish regulatory documents for the school subject of English demand the presence of cultural representation/phenomena in the communicated material to the students but is vague about what the actual content should be. This leaves a lot of room for personal interpretation and selection of material for the teachers. The objective of this study was to explore how teachers interpret the sought after concept of culture, as well as how they choose to implement it in their lesson-plans. A qualitative study with five grade 7-9 teachers was made, with semi-structured interviews that were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results show that all the teachers found the instructions vague regarding what type of culture was to be included in the teaching. They perceived the vagueness as both a stressor and as a liberating factor, which is in accordance with previous research. The type of culture that was implemented in the teachers’ classrooms seemed to center around so called ‘little c culture’ or ‘social science context culture’ with the goal of achieving ‘intercultural communicative competence’.

No description available.

No description available.

AFRIKAANS: Die navorsingsdoel van hierdie studie is om insig te verkry in die rol van handboeke in die instandhouding en legitimering van etniese magsverhoudinge, in die besonder deur middel van die bevestiging van kulturele stereotipes onderliggend aan die nie-geformuleerde, maar effektiewe verspreiding van norme, waardes en houdings. Gegrond op die aanname dat handboeke sosiale en politieke werklikhede weerspieël, ondersoek hierdie kwalitatiewe studie die voorstellingspraktyke in Nederlandse, Vlaamse en Afrikaanse taalhandboeke. 'n Kritiese diskoersanaliseontwerp, ondersteun deur 'n tematiese analise en fokusgroepbesprekings, word aangewend om die visuele materiaal in een handboekreeks van elk van die drie gemeenskappe te ondersoek. Ter aanvang word die drie Dietse tale se moontlike invloed op mekaar, ook ten opsigte van diversiteit, bespreek. Die teoretiese begronding is geanker in die veld van houding-, kultuur- en visuele studies. Die kennisbasis aangaande handboekvoorstellings in die onderskeie gemeenskappe word ontgin. Die bevindinge word as indikators van die fokusgroepbesprekings in die drie tersaaklike gemeenskappe, sowel as 'n tematiese analise van die visuele voorstellings in die handboeke aangebied. Daar is in die Nederlandse en Vlaamse data stereotipering gevind. Die bevindinge toon dat die visuele materiaal in die Nederlandse data as ideologiese retoriek van die dominante wit groep dien, wat die 'ander' as problematies, arm en 'anders' voorstel. Die Vlaamse reeks toon enkele voorbeelde van kulturele uitsluiting, maar gebruik ook teensimbole om self-refleksiwiteit onder leerders aan te moedig – wat outomatiese stereotipering teenwerk. As gevolg van Afrikaans se politiese verlede oorbeklemtoon die Afrikaanse handboeke 'n utopiese ‘nuwe Suid-Afrika’ waar ras en verskil non-issues is. Geen tekens van apartheidmeestersimbole kon in die Afrikaanse handboeke gevind word nie en Afrikaans as witmanstaal is in 'n groot mate gedemitologiseer. As gevolg van die sterk hekwagtersrol wat handboekbelanghebbendes soos die onderwysdepartement en uitgewers in Suid-Afrika speel, kan die Afrikaanse handboekdata slegs in 'n geringe mate met die Nederlandse en Vlaamse data vergelyk word. Anders as wat aanvanklik vermoed is, toon hierdie studie dat taal die belangrikste, indien nie die enigste, gemene deler tussen die drie gemeenskappe is. ENGLISH: The research goal of this study was to provide insight into the role of textbooks in the maintenance and legitimization of ethnic power relations, specifically the reproduction of cultural stereotypes informing the unstated, but effective distribution of norms, values and attitudes. Based on the assumption that textbooks serve as a mirror of the social and political order, the purpose of this qualitative study is to determine the extent to which Dutch, Flemish and Afrikaans language textbook series foster cultural stereotyping of the 'other’. Data sources for the critical discourse analysis are constituted by the visual material of one textbook series from each of the three language communities. The contextualisation includes an explanation of how the three Pan Dutch languages might influence each other, and their perspectives on diversity. The conceptual framework comprises an explication of the concepts and theories on attitude, culture and visual studies. Influential issues in the literature on textbook representation, language and identity are described in the literature study. The findings are presented as indicators derived from focus group discussions in the three countries, as well as a thematic analysis of visual representation in the textbooks. Traces of stereotyping were found in the Dutch and Flemish data. The findings show that visual material in the Dutch data serves as ideological rhetoric of the dominant white group, projecting the 'other' as problematic, poor and different. The Flemish series shows indications of cultural exclusion, but incorporates counter-symbols to encourage self-reflectivity among Flemish learners, thus countering automatic stereotyping. The Afrikaans textbooks, because of their highly politicised past, over-emphasize a utopian ‘new South Africa’ where race and difference are non-issues. No signs of apartheid master symbols could be found in the Afrikaans textbooks and Afrikaans is demythologised as a 'white' language. As a result of the controlling nature of the gatekeeping function in South Africa of the education department and textbook publishers, the Afrikaans textbook-data can be compared to the Dutch and the Flemish textbook-data to a limited extent only. This study has shown that the major characteristic the three communities share is language. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Humanities Education / unrestricted

Mgr. Lucie Sedláčková Dissertation Globalization in the Contemporary Dutch Novel Abstract in English This dissertation deals with representations of different aspects of globalization in the contemporary Dutch novel. The main questions are: 1. Which representations of the aspects of globalization can be found in the contemporary Dutch novels analyzed in this dissertation? 2. Are there relations between the knowledge of this phenomenon in specialist literature and in the fiction analyzed in this dissertation? 3. Which points of view do literary texts take with respect to globalization? The research method is based on the theory of cultural representation, but the traditional instruments of literary theory are also employed. The goal of the dissertation is to survey discourse about globalization in the analyzed fiction; the terminology is derived from the specialist, especially sociological, literature on this phenomenon from 1990 on. Globalization is considered a complex process which was accelerated mainly after 1989 by communication technology, the development of the world economy and politics (especially the fall of the Iron Curtain). The survey of literary discourse is divided into three domains: cosmopolitanism (i.e. the conceptual and cultural aspect), consumption and consumerism (the economical...

La relación entre tradiciones andinas y estrategias narrativas es un proceso que poco se ha explorado, y es por ello que en este análisis del largometraje Retablo se desarrolla más a fondo cómo se lograron complementar ambos puntos para dar desarrollo a la película. Esta producción cinematográfica cuenta con un extenso repertorio de premios obtenidos, lo que demuestra su buen planteamiento narrativo. A pesar de todo ello, existen pocas investigaciones que profundicen en este tipo de relación. Por este motivo, en esta investigación, se analiza el uso de las tradiciones andinas como una herramienta para la estrategia narrativa a partir de las nueve escenas en donde aparecen. Por lo tanto, el principal aporte de esta investigación cosiste en brindar información relevante para quienes busquen otras herramientas para el desarrollo de proyectos cinematográficos. / The relationship between Andean traditions and narrative strategies is a process that little has been explored, and that is why in this analysis of the feature film Retablo, it is further developed how they were able to complement both points to develop the film. This film production has an extensive repertoire of awards, which demonstrates its good narrative approach. Despite all this, there is little research that delves into this type of relationship. For this reason, in this research, the use of Andean traditions as a tool for narrative strategy is analyzed from the nine scenes in which they appear. Therefore, the main contribution of this research is to provide relevant information for those looking for other tools for the development of film projects. / Trabajo de investigación