<p>The thesis concerns History teaching in South Africa 1966-2006. Focus lies on the usage of History as a tool of power and empowerment. Primary sources for the survey are textbooks, curricula’s and syllabuses. From a theoretical perspective the thesis discusses power, usage of history and pedagogic literature. The survey is done in a qualitative, hermeneutic way in order to find, discuss and explain underlying structures in the collected data. The thesis results show that History teaching in South Africa was based on an idea of a shared historical consciousness, apartheid, which legitimised the hegemony of the white people. The educational system was an important tool of power and empowerment for the government. The apartheid ideology was reproduced by the pedagogic literature. Today History is a part of Social Sciences and the subject has a focus on natural sciences and technology, which results in certain dilemmas educational-wise.</p>

The thesis concerns History teaching in South Africa 1966-2006. Focus lies on the usage of History as a tool of power and empowerment. Primary sources for the survey are textbooks, curricula’s and syllabuses. From a theoretical perspective the thesis discusses power, usage of history and pedagogic literature. The survey is done in a qualitative, hermeneutic way in order to find, discuss and explain underlying structures in the collected data. The thesis results show that History teaching in South Africa was based on an idea of a shared historical consciousness, apartheid, which legitimised the hegemony of the white people. The educational system was an important tool of power and empowerment for the government. The apartheid ideology was reproduced by the pedagogic literature. Today History is a part of Social Sciences and the subject has a focus on natural sciences and technology, which results in certain dilemmas educational-wise.