The perduration of master narratives: The ‘discovery’, conquest and colonization of America in the Spanish history textbooks (original) (raw)

The significant use of textbooks in the history teaching practices in Primary and Secondary Schools requires us to focus our attention on the analysis of these sources and their contents. This is particularly necessary in cases where they relate to specific periods and historical facts which are surrounded by controversy concerning their interpretation and reflection in later literature, such as the so called discovery and the conquest and colonization of America. The purpose of this paper is to identify the changes and continuities of contents associated with this particular historical ‘fact’ and the personalities involved in such a process and to point out the stereotypes that still persist. That is especially important once stereotypes, prejudices and the so-called master narratives have a noted presence when teaching history in schools. With and 2009 were analysed. The sample includes History textbooks of three different educational models: traditional model (1936–1970), technocratic model (1970–1990) and critical model (1990–2013). This study will be developed through qualitative analysis of contents and data, using linguistic and critical discourse analysis, and of the iconographical repertoire. As a result, we can outline an evolution of the selected subject through the last 70 years and describe its relation to the political context.