Teaching the nation: history and nationalism in Polish school history education (original) (raw)
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This paper aims to analyse Polish history teachers' understanding of the role of teaching history. Drawing on the results of qualitative research conducted in Wroclaw we argue that teachers see history education through the prism of nationalism. Teachers construct the past in equivocally nationalist terms. They regard nationalist representations of the past as taken for granted. Moreover, teachers reproduce a dominant nationalist discourse by using history to promote the idea of the homogenous nation. We argue that teachers see their role primarily in terms of imposing the dominant structures of collective memory on the pupils. We also discuss the differences between teachers pertaining to the understanding of the concept of the nation, the way of teaching Polish history and the type of obligation toward the nation. We also demonstrate that teachers do not see a contradiction between history defined as an objective science, and history understood as a 'nationalizing' tool.
Teaching the nation. History and nationalism in the Polish school history education (Draft)
This paper aims to analyse Polish history teachers’ understanding of the role of teaching history. Drawing on the results of qualitative research conducted in Wroclaw, we argue that teachers see history education through the prism of nationalism. They construct the past in equivocally nationalist terms. Moreover, they regard nationalist representations of the past as natural and taken for granted. They also reproduce a nationalist discourse by using history to promote their students’ attachment to the nation. History teachers see their role primarily in terms of reinforcing the dominant structures of collective memory in their pupils. We also argue that teachers do not see a contradiction between history defined as objective science, and history understood as a ‘nationalizing’ tool.
Teaching History, Celebrating Nationalism
2021
This book analyses the relationship between history education and nationalism in the context of the dominant structures of collective memory in Poland. Drawing on original qualitative research with history teachers, it explores the ways in which teachers understand the aims of history teaching and how they teach history, with some contesting or negotiating official and hegemonic nationalist memory projects, while others predominantly reproduce or radicalise them. A study of teachers' tendencies to approach history through the prism of nationalism, this study reveals a view of history lessons as a means of instilling national identity in students, as the past is constructed in nationalist terms and no contradiction is identified in viewing history as both an objective science and a 'nationalising' tool. An examination of the means by which a dominant nationalist discourse is reinforced through historical education, Teaching History, Celebrating Nationalism will appeal to scholars of sociology and education with interests in nationalism and memory studies.
The phenomenon of banished soldiers in Polish schools as an example of the politics of memory
The phenomenon of banished soldiers in Polish schools as an example of the politics of memory, 2019
The new core curriculum for teaching history in Polish schools is an example of the implementation of the politics of memory.-The primary purpose of teaching history at schools has become to stir up patriotic emotions.-This goal is to be reached by promoting distinguished Polish figures, presented as morally impeccable heroes.-Patriotism is linked to war, the image of which is simplified and trivialised.-The promotion of a black and white vision of history is a threat to Polish democracy. Purpose: The article intends to analyse the manner in which banished soldiers are presented in the new history curriculum at schools in Poland as an example of the politics of memory. Design/methodology/approach: The analysis is a case study of the phenomenon of banished soldiers in the Polish public discourse. It includes the following issues: the history of banished soldiers, the core history curriculum after the education reform in Poland, its objectives and goals (with particular emphasis on banished soldiers), the manner of presenting the banished soldiers in educational, public and social environments in Poland today, the impact of new historical politics on the Polish society and democracy. Findings: The manner of presenting the issue of banished soldiers in the core curriculum for teaching history in Polish schools exemplifies the efforts to introduce a new political paradigm into the educational context. The primary purposes of teaching history at schools have become to stir up patriotic emotions and strengthen bonds with the Polish nation. These goals are to be reached by promoting distinguished figures in the country. However, any controversies related to the "heroes" are deliberately ignored, which is especially evident in the case of banished soldiers. Patriotism is identified with a black and white vision of history that emphasizes the good acts of "Poles" and the cruel acts of "others". The simplified vision of history, which expressly ignores controversies and is reluctant to discuss dilemmas, is a real threat to the future of Polish democracy.
This dissertation explores the extent to which school history textbooks, and the way they are taught, are used to construct national ethnocentric identities in two post-Socialist societies, Poland and Ukraine. It draws on previous literature in the area which reveals the use of history in some societies to bolster a sense of national identity by constructing 'myths' related to 'in-group' and 'out-groups' characteristics. Two theoretical perspectives (the World Culture theory and the civic west-ethnic east dichotomy) are employed to underpin the empirical analysis. Secondary empirical research is drawn upon to highlight some of the key themes that are found in history textbook narratives in the two countries. This dissertation finds that countries employ different 'identity markers' to construct their respective national identities. In Poland the main 'in-group' marker is found to be connected to religion (i.e., an intrinsic Polish-Catholic identity); in Ukraine it is connected to the Ukrainian language. In
ActaUniversitatis Nicolai Copernici, 2019
In this paper, we attempt to present how dominant countries weave memory policy in their educational activity in order to gain control over the members of subordinate groups. This is an important topic in the context of the 100th anniversary of Poland's independence being celebrated this year. We refer to the educational policy of the invaders to Poles and the Polish state towards minorities in the interwar period. We will illustrate this through the example of Białystok, the city of northeastern Poland. K e y w o r d s : social memory, historical memory, memory policy, history of education in Bialystok, region, regional education. J o a n n a S a c h a r c z u k , a l i n a S z w a r c 36 Polityka Pamięci a sytuacja szkolnictwa Przed i Po odzyskaniu Przez Polskę niePodległości na Przykładzie miasta Białystokkonteksty edukacji regionalnej Streszczenie W tekście podejmujemy próbę pokazania sposobów używania przez dominującą władzę polityki pamięci w działaniach edukacyjnych w celu podporządkowania sobie członków podległych grup. Jest to temat ważny w kontekście obchodzonej w tym roku setnej rocznicy odzyskania niepodległości przez państwo polskie. Na przykładzie Białegostoku poruszamy zagadnienie polityki oświatowej zaborców wobec Polaków oraz państwa polskiego wobec mniejszości w okresie międzywojennym. S ł o w a k l u c z o w e : pamięć społeczna, pamięć historyczna, polityka pamięci, historia szkolnictwa w Białymstoku, region, edukacja regionalna.