PanSIG 2026 - Building Language Competencies through Community

Whose History Counts? Critical Thinking and Community in Cypriot Texts

24 May 2026, 10:10

25m

0号building/6-606 (Chukyo University)

A. Research-oriented Oral Presentation (25 minutes) CT: Critical Thinking 606

Speaker

Sofia Koursarou

Keywords

Critical discourse analysis; Hidden curriculum; Learning communities

Abstract

This research examines Greek Cypriot Ministry of Education–approved history textbooks with a focus on the (lack of) representations of Turkish Cypriots (T.C.). It explores how dominant historical narratives shape, reproduce, or silence T.C. perspectives in ways that sustain ethnonational divisions, while also advancing pedagogical reforms that foster a more inclusive and dialogic historical consciousness among Cypriot learners.
The study is grounded in the concept of the hidden curriculum (Apple, 1979), which provides a lens for identifying the implicit ideological and affective messages conveyed through history education regarding national belonging, conflict, and reconciliation. Given the asymmetric power relations between the Greek Cypriot majority and the Turkish Cypriot minority, the textbooks are analyzed through critical discourse analysis (CDA) (Fairclough, 1995) to examine both textual and visual representations. Drawing on the UNESCO Textbook Revision Guidelines (2010) as an evaluative framework, the analysis assesses alignment with international standards for peace education and intercultural dialogue. The findings highlight how curricular discourse can either reinforce ethnonational boundaries or support the development of plural, dialogic learning communities, revealing tensions between stated policy objectives—such as reconciliation—and the narratives actually presented in the classroom.

References

Apple, M. W. (1979). Ideology and curriculum. Routledge.
Fairclough, N. (1995). Critical discourse analysis: The critical study of language. Longman.
Pingel, F. (2010). UNESCO guidebook on textbook research and textbook revision. UNESCO.

Short summary

This research examines Greek Cypriot Ministry of Education–approved history textbooks, focusing on the (lack of) representations of Turkish Cypriots. Using the concepts of hidden curriculum and critical discourse analysis, it explores how historical narratives reproduce or silence minority perspectives and sustain ethnonational divisions. Drawing on UNESCO Textbook Revision Guidelines, the study evaluates textbook content and emphasizes implications for critical literacy, intercultural dialogue, and dialogic learning communities.