Whose history and who is denied? Politics and the History Curriculum in Lebanon and Australia

Authors

  • Nina Maadad School of Education, The University of Adelaide
  • Grant Rodwell University of Tasmania

Keywords:

History curriculum, national History curriculum, contested History curriculum, historical literacy

Abstract

T

This paper seeks to explain and develop a better understanding of the relationship between the History curriculum and the consequences of political motive. It compares the History curricula of Australia and Lebanon, and is relevant to understanding the purpose of the History curricula in the two countries as well as, more generally, other countries. In Lebanon, the teaching of that nation’s experience of the 1975-90 Civil War has been withdrawn from schools. In Australia, meanwhile, it now appears that the national curriculum that took shape in 2010 under the Rudd Labor Government has been replaced by what the new Federal Coalition Government wants. Important changes have been made to the nations’ History curricula with different political groups urging the inclusions of different topics.

This paper considers the question of the effect of wholesale deletions from the curriculum of a nation’s history, as in the case of Lebanon. Will such changes affect the development of students’ higher-order historical understanding, historical consciousness and historical literacy? And will such changes influence students’ appreciation of historiography? Advanced in this paper is an argument that, generally, History curricula are so politicised that there should be a historiographical component that requires students to understand that history is about many different points of view. Furthermore, students should be taught that it is the understanding of the development of evidence for the various perspectives that matters.

Author Biography

  • Nina Maadad, School of Education, The University of Adelaide

    Nina Maadad: Nina Maadad is a senior lecturer at the University of Adelaide. The focus of her thesis was on the topic ‘The Adaptation of Arab Immigrant to Australia: Psychological, Social, Cultural and Educational Aspects’. Her research interest is in culture, education and languages and has taught these at a tertiary and secondary school levels. She coordinates the Bachelor of Teaching program and delivers a number of courses in culture education and society.

    Nina is currently involved in a study Australia wide focusing on “The Transition and Workplace Experiences of International Academics from Non-English Background in Australian Universities”. She coordinates the Bachelor of Teaching and lectures a variety of courses in the School of Education which entail Primary and Secondary Schools interaction, contemporary knowledge of the curriculum and Multicultural Education.

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Published

2016-12-30

Issue

Section

General Refereed Papers