The Representation of China in History Textbooks of the United Kingdom,1991-2015

LIJUAN ZHANG

Disertační práce

Anotace:

Textbooks play a vital role in helping students to develop the national identity by providing them with "official knowledge" and conveying recognizable social values. Through analyzing the representations of China in other countries' textbooks, we can know better about ourselves and others. The aim of the study is to examine the representations of China and China-related topics in history textbooks of the United Kingdom, 1991-2015. Based on the frequency statistics, this study taps on three themes, including Mao Zedong, the Second Sino-Japanese War and Tiananmen Square Event in 1989 to analyze how China was portrayed in history textbooks of the United Kingdom. Chapter 1 introduced the research background, including reasons for choosing the United Kingdom to analyze its representations of China, and reasons for targeting on 1991-2015 as the time duration, and reasons for choosing history textbooks as the research object. Then this dissertation briefly introduced the theoretical foundations, content, significance and aims of this study. Chapter 2 examined the relevant literatures about the research on China in history textbooks of the United Kingdom, Chinese studies in the United Kingdom, as well as the research on China in other countries' history textbooks, together with the research on the "self" and "others" in history textbooks. Chapter 3 described research methodology. In total, thirty UK history textbooks have been chosen as research samples. Frequency analysis and discourse analysis were used to analyze how China was represented in UK history textbooks. Chapter 4 detailed how these three themes including Mao Zedong, the Second Sino-Japanese War, Tiananmen Square Event in 1989 were portrayed in UK history textbooks of the United Kingdom. Chapter 5 listed the features of the representation of China and discussed the factors which influenced the representation of China in history textbooks of the United Kingdom. Finally, recommendations for government and organizations, as well as history textbooks publishers and authors, and history teachers have been proposed.

Abstract:

Textbooks play a vital role in helping students to develop the national identity by providing them with "official knowledge" and conveying recognizable social values. Through analyzing the representations of China in other countries' textbooks, we can know better about ourselves and others. The aim of the study is to examine the representations of China and China-related topics in history textbooks of the United Kingdom, 1991-2015. Based on the frequency statistics, this study taps on three themes, including Mao Zedong, the Second Sino-Japanese War and Tiananmen Square Event in 1989 to analyze how China was portrayed in history textbooks of the United Kingdom. Chapter 1 introduced the research background, including reasons for choosing the United Kingdom to analyze its representations of China, and reasons for targeting on 1991-2015 as the time duration, and reasons for choosing history textbooks as the research object. Then this dissertation briefly introduced the theoretical foundations, content, significance and aims of this study. Chapter 2 examined the relevant literatures about the research on China in history textbooks of the United Kingdom, Chinese studies in the United Kingdom, as well as the research on China in other countries' history textbooks, together with the research on the "self" and "others" in history textbooks. Chapter 3 described research methodology. In total, thirty UK history textbooks have been chosen as research samples. Frequency analysis and discourse analysis were used to analyze how China was represented in UK history textbooks. Chapter 4 detailed how these three themes including Mao Zedong, the Second Sino-Japanese War, Tiananmen Square Event in 1989 were portrayed in UK history textbooks of the United Kingdom. Chapter 5 listed the features of the representation of China and discussed the factors which influenced the representation of China in history textbooks of the United Kingdom. Finally, recommendations for government and organizations, as well as history textbooks publishers and authors, and history teachers have been proposed.

Klíčová slova

history textbooks, the United Kingdom, China, 1991-2015

Jazyk práce: čeština

Datum vytvoření / odevzdání či podání práce: 6. 6. 2018

Obhajoba závěrečné práce

• Obhajoba proběhla 23. 8. 2018

UNIVERZITA PALACKÉHO V OLOMOUCI

Pedagogická fakulta

Doktorský studijní program / obor:
Education / Education