Teaching ethnic history in school: experience from the West and the case of Jewish history in the Former Soviet Union. A literature review
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Abstract
This article discusses the teaching of ethnic history in the public
school system. It argues that the struggle for human rights, the ideology
of multiculturalism, and concern for the psychological well-being of
ethnic minorities encourage the teaching of ethnic history in many
countries. At the same time, the importance of emphasizing a common
identity among youth, together with the psychological difficulties of
teaching different and often contradictory historical narratives, are listed
as possible obstacles on the way towards a multicultural curriculum. This
article reviews the results of numerous studies that demonstrate how
students belonging to ethnic majorities and minorities differ in their
historical knowledge, trust of teachers and texts, motivation to study
history, and perception of the material. The experience of teaching
Jewish history in the former Soviet Union is reviewed, and directions for
further research are suggested.
school system. It argues that the struggle for human rights, the ideology
of multiculturalism, and concern for the psychological well-being of
ethnic minorities encourage the teaching of ethnic history in many
countries. At the same time, the importance of emphasizing a common
identity among youth, together with the psychological difficulties of
teaching different and often contradictory historical narratives, are listed
as possible obstacles on the way towards a multicultural curriculum. This
article reviews the results of numerous studies that demonstrate how
students belonging to ethnic majorities and minorities differ in their
historical knowledge, trust of teachers and texts, motivation to study
history, and perception of the material. The experience of teaching
Jewish history in the former Soviet Union is reviewed, and directions for
further research are suggested.
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Volume/Issue
2
Page Number / Article Number
81-96
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Bibliographic Information
Teaching ethnic history in school: experience from the West and the case of Jewish history in the Former Soviet Union. A literature review. 2010: 81-96. https://archive.jpr.org.uk/object-fsu114
