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Özkan S. H. (Yürütücü)

TÜBİTAK Projesi, 2014 - 2015

• Proje Türü: TÜBİTAK Projesi
• Başlama Tarihi: Mayıs 2014
• Bitiş Tarihi: Mayıs 2015

Proje Özeti

Abstract

The purpose of this essay is to explain history education in multicultural and multi-religious societies. In recent decades, many countries have become increasingly multicultural, multi-religious, multi-linguistic, and pluralistic. Thus, history education has gained more importance in multicultural and multi-religious societies because history has an important place among these pluralistic societies. Therefore, history is taught from kindergarten to university, and it is a field of interest in continuing education centers in every community, cultural group, and society. A major goal of history education is to provide all students with learning about their community’s cultures, within the mainstream culture, and within and across other ethnic cultures in pluralistic societies.

Key Words: History Education, multiculturalism, multi-religion, history curriculum

1.  Introduction

Political geographies are always the cause of ethnic, religious, cultural, or political conflict, and this conflict precedes the flourishing of new cultures, religions, sects, faiths, and ideologies; a process that seems to be continuing. Different cultures, faiths, and societies have thrived during the same political geography throughout history, and this will continue. These cultures and societies have sometimes remained together and sometimes separate and remained strong; hence, our world has hosted many cultures, races, and religions in the historical process. For example, in terms of religion, Islam, Christianity, Judaism and other religions and faiths mix in seemingly opposite geographic regions, Asian-European and Eastern-Western, which affected the Turkish, German, French, English, Greek, Arab, Chinese, as well as other ethnicities.

     New countries were founded and new nations sprung up in the 19th and 20th centuries, or they were created by the desire of foreign powers. Multination societies and countries were, in particular, negatively affected in these centuries[1]. For instance, the French Revolution and its ideologies and nationalism damaged unique multi-ethnic, multi-cultural structures such as the Ottoman and Austria-Hungarian Empires. During this period, especially in the new societies and countries that appeared toward the middle of the 20th century, schools began to use history courses “to build a new nation,” build up the idea of new identity and culture for students[2]. Hence, culture and history are politicized, language is standardized, and new myths are created to establish new national identities. Nationalism tries to implement harmonious politics and culture to convert society politically because society is already culturally aware[3]. Thus, nationalist history has predominated over other versions. In recent decades, in contrast to this situation, multicultural education has gained more importance. Particularly due to rapid changes throughout the world, many countries have become multicultural societies. One of the basic principles of multiculturalism is that it is opposed to homogeneity, uniformity, and the standardization of cultural forms. Multiculturalism is committed to the protection, promotion, and maintenance of ethno-cultural diversity, which in turn, provides opportunities to minorities to preserve, maintain, and express their distinctive cultural form, life styles, and rights[4]. 

2.    Studies in report terms

 

         I.     Term...

First term period I collected my research area data and as I declared first term progress report, and I attended a number of classes in an undergraduate course during the fall academic year.   

3.    Research results

Importance of History Education in Multicultural and Multi-religious Societies

Today, to establish a society that has the most needed characteristics, a new historical idea of nation needs to put a greater focus on collective advantage. An historical fact cannot be understood correctly if why it occurred is not explained correctly. In such a case, the benefits of history are limited as a scientific method. Looked at from this perspective, learning history is only harmful to people and societies because what it teaches is untrue, arbitrary, and explained on the basis of fiction, so is not closely related to the truth[5]. Teachers must be loyal to historical documents and historical events while teaching them. Without understanding historical background correctly, we cannot understand why events occurred and historical conflicts continue among countries, especially particular societies and communities, for centuries. Historical issues must not serve as barriers among current societies. In recent decades, politicians have used history and historical events to set domestic policies, and history has often become highly politicized. Especially, toward the middle of the 20^th century, national history was the standard in schools. Hence, history has been a barrier among the societies and communities because of nationalist and unilateral ideas[6]. Actually, history must help students find meaning in the past and recognize the need for participation in society or government and responsible decision-making.  Students must know not only the triumphs of history, but also the failures, the tragedies, and the humiliations[7].  

History and historical facts, instead being examined in terms of scientific norms, have instead been assigned various meanings. A teacher of history, for example, uses words’ in a course that are evidence of personal ideology. Thus, history is commonly accepted as a faith and values instead something subjected to scientific methods[8]. This situation is an obstacle to objectivity with historians adding their ideas and comments especially when unable to understand other perspectives. Nevertheless, history has an important place among the other social sciences. Despite these potential problems, history and history education have gained more and more importance in multicultural, multi-religious, multi-linguistic, and pluralist societies. Therefore, history is taught from kindergarten to university, and it is a field of interest in continuing education centers in every community, cultural group, and society. Teaching history is negatively affected by different ideologies and nationalism; in particular, historical accuracy is negatively affected from multicultural education. If new generations acquire the ability to investigate more objectively, they can better evaluate historical accuracy [9]. If individuals know their own history and cultural background, they tend to be able to understand other cultures more easily. They can more easily sense and comment on similarities between cultures. Individuals who are not alienated from their own culture can learn about new cultures and religions without necessarily assimilating them.

Multiculturalism means respect for cultural diversity and pluralism among different religions, societies, histories, and ideas, and it must be used to develop democratic education and peace in the world[10]. Cultural respect and, especially, commitment to cultural pluralism, will take us perhaps further than antiracism in establishing a community in schools. These values involve a positive regard for others in light of their cultural differences and a treasuring of the diversity present in school[11]. Therefore, a major goal of history education must be to establish national and world peace. While history education seems to be more concerned with ethnic and racial groups in a multicultural society, it is rightly the central concern of all nations and societies. If we ask the question–What is the difference or similarity between cultural or religious groups and racial groups? –there is no simple answer, but we can distinguish several components. First, members of a cultural group are do not represent a single race[12]. Members of the same race, for example, can believe in different religions or sects, or they can all believe in the same religion. Second, countries who speak the same language may comprise different cultural groups. Therefore, religion, language, and cultural facts can either unite or separate people around a single concept.    

The Importance of the Curriculum Teaching of History

Curriculum is clearly important to teaching. It may even be more important to history than to other courses because history is especially complicated and difficult. Therefore, history curriculum must have everything to do with content and delivery of instruction, the experience of learning and teaching, and the structure of the experience by cultural assumption, institutional policies, and utilization of the school and community resources. When a curriculum is planned for multicultural and diversity education, standard lesson and unit plans should be compared with plans that cover the same traditional curricular content but also attend to issues of multiculturalism and diversity[13].  History curriculum must help students to solve global issues and to gain profound understanding.[14]  A history curriculum definitely should not use terms like “enemy”’ but some countries’ curricula have included this kind of language. In his study about South Cyprus students, for example, Spyrou found that they view Turkish people as enemies, invaders, occupiers, and barbarians, because they think Turks are responsible for every evil that has occurred in Cyprus. According to Spyrou, this kind of thinking affects students’ understanding of culture and history, especially when teachers stress nationalism and “bad Turk” images. Additionally, researchers emphasize that racism develops in a school, which pushes students to conceptualize events in terms of enemies[15]. The history curriculum needs to be reformed with inclusion of curriculum theory and historical inquiry so that bias in textbooks, media, and other educational materials can be detected easily by educators, students, and other stakeholders[16].

Also, the curricula of some countries try to conceal historical facts. Japanese textbooks, for example, hardly mention World War II. According to some research, there was just one sentence in a particular book about the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki[17].

National history must not be based on hostility either. If historical facts are distorted, they have an adverse effect on society, especially if the facts include entire episodes of history. Most damaging is when politicians use military, ideological, economical, and political conflict and problems to construct domestic policy. Because historical conflicts, which occurred in the past, serve today’s political goals in domestic policy, they create barriers among citizens instead of bringing them closer. Today’s social problems are directly and closely related to the past. If historians do not use research from past, they will not find a way to solve these problems[18]. Every society can allege supremacy in their historical thesis, and, it already has been done, and it will continue, but multicultural societies must be careful while defending their own thesis, because they may uncover new hostilities and make enemies of multicultural societies.

In the history of teaching, teaching an historical curriculum must be developed in order to understand other cultures and other nations, especially multicultural and multi-religious societies. Although USA and European countries have improved their multicultural and multi-religious education systems, they still have taught dominant culture, religion, faith, and sect in the schools despite the rapidly changing population over the past few years. Some cultural and religious groups desire to learn their own history, religion, and cultures in order to embrace our history and culture these multicultural and multi-religious societies. These desires will likely continue to increase these pluralistic societies. Beginning of the 20^th century, for example, Catholics established their own schools and eventually entered the mainstream culture[19].

Although American society has remained as multi-religious, multicultural, and pluralistic society until today, but the American society and government worries about the transformation of society because illegal immigration has rapidly increased. According to some researchers, in 1960, the overwhelming shares of immigrants were of European origin and few were Latin American/Caribbean or Asian. By 2013, a census survey found half of immigrants were Latin-American/Caribbean and 27% were Asian, while the European share of the immigrant population had fallen to a mere 13%. American population will swell to 37% by 2050, compared with 15% back in 1965. Immigrants now come from different parts of the world, and they make up a larger share of the American public. Americans saw immigrants as burdens on society rather than as strengthening the country through their work. Also, many thought that the growing number of newcomers would threaten traditional American values and customs. But slowly, opinions have begun to change over the course of the past decades. By 2014, a healthy 57% majority had come to the opposite point of view, saying that immigrants strengthened the country through their hard work; and just 35% now say that the increasing number of immigrants is threatening American values[20].

The Council of Europe Committee of Ministers is aware of history education because they made some important decisions to arrange relationships with the members of European countries to discuss history education in the 21st century. Also the Council developed different projects in the direction of their decision[21]. The curriculum of history education that is emphasized in the many European countries should reflect the societies they live in and the time and conditions under which they live. Education for new generation for multicultural societies is an important part of this aim. New generations must be taught to live with diversity, because they are members of a continuously rising global society. Therefore, a major goal of history and social science is to educate the new generation as multicultural societies[22]. Hence races and ethnic groups should enjoy historical and cultural particularities because there is a relationship between past and present.[23] 

The history of teaching is expected to him for benefit, first, what is expected it and aim to history education clearly put on,[24] because history usually was seen as a subject to teach a national consciousness and historical heroes to the young generation  with the of aim hearkening them to patriotism[25]. At this stage, patriotism has stronger ties in some cultures and countries. For this reason, a history teacher must fervently teach about patriotism in class. Because, according to him, new generations must grow up patriotic. If students don’t learn patriotism they don’t understand their history and culture. At the same time, patriotism contributes to social peace among the societies, especially in multicultural societies. Teachers need to help students understand the distinction between race and ethnicity, and also provide a safe space in which racial identities can be openly acknowledged and racial attitudes forthrightly discussed[26]. Also, a successful history teacher will recognize the inherent strengths and weaknesses of his or her students, their learning styles and their preconceptions about various topics in the curriculum, and adjust the lesson plan accordingly[27]. 

4.    Conclusion and Comments

To conclude, a major goal of history education is to teach all students their history and knowledge needed to function within their own community’s history and within the mainstream history. Another major goal of history education is to teach students cultural, ethnic and historical alternatives. Another major goal of history education is to reduce the pain and discrimination that members of some ethnic and racial groups experience because of their unique racial, physical, and cultural characteristics.  Another important goal of history education is to help individuals from diverse racial, cultural, language, and religious groups to acquire the knowledge and attitudes of the global community[28].

5.        Outputs (Publications, presentations, etc.)

          I wrote two articles about history education in the multicultural, multi-religious, and pluralistic societies. I want to publish these articles and attend several conferences next years. In addition to I collected several materials about multicultural and pluralistic societies. I collected many archive documents in Southwest Collection Library, too. Texas Tech University Library has got very rich books collection. I worked in the library. During my works, I took many copies; scanned several documents, and took many online documents. I will plan to write several articles, and I will publish a book these documents. I will attend several conferences within next two years, and I’ll do the presentation my working areas.