Didactic approaches The Holocaust in textbooks

1 didactic approaches

1.1 types of exercises
1.2 specific learning objectives associated holocaust
1.3 didactic links localities
1.4 national idiosyncrasies
1.5 holocaust measure of local mass atrocities
1.6 nationalizing victimhood in post-communist europe
1.7 exculpatory appropriation
1.8 borrowed history in former colony
1.9 political expediency of holocaust
1.10 generalization , abstraction
1.11 selective reductionism

didactic approaches
types of exercises

these vary from, @ 1 extreme, lack of exercises urging pupils question , explore materials presented in textbooks, wide variety of exercises including storytelling, document interpretation, role play, textual or pictorial analysis, , exercises requiring pupils either find rational explanations of events or else empathize protagonists via letter writing, biographical writing , analysis of protagonists’ decisions. in cases, exercises involve collating information provided in textbooks (rwanda) or comparing statistics (republic of moldova).

specific learning objectives associated holocaust

the textbooks testify trend towards stating , affirming values such human rights (in india, iraq, namibia, republic of moldova , rwanda, example) or affirming role of united nations in securing human rights after 1945 (in brazil, el salvador, spain or uruguay, example), albeit without explaining origins, meaning, history, implementation , effectiveness of principles of human rights. textbook authors adopt similar approaches affirming democratic values (as in france, republic of moldova, russian federation, south africa , uruguay) radical alternative values associated dictatorship or autocracy (el salvador), while references citizenship, moral norms, or genocide prevention rare. no textbooks in our sample address human rights historically.

didactic links localities

many textbooks link holocaust local horizons appealing pupils to, example, conduct interviews jewish survivors in shanghai (in chinese textbook), explore rescuing of persecuted people in albania , compare motivations of perpetrators in romania , germany (republic of moldova), or explore local historical , commemorative sites (germany).

national idiosyncrasies

all of textbooks, varying extents, decontextualize , recontextualize holocaust in terms alien event or partial, in process of (national) appropriation , ‘domestication’. authors appeal local readerships, in particular in countries populations have no direct experience or inherited memory of event. these expedient idiosyncrasies linked largely interests of authors writing in present day within curricular guidelines identifiable readerships, meaning textbook representations of holocaust may subsume historical information values or legal , political interests largely product of situation within , out of textbooks written.

the holocaust measure of local mass atrocities

some chinese, rwandan , south african textbooks radically deviate western historical perspectives evoking holocaust in sections of textbooks devoted other examples of persecution or genocide. chinese textbooks, example, treat holocaust briefly example illustrate , measure extent of local massacre of 1937 in nanjing. experts agree discussion of holocaust among peoples countries have experienced mass atrocities, or in little discussion of event has hitherto taken place, effective way of broaching local persecution indirectly while avoiding conflict direct discussion of issues might provoke.

nationalizing victimhood in post-communist europe

belarussian , russian textbooks adhere notion second world war involved violation of national territories. authors of belarussian textbooks, example, refer ‘the occupied territory’ , fact ‘the territory of belarus covered network of concentration camps’. russian textbooks likewise largely displace holocaust behind history of suppression of slavs , of soviet heroism. textbooks in albania appear uphold holocaust measure of local heroism defining holocaust ‘age of upheaval 1914-1945’ while drawing attention heroic acts of albanian citizens rescued jews, , humanitarian values of hospitality, religious tolerance, humanism , antifascism. although polish textbooks firmly focus on polish dimension of holocaust presenting event in polish history polish figureheads , consequence of occupation of poland, books in sample no longer nationalize victimhood, render multiple perspectives meta-historical critiques. however, representations countries of former soviet union , former members of warsaw pact not conform uniform pattern. research has shown baltic states traditionally depict ‘symmetry between nazi , communist crimes’. , in ukraine, famine known holomodor continues compete , displace representations of holocaust, harbours more ambiguous recollections of both persecution , collaboration among ukrainian citizens.

exculpatory appropriation

by defining crimes committed during holocaust ‘genocide’ while defining local crimes euphemistically (as ‘cruel acts’, example), japanese textbooks play down moral , legal repercussions of crimes committed locally. ‘exculpatory interpretations’ of holocaust may used ‘measure’ or ‘benchmark’ of putatively relatively minor significance of local persecution, attention detracted responsible comparable crimes.

borrowed history in former colony

by focusing on french collaboration , resistance rather deportation, authors of ivorian textbooks adopt viewpoint of, , thereby affirm degree of loyalty to, former colonial power. ivorian textbook, example, adopts ‘french’ reading of second world war emphasizing collaboration , resistance, , subsuming jewish victims legend of nation united in resistance pervaded public perceptions of role of france during second world war until 1980s.

political expediency of holocaust

in extreme cases, textbooks evoke holocaust marginally in history focuses entirely on second world war. 1 indian textbook produced during mandate of government coalition led left front, example, marginalizes holocaust in favour of history of resistance nazi war effort analogy struggle indian independence. likewise, total disregard holocaust in textbook may ascribed fact authors appear sympathize nationalist bharatiya janata party (bjp) , radical nationalism , goal of territorial unity akin of national socialists. contrast, liberal authors present gandhi’s attempts negotiate hitler in hope regime may abstain racial policy.

generalization , abstraction

while no textbooks in sample overtly question history of holocaust, present in partial or abstract terms, such reader learns little event. syrian textbook, example, refers event ‘conditions of oppression nazis in europe’; iraqi textbook describes violation of human rights , crimes against humanity committed under national socialist regime, conceptualizes event in purely legal terms 1 ended once perpetrators had been tried, punished or exculpated nuremberg tribunal. jewish victims of nazi oppression named in these textbooks in association alleged lack of resolve of british mandate stem jewish immigration palestine.

selective reductionism

south african , rwandan textbooks examples of selective narratives partly reduce holocaust form of racism, illustrated images of hitler , darwin side side, or evoke analogies between life under apartheid , persecution carried out national socialists.