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Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, Curriculum and Instruction Cultural Studies (Education), 2009.

Abstract

This study employed Critical Discourse Analysis to compare teacher editions of the three most widely used high school American Literature textbooks in Christian schools to the most widely used in public schools, examining them through the lens of Critical Theory. The study examined all parts of the teacher editions, excepting literary works, for messages about race, ethnicity, gender, social class, sexual orientation, and physical and mental ability. The study found that neither textbooks used in Christian nor public schools handled minority groups ideally. Textbooks used in Christian schools repeated more outdated forms of linguistic discrimination, devoted less space and attention to authors who were minority figures, rarely confronted discrimination in learning guides and suggested pedagogical approaches, and omitted large portions of history concerning minority groups. Public school textbooks rarely engaged in linguistic discrimination, but also devoted, at times, an inequitable amount of space and attention to authors who were members of minority groups, addressed social injustices with varying levels of critical awareness, and generally explained harsh historical realities of race relations in the United States.

Subject Headings

African Americans; American history; American literature; American studies; Bible; Black history; Cultural anthropology; Education; Educational sociology; Gender; Language arts; Latin American literature; Literature; Minority and ethnic groups; Native Americans; Native

Keywords

Critical Discourse Analysis; Critical Theory; Christian school; textbook; race; class; gender; sexual orientation; physical ability; mental ability; American literature; teacher edition; Cultural Studies; textbook adoption; textbook publisher

Committee / Advisors

Jaylynne N. Hutchinson (Committee Chair)
Jacqueline Glasgow (Committee Member)
George Johanson (Committee Member)
Linda Rice (Committee Member)

Pages

278p.

Document number: ohiou1251483565
Permalink: http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1251483565

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