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Full text release has been delayed at the author's request until August 20, 2025

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Citizenship education in Northern Cyprus social studies textbooks: How is critical thinking encouraged?

Engelkiran, Simge
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1658835216544141

Abstract Details

2022, PHD, Kent State University, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration.
The mission, vision, and goals of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Ministry of Education and Culture emphasize that the importance of education is raising young citizens with the values of democracy and critical thinking. Borhaug (2014) suggested that one of the roles of social studies education in Western countries is to educate young people with an understanding of their roles as citizens. Thus, in this study, I researched Northern Cyprus’ social studies textbooks to understand whether the government’s educational goals are aligned with the contents of the published textbooks that they endorse. I used qualitative content analysis to answer two questions about Northern Cyprus middle school social studies textbooks (sixth grade, seventh grade first semester, and seventh grade second semester): How do the textbooks conceptualize and address citizenship? And how is critical thinking about citizenship encouraged? The three social studies textbooks were found to conceptualize and address citizenship in five different ways: Democratic Citizenship, Digital Citizenship, Global Citizenship, Social-Movement Oriented Citizenship, and European Union (EU) Citizenship. Interestingly, in the textbooks, I did not find any discussions of citizenship that reflected national citizenship, nationalism, or patriotism. In terms of my second research question on how the textbooks encourage critical thinking about citizenship, I found that critical thinking about digital citizenship, global citizenship, and social-movement oriented citizenship is encouraged, but in limited ways. I found no encouragement of critical thinking about democratic citizenship or EU citizenship. Overall, the findings of this study contribute to the limited available scholarship on education in Northern Cyprus. In a divided country like Cyprus, understanding the messaging of these social studies textbooks is an important step in furthering the establishment of peaceful citizenry.
Tricia Niesz (Committee Chair)
Elizabeth Kenyon (Committee Member)
Amy Damrow (Committee Member)
119 p.
Education
Social studies textbooks, citizenship, critical thinking, Northern Cyprus

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Engelkiran, S. (2022). Citizenship education in Northern Cyprus social studies textbooks: How is critical thinking encouraged? [Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1658835216544141

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Engelkiran, Simge. Citizenship education in Northern Cyprus social studies textbooks: How is critical thinking encouraged? . 2022. Kent State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1658835216544141.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Engelkiran, Simge. "Citizenship education in Northern Cyprus social studies textbooks: How is critical thinking encouraged? ." Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University, 2022. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1658835216544141

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by Kent State University and OhioLINK.