Contextualising Controversy: Narratives of Sensitive Issues in Tunisian, Pakistani and Iranian School Textbooks

Author Information

Dori Tobi, The Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education, United Kingdom
Yonatan Negev, The Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education, Israel

Abstract

How school curricula address sensitive topics remains a persistent challenge in education. While much of the literature focuses on how teachers address controversial issues through classroom pedagogy and discussion-based learning, comparatively less attention has been paid to how such issues are framed in textbooks and other curricular materials, including the ways in which language, imagery, and narrative structure shape their presentation. This paper examines how different national curricula present sensitive or controversial topics and whether these discussions are accompanied by narratives that promote or limit critical reflection and nuanced understanding. The study draws on case studies from national curricula in selected countries in the Middle East and South Asia region, as such state-approved textbooks often play a uniquely authoritative role, with a single textbook per subject and grade typically authored and published centrally by the Ministry of Education. The paper examines how and to what extent sensitive topics such as colonial history, gender, religion and violence, are contextualised in textbooks and learning materials. The findings suggest a consistent pattern: where controversial topics are embedded within broader historical and social contexts, curricular narratives more often emphasise critical reflection and invite consideration of coexistence or reconciliation. Where contextualisation is limited or absent, narratives are typically characterised by polarised perspectives and the normalisation of violence. These patterns suggest that contextualisation provides a key analytical lens for evaluating how curricula engage with controversial issues and their broader alignment with educational standards promoting peace, tolerance, and responsible civic understanding.

Save as a Favourite