Nationalism and History Education ─ Curricula and Textbooks in the United States and France

History education, by nature, transmits an ‘official’ version of national identity. National identity is not a fixed entity, yet controversy over national identity and history teaching is itself an essential part of the process of national regeneration. France and the United States have in particular experienced demographic and cultural shifts since the 1960s that have resulted in intense debates over national identity. This volumeexamines how each country’s national history is represented in primary schools’ social studies textbooks and curricula, and how they handle contemporary issues of ethnicity, diversity, gender, and patriotism. By analyzing each country separately and comparatively, it demonstrates how various groups (including academics, politicians and citizen activists) have influenced education, and how the process of writing and rewriting history perpetuates a nation.

Drawing on empirical studies of the United States and France, this volume provides insight into broader nationalist processes and instructive principles for similar countries in the modern world.

Rachel Hutchins is Associate Professor of American Civilization at the University of Lorraine, France.