Globalisation and citizenship education: diversity in South Korean civics textbooks

Abstract

This study examines how textbooks in the Republic of Korea incorporate liberal, Western notions of diversity and multiculturalism. Through a systematic analysis of 60 civics textbooks over time, this study shows that ideas of multiculturalism and diversity have dramatically increased in the South Korean intended curriculum. While in the past, textbooks depicted South Korean society as racially and ethnically homogenous with little or no mention of disadvantaged groups or ethnic minorities, starting in the 1990s, textbooks increasingly discuss the rights of diverse groups and the need to empower these groups to address problems of social inequality. Yet, traditional citizenship narratives of national homogeneity still remain, especially in textbooks that discuss prospects for the reunification of the Korean peninsula.