Abstract

This study attempted to understand the curricula in conveying the state’s own understanding to individuals, according to the reconceptualization approach. As content, the social studies curricula (SSC), with the assumption that political influence would be seen most in these curricula, were examined. This study aims understanding the social studies curricula as a political text within the context of citizenship education in order to see how politics affect these curricula. To determine what political factors affected SSCs in which way, the opinions of academics and teachers were examined regarding curricula from 1998, 2005 and 2018, prepared during different government periods in Turkey. It was tried to determine how the changes in SSCs were defined in political/non-political dimensions, explanation and definition, the criticism, reasons and recommendation regarding these changes. This study was designed as a case study, one of the qualitative methods. Data analysis was done by content analysis method. It was determined that the changes in social studies curricula in 1998, 2005 and 2018 were affected by different political reasons and that there were some prominent ideological elements in all 3 curricula. As a result, it was determined that political effect on SSCs prepared in different government periods and can be seen radical changes were made in terms of curriculum structure and content from 1998 to 2005 and that the SSC of 2018 is similar to that of 2005 in terms of structure.

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