Gender in schoolbooks : A text analysis of Swedish schoolbooks on religion

Abstract: The intention of this essay is to critically analyze which perspective on gender that is conveyed in schoolbooks on religion in contemporary Sweden. The main question is: what gender perspective is conveyed in schoolbooks on religion? The sub questions are: what does the writer emphasize and what has the writer excluded from the text? Are the historical and discursive aspects of gender presented in the schoolbooks? What remains to be developed regarding the gender perspective in the schoolbooks?Earlier research has shown that men are overrepresented in the schoolbooks and that women and men are shown in stereotypical ways. This study highlights whether two books, written for the A-course in the upper secondary school and printed in 2007 and 2008, have been influenced by the recent requirements on equality in teaching material.The method used is a text analysis built on critical theory and Yvonne Hirdman’s theory of the gender system. The analysis is based on gender theory.The result shows that gender issues mainly are not regarded as important for religion in schoolbooks, when women are visible it is mostly their social role within religions that is represented and explained. The gender system of the religions is excluded from the text. The main conclusion from this study is that the schoolbooks need a more profound gender perspective, where masculinity and femininity are dealt with as human-created concepts.