The Representation of Culture : A Comparative Analysis of Cultural Representation in Swedish EFL Coursebooks

Abstract: The overall aim of this study is to analyse the cultural representation in fictional texts in three English as a Foreign Language (EFL) coursebooks written for the English 5 course in Swedish upper secondary school. The three coursebooks are Blueprint A 3.0, Pick & Mix 1, and Solid Gold 1. The study was conducted in order to compare and discuss the portrayal and representation of cultures of the English-speaking world. The method used consists of a combination of the two-stage model constructed by McDonough et al. (2013) and a qualitative content analysis. The three coursebooks were analysed through the theoretical framework of postcolonial theory. The results show that American culture is represented to a higher extent than any other culture in the included fictional works. Because of the discrepancy in representation, American culture was portrayed through various societal issues, living conditions, and cultural features. However, many other cultures of the English-speaking world were barely represented at all. Furthermore, the results show that cultures such as Indian or Irish are not included in all the coursebooks. The lack of fictional texts representing cultures of Africa included in the coursebooks further shows the discrepancy and specific focus on certain parts of the English-speaking world. Solid Gold 1 was the only one of the three coursebooks which included fictional texts discussing all cultures highlighted. Although there is a notable difference in the representation of cultures, and the number of times certain cultures are mentioned, the analysis shows that the coursebooks create many opportunities, through fictional texts, for students to learn about societal issues, cultural features, and living conditions in parts of the world where English is used, meeting the requirements of the Swedish curriculum.