Representation of Culture and National Identity in Pakistani ESL Textbooks

Authors

  • Sajid Hussain University Technology Malaysia (UTM) https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5764-4304
  • Shanti C. Sandaran University Technology Malaysia (UTM)
  • Abdul Saeed Sukkur Institute of Business Administration University, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21344/iartem.v15i1.975

Keywords:

representation of cultures, Pakistan's national identity, ESL textbooks

Abstract

The present study examined the spectrum of cultures, specifically the representation of source culture in relation to Pakistan’s national identity construction in English textbooks. Six locally developed textbooks in Pakistan were analysed qualitatively. Moreover, Cortazzi’s & Jin’s categorisation of culture plus Kachru’s (1992) Concentric circles and Shahsani’s taxonomy of culture categorisation were employed as an analytical framework to look at the contents of the textbooks. The contents of each unit/lesson were thoroughly examined to expose the representation of cultures that help form the students' national identity. Resultantly, the study's findings divulge the disproportionate representation of source, target, and international cultures; however, the representation of source culture outweighs the other two cultures. It further reveals the incorporation of source cultural values, norms, and roles that disseminate information about Pakistan, its history, geography, national heroes, Islam; Islamic teaching, beliefs, traditions, manners, ethics, morality, gender’s roles, and national cultural heritage that contribute to the construction of Islamic based national identity of Pakistan. To sum up, the writers of the textbooks construct students’ national identity by representing source culture materials in the English textbooks that also pave the way to the formation of Pakistani English.

Author Biographies

  • Sajid Hussain, University Technology Malaysia (UTM)

    Sajid Hussain is a PhD student at Language Academy, Faculty of Social Sciences & Humanities, University Technology Malaysia (UTM), and an assistant professor of Applied Linguistics at the department of English Linguistics and Literature, Karakoram International University, Gilgit, Pakistan. His research interests include World Englishes, Textbook Analysis, Multimodal Analysis, and Critical Discourse Analysis. Address: University Technology Malaysia, Skudai (81310) Johor Bahru, Malaysia. [email: [email protected]]

  • Shanti C. Sandaran, University Technology Malaysia (UTM)

    Shanti C. Sanadaran is a Senior Lecturer at Language Academy, Faculty of Social Sciences & Humanities, University Technology Malaysia (UTM). She obtained her PhD from the University of Cardiff University, Wales, United Kingdom. Her research focuses on Critical Discourse Analysis, Semantics, Syntax and Text Linguistics. Adress: University Technology Malaysia (UTM), Skudai (81310) Johor Bahru, Malaysia. [Email: [email protected]]

  • Abdul Saeed, Sukkur Institute of Business Administration University, Pakistan

    Abdul Saeed is an assistant professor of Applied Linguistics at the department of English, Sukkur IBA University, Pakistan. He obtained his PhD degree from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. His research interests include Text linguistics, ESL/EFL writing, and assessment, Syntax, and Discourse analysis. Address: Sukkur Institute of Business Administration University, Pakistan. [Email: [email protected]]

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Published

2023-04-24

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Representation of Culture and National Identity in Pakistani ESL Textbooks. (2023). IARTEM E-Journal, 15(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.21344/iartem.v15i1.975