“Our schoolbooks: how do they present Europe, the European Union and the European partners”

1. “Our schoolbooks: how do they present Europe, the European Union and the European partners” ITALY PORTUGAL ROMANIA SWEDEN TURKEY

2. Our schoolbooks

3. PARTICIPANTS Our schoolbooks

4. StepsandMethodSchoolbooks analysis • Building thegrids • We started with a quantitative analysis of the references to each partner country and the European Union. Those references could be measured in lines and/or pages. The references selected were text, images, and graphs. This information was exchanged among partners. • Then we selected the main aspects to be analysed in the schoolbooks: Historical data/events, Geographical data, Culture (literature, art, music, customs, traditions), Political system (monarchy, republic, democracy…) and Economy. • We built a grid to develop this analysis process. • Analysing schoolbooks • We started analysing our schoolbooks, taking into account the aspects included in the grids. Teachers of different subjects filled in the grids with the information required. • This information was exchanged among partners. So, the different partners could analyse the references to their countries in the different schoolbooks. • Comments • Writing comments about the contents of our schoolbooks.Each partner made a comment about the information collected • Analysing our partners` comments. • Each partner analysed the others´comments and reacted to them.

5. What IMAGE of our partner countries/nations do our school books present? ITALY PORTUGAL ROMANIA SWEDEN TURKEY

6. BELLINI What IMAGE of our partner countries/nations do our school books present? Image

7. LICEO CLASSICO What IMAGE of our partner countries/nations do our school books present?

8. IV CIRCOLO What IMAGE of our partner countries/nations do our school books present? Comments

9. JOAQUIM CARVALHO What IMAGE of our partner countries/nations do our school books present? Comments

10. ŞCOALA 80 What IMAGE of our partner countries/nations do our school books present? Comments

11. GudlavBilderskolan What IMAGE of our partner countries/nations do our school books present? Comments

12. GÜMÜŞHANE What IMAGE of our partner countries/nations do our school books present? Comments

13. KIRIKKALE What IMAGE of our partner countries/nations do our school books present? Comments

14. What INFORMATION about the EUROPEAN UNION do our pupils receive from our current school books? ITALY PORTUGAL ROMANIA SWEDEN TURKEY

15. BELLINI What INFORMATION about the EUROPEAN UNION do our pupils receive from our current school books?

16. IV CIRCOLO What INFORMATION about the EUROPEAN UNION do our pupils receive from our current school books?

17. LICEO CLASSICO What INFORMATION about the EUROPEAN UNION do our pupils receive from our current school books?

18. JOAQUIM CARVALHO What INFORMATION about the EUROPEAN UNION do our pupils receive from our current school books?

19. SCOALA 80 What INFORMATION about the EUROPEAN UNION do our pupils receive from our current school books?

20. IV CIRCOLO What INFORMATION about the EUROPEAN UNION do our pupils receive from our current school books?

21. GÜMÜŞHANE What INFORMATION about the EUROPEAN UNION do our pupils receive from our current school books?

22. KIRIKKALE What INFORMATION about the EUROPEAN UNION do our pupils receive from our current school books?

23. What do we think about our partner’s comments? • We think that the information provided in Italian junior high schoolbooks about Portugal is satisfactory. However, and as in the other partner countries, cultural references are insufficient. Although the image of Portugal is quite negative, we have to agree with it. BELLINI BACK Reactions

24. What do we think about our partner’s comments? • First part shows how Romania is presented in the Italian books and this is a fact. On the accuracy of information, please note Romania is not part of Balkan Peninsula , but Romania is part of continental Europe.Considering Students opinions unfortunately they are rather emotionally made at random. With such an exhaustive map plenty of information the Students should think differently ( Romania is an emerging economy , etc...). BELLINI BACK Reactions

25. What do we think about our partner’s comments? • Regarding women’s right to vote: In 1862 a woman could vote in the local elections if she was a juridical person, that is the owner of a company or a farm and votes were granted in accordance with fortune. In 1863 there was a law that said that women would come of age at the age of 25. Universal sufferage including women was granted in 1921. • Regarding Maria Gripe we are a bit surprised that she is represented but not Astrid Lindgren who wrote PippiLongstocking and The Children of Noisy Village for example. Her work is translated into over 40 languages. BELLINI BACK Reactions

26. What do we think about our partner’s comments? GAZİPAŞA PRIMARY SCHOOL - GÜMÜŞHANE We don’t have a religious fight against Armenians, Arabs, Kurds, Greeks. Also, there is not a country called Kurdistan, so it is impossible for us to have problems with a nonexistent country. As for Kurdish People, we don’t have any problem with them. They are Turkish Citizens and we are all equal. Moreover, we fought against the invaders in the Independence War together. There is a misunderstanding; the problems are caused by terrorist groups not by Kurdish People. Armenia: if you mean so-called Armenian Genocide, we don’t have such an event in our history, and it can be solved by researching the archives by the historians as Turkey has suggested.Human Rights: There can be undesirable events in any country, but that doesn’t mean that human rights aren’t fulfilled there. Turkey is a member of some international organizations whose aims are to provide human rights and prevent violation of human rights. KIRIKKALE ANATOLIAN HIGH SCHOOL We are sorry that that there is not any information about our culture. The Turkish policy had never been directly the diffusion of religion. If it had been so, during the Ottoman Empire, people of different cultures would have been forced to become Muslim. On the contrast there was a tolerance to the different religions. When it comes to the human right, many laws have been enacted to improve the rights. But we have to point out that every citizen has the same equal rights before the law and no ethnic group or no religious sect is superior to the other. About the problem Armenia and Kurds –there is no country or region called Kurdistan all over the world but there are some parts in Türkiye where the number of Kurdish people living is more-, the reality is oppositely different. The main problem in south-eastern region or the subject of ''Kurd'' is not related with Kurdish people but directly related with the terrorist group ''PKK''. Although PKK seems to defend the rights of Kurdish people who are living in Türkiye, the terrorist group just wants a chaos in this region of Türkiye. For the Armenians, we do not accept the so-called genocide allegations. The Turkish Govenrment has opened all its archives including military records to all the researchers, has encouraged the historians, scholars and researchers too freely examine and discuss this historical issue. Unfortunately even Armenia, Türkiye has officially proposed to the Govenment of Armenia the establisment of a joint commission of historians and experts to study the archives of not only these two countries but also all the relevant countries, has not responded positively to this initiative. BACK BELLINI Reactions

27. What do we think about our partner’s comments? We think that the information provided in Italian secondary schoolbooks about Portugal is satisfactory, taking into account the proximity of the two cultures and our common origin (culturally speaking). There are references to all the aspects we have analyzed, especially historical data, with the exception of the political system. The information is correct and updated. We agree with our partners comment: it corresponds to the information provided and the reality of the country. LICEO CLASSICO BACK Reactions

28. What do we think about our partner’s comments? It seems your books pay tribute to an anachronic vision about this part of Europe (namely the authors). Romania is rather neighbour than part of Balkan Question. In fact its political history should be considered as a struggle for independence, fighting the authorian and totalitarian regimes imposed in that part of Europe, in medieval period by Othoman and Austro Hungarian Empires and in modern times by nazi and communist. A Latin Nation resisted at the assaults of Empires and totalitarian regimes and finally after 1990 joined the free Europe. LICEO CLASSICO BACK Reactions

29. What do we think about our partner’s comments? We find the above comment impressive. We realize that we do not look upon Sweden ourselves from the same perspective regarding the notion of “the welfare state”. However we are well aware of our long period without wars and what that has meant to Sweden and her population. LICEO CLASSICO BACK Reactions

30. What do we think about our partner’s comments? GAZİPAŞA PRIMARY SCHOOL - GÜMÜŞHANE It is surprising that only Wars Turkey was defeated are mentioned in your books, no information about Preveza Sea War, Otronto or conquest of Cyprus. Proclamation of Turkish Republic was in 1923. So-called Armenian genocide is unacceptable for us. We don’t have such an event in our history. We think that we should trust the researches of historians as Turkey has suggested. All archives must be searched so that the true information can be received. Otherwise, it remains as a political affair that some countries want to make use of it. So-called Armenian Genocide is just a claim of some countries which is not accepted by Turkey and not approved by the claimers. As for Kurds, we don’t have any problems with Kurdish People. We fought against the invasors together in our Independence War. Also, we don’t have a Kurdish Independence Movement. In those days, some people were stirred up to a rebellion by other countries, but none was successful. It wasn’t an Independence Movement. What we have in Turkey now isn’t related with Kurdish people but terrorist groups. And we just want to stop it. According to Lozan Agreement, signed by Allies, we don’t have such a minority group in Turkey. We are all Turkish Citizens and have the equal rights. Also, in Turkey some women use a scarf (not all of them) which is different from veil. KIRIKKALE ANATOLIAN HIGH SCHOOL First of all it is much better to call the climate in the inland regions of Anatolia as continental not waterless, as it is rainy in spring and autumn and snowy in winter but hot and dry only in summer. Secondly, Avicenna written as Ibn-iSina is a Turkish philosopher but Averroes written as Ibn-iRüst is an Islamic philosopher. We were surprised to see that in your school books only the battles that we had lost are referred to, not all of them. As in our school books we deal with all the wars, lost or won, equally. We want to make it clear that in Türkiye women do not wear veil as it is forbidden. The number of the people wearing veils is only a small amount. But the ones who are religious may wear scarf only in public places, not at schools or official places such as state institutions. Türkiye is really a cultural and geographical bridge between Asia and Europe as a result of its place, and its historical background. Many cultures and states were directly related with Türkiye. When it comes to the so-called genocide of Armenians, since 1071 we have been living with the Armenians in peace. If we had aimed a genocide, we would have done this before 1915. The Armenians had worked at important statues such members of the parliament, merchandises during the Ottoman Empire. But in times of war they were provocated by the Western forces to rebellion which caused to their being expelled from Anatolia to Syria which was also in Ottoman borders. Türkiye has officially proposed to the Govenment of Armenia the establisment of a joint commission of historians and experts to study the archives of not only these two countries but also all the relevant countries, the Government of Armenia hasnot responded positively to this initiative. There is a conflict in your statements “Nevertheless there is underlined the religious tolerance....” and “but there is also underlined the repressive aspect....” During the Ottoman era, no minority group suffered from repression. When it comes to the present, that all the inhabitants of Türkiye without any distinction are equal (also recognized with the Lausanne Entity). There is not the idea of minority. The Kurdish had never proclaimed independence. We have always lived in peace but the terrorist group PKK has always provocated the people living in that region and kill all the Turkish people, chil or woman, mercilessly. LICEO CLASSICO BACK Reactions

31. What do we think about our partner’s comments? It seems that in Italian primary schoolbooks there is hardly any information about European countries, Portugal included. We quite agree with our partners´ comments – there should be at least very general information about the EU, so that the children know the world around them. IV CIRCOLO BACK Reactions

32. What do we think about our partner’s comments? Same in the Romanian scholl books at this level. The primary level stays within region or country information , not transpassing. IV CIRCOLO BACK Reactions

33. What do we think about our partner’s comments? We have looked into primary school curriculae and found that it is the same in Sweden. They focus on Swedish history and geography. We fully agree with the thoughts about how it should be. IV CIRCOLO BACK Reactions

34. What do we think about our partner’s comments? GAZİPAŞA PRIMARY SCHOOL We totally agree that our school books should have much more information about other countries in the world. As for the information in your school books about Kurds, we have to make a correction that they aren’t a minorty group in Turkey. They are Turkish Citizens and have the equal rights. There isn’t any distinction between Turkish and Kurdish people. Many Kurdish People have high ranked positions in Turkey. Moreover, according to Lozan Agreement, signed by Allies, we don’t have any minority group in Turkey. KIRIKKALE ANATOLIAN HIGH SCHOOL We can not understand why there is a descriptive text about the Kurdish culture but not the Turkish culture in general. There is no problem of minority in Türkiye. That The Turkish Government undertakes to assure full and complete protection of life and liberty to all inhabitants of Türkiyewithout distinction of birth, nationality, language, race or religion has been recognized since the Treaty of Peace signed at Lausanne. Therefore the all Kurds like rest of all the Turkish citizens has the same equal right before the law. IV CIRCOLO BACK Reactions

35. What do we think about our partner’s comments? BELLINI The quoted Portuguese school books give a great number of general information about Italy, either for historical events or geographic, economical and political aspects. This particular attention is chiefly due to historical reasons and old traditions of mutual relationships. In history books, the Roman Empire in ancient history, the birth of Universities in medieval times and the growing of cultural centres during the Renaissance are dealt with. Instead, there are very scarce data regarding modern history. As to contemporary history the unification of Italy, the two World Wars and the Fascism are taken into consideration. In geography books, Italy is examined through specific topics and is not considered as a whole. In art history, isolated movements born in the middle of the 70s, such as the Transavant-garde with Chia and Clemente, are examined. They come out as isolated art movements, not included in a wider speech. LICEO CLASSICO Barello – It’s curious to find that the weakest point is the cultural one (on the contrary, most schoolbooks of the other countries give information only about culture and tourism), I think it’s a positive step to know about historical events, economic issues, political system and values too. Brustia - I appreciate very much the Portuguese partners’ comments and also the good and wide information their school books propose about Italy. I agree with the note about the weak cultural information (which probably concerns also our Italian schoolbooks about the other partners), but I think it’s impossible to say everything about each partner, unless one provides an encyclopaedic knowledge that would damage the quality of information. That’s why I think that, before the knowledge of general culture, knowledge of the historical context is fundamental, which allows to explain the birth of a certain philosophical, literary, juridical, musical, artistic way of thinking: therefore some determinant historical information must be selected, even beyond the curricula. After those premises, I repeat that for understanding Italy it is important to know some facts of 20th century, e.g. fascism and its fall, Resistance, proclamation of Republic and promulgation of the new Constitution. I also want to inform my colleagues that in Italy the ministerial curricula were changed by the minister Berlinguer focussing in the last HS year only on the 20th century history. IV CIRCOLO The Portuguese school books give a great number of general information about Italy: historical events or geographic, economical and political aspects.We think there should be more information about contemporary life, customs and traditions. JOAQUIM CARVALHO BACK Reactions

36. What do we think about our partner’s comments? JOAQUIM CARVALHO BACK Reactions

37. What do we think about our partner’s comments? The Portuguese reaction is mutual, since we are a bit astonished that there is so little in our schoolbooks about Portugal. JOAQUIM CARVALHO BACK Reactions

38. What do we think about our partner’s comments? GAZİPAŞA PRIMARY SCHOOL - GÜMÜŞHANE We generally agree with your comments. We aren’t close countries, so lack of information is understandable due to the geographical and cultural distance as you have mentioned. In 1923, M. Kemal ATATÜRK proclaimed the Turkish Republic. It wasn’t a multi-party system because of the hard conditions of the country. However, it can’t be called as dictatorship because we had an assembly whose members were selected by Turkish People and Turkey had adopted its first constitution in 1920 before founding the Republic. Also, Ottoman Empire wasn’t governed by dictatorship. KIRIKKALE ANATOLIAN HIGH SCHOOL We understand the lack of information, since we also do not have enough information about Portugal as a result of the geographical distance and cultural differences. In 1923 The Republic of Türkiye was founded. Since it was just after the Independence War and the people were trying to heal their wounds, there were not many ministers and there was only one political party with the leadership of KemalAtatürk who was aiming to build a new and modern Türkiye. We do not and cannot, therefore, say it was a period of dictatorship. JOAQUIM CARVALHO BACK Reactions

39. What do we think about our partner’s comments? BELLINI The Romanian school books give a quite complete image of Italy, supplying a lot of information about historical, geographic, economical and political aspects.Particularly the gymnasium school books provide a quite systematic work about Rome in the ancient history (the birth of the city, the foundation of the Republic, the organization of the Roman Empire and its fall). Great attention is also paid to medieval Italy with the rising of the Italian States, specially the growth Venice Republic. Modern history is not taken into consideration at all. As to contemporary history the Italian situation is taught starting from the Congress of Vienna, then the Italian Risorgimento, up to the national unification, followed by information about the two World Wars and the war in Ethiopia. The Nato and the creation of EEC are the last topics considered. From the geographic point of view a wide description of our country is given. Pictures, maps and exhaustive charts supply data about surface, inhabitants, density of population, government, religion, language, social and economical indicators. The Italian culture is broadly depicted and the evolution of art is explained through Leonardo, the Renaissance, the Baroque, then, after a “jump” of few centuries, to Boccioni.Verdi for music, De Amicis and Collodi for literature are mentioned. It is not clear in which cultural contest travellers like Marco Polo and Christopher Columbus are considered.The Romanian books draw attention to the Italian Constitution written in 1948 and the role of Italy as a founding Member State of the European Union. LICEO CLASSICO Barello – I agree with you about needing more information regarding political activities of Italy and the other EU partners, about their governments etc.: sharing more information on this is a basic step to make young people aware of their own values, of rights (and duties!) of being European citizens. Brustia - From the text no quality comment emerges about the image Romania has got of Italy, especially contemporary Italy. It’s significant to note that, among the numerous information about Italian history the pupils achieve, there is no information about fascism, its fall, resistance, proclamation of republic and the Constitution, which would help understand why Italy is one of the founder countries of EU. IV CIRCOLO The Romanian school books give a quite complete image of Italy with a lot of information about historical, geographic, economical and political aspects. Perhaps it should be better if Romanian school books have more information concerning contemporary Italy. ŞCOALA 80 BACK Reactions

40. What do we think about our partner’s comments? Analysing the grid, we were surprised with the amount of information provided in Romanian schoolbooks about Portugal, so we don’t quite agree with the comment made by the history teacher… We think the information is very satisfactory and varied, referring not only to the past but also to the present, including historical data, geographical situation, political system and some aspects regarding economy and the integration in the E.U. In what concerns culture, there is very little information but the same happens in all the other partner countries. The information is correct, with the exception of the Romanian origin of the Portuguese people. ŞCOALA 80 BACK Reactions

41. What do we think about our partner’s comments? We are surprised that there is a mention about Sweden participating in the Vienna Congress. This fact is not at all mentioned in Swedish schoolbooks. ŞCOALA 80 BACK Reactions

42. What do we think about our partner’s comments? GAZİPAŞA PRIMARY SCHOOL - GÜMÜŞHANE It is really a great pleasure for us to notice that your students get so much information about our country. Your school books include not only information about our history but also current life in Turkey, which is impressive. Atatürk didn’t change the name of Constantinople, it had been changed before. KIRIKKALE ANATOLIAN HIGH SCHOOL It is not surprising that most of the information you have is on history and geography which is as the same with us. The president is not elected by the public but by members of the Grand National Assembly every 5 years. It was not KemalAtatürk who changed the name Constantinople into Istanbul. It had been called as Istanbul long before Atatürk. But it was Atatürk who moved the capital from Istanbul to the city of Ankara. ŞCOALA 80 BACK Reactions

43. What do we think about our partner’s comments? BELLINI The quoted Swedish school books point out the role of the Latin culture on the western civilization. Particularly history books consider the Roman Empire in ancient history, the merchant cities of Florence and Venice in the Middle Ages and Marco Polo’s journey to China in the Renaissance. There are very scarce data regarding modern history. As concerning contemporary history, the unification Italy, the two World Wars and the Fascism are dwelt on. There are a lot of references to the EU and to the economical organizations to which Italy is one of the members. The geographical aspects are quite insignificant and generally related to tourism. The Italian Art is lectured through pictures of Renaissance painters and the Italian Literature is taught through Boccaccio and Dante together with Pirandello and Fo (Nobel Prize winners). LICEO CLASSICO Barello – I notice that most of the information is about tourism and not about values, perhaps because it’s taken fro granted that between Sweden and Italy there are strong and valid common values as they are members of EU. Brustia - The comments are very generic and express a positive evaluation/judgement (I wonder if it is the same the students perceive?).Like in the grids sent by the other partners, from the grid about the main events there emerges a “hole” that doesn’t allow to explain the reasons why Italy was one of the founder nations of EU. I refer to the fall of fascism and monarchy, to the proclamation of Republic and the promulgation of the Constitution. IV CIRCOLO The Swedish school books have only a few information about Italy. But like says our partner “Italian culture had a major impact on the Western European Civilisation”. We notice that the level of Sweden Primary school schoolbooks is the same of our Primary school books GudlavBilderskolan BACK Reactions

44. What do we think about our partner’s comments? We think that the information provided in Swedish schoolbooks about Portugal is insufficient, especially because there is nothing about the present and nothing about geographical data, political system and only one reference about culture. So we agree with our partners´ comment. We were expecting more information in Swedish schoolbooks since the Swedish investment is significant in our country and Portugal is also a common tourist destination for Swedish people. GudlavBilderskolan BACK Reactions

45. What do we think about our partner’s comments? Swedish and Romanian are even on the information about partner country. GudlavBilderskolan BACK Reactions

46. What do we think about our partner’s comments? GAZİPAŞA PRIMARY SCHOOL - GÜMÜŞHANE We are pleased to notice that your school books include some information about Turkey despite the geographical distance between the two countries and restricted relationship in our history. Also, it is so satisfactory that some of our well-known poets and authors (Aziz NESİN, Yaşar KEMAL, Orhan PAMUK, Nazim HİKMET) and our great leader ATATÜRK take part in your school books. Moreover, you mention the increasing importance of Turkey in Europe, which is a pleasure for us. KIRIKKALE ANATOLIAN HIGH SCHOOL We are please to learn that the authors and poets important for us are referred to in your books and also KemalAtatürk is mentioned, too. AzizNesin, YasarKemal and NazimHikmet Ran are all known as having discussed the problems of our people. OrhanPamuk having won The Nobel Price have many readers. GudlavBilderskolan BACK Reactions

47. What do we think about our partner’s comments? BELLINI The considered Turkish school books give various and wide information about Italy. The historical reports are quite rich both in the primary books and in the high school ones. Events from ancient history (Rome), from Middle Ages (the role of the Catholic Church and the trades), from contemporary history (unified Italy, the Libyan War, the two World Wars, the Fascism and the Independence Turkish War) are widely analysed. In the primary school books, the geographic description of Italy is rather fragmentized, while in the high school books, Italy is broadly described even with economical indications. There are a variety of unexpected news about scientists like Galileo, Torricelli, Avogadro, Volta and Fermi; as well as about philosophers like Campanella and Croce; or about writers as Dante and Macchiavelli; or artists like Leonardo and Michelangelo. LICEO CLASSICO Barello - It’s very interesting what you said about getting more information on EU from mass media: it means, I think, that pupils need information on the possibilities to share common values with European countries. Teachers play an important role too! As for Italy, I notice with pleasure the richness of information about Italy’s culture and I think it’s very important to discover common roots and common values, not only between Turkey and Italy, but, through this experience, between Turkey and EU countries too. Brustia - I recognize that there is only a few information about Italy and that there is missing info especially about the 20th century. Info indeed ends at the Libyan war. That’s why I am perplexed about the notice of “Adaption of Turkish Criminal Law from Italy”, quoted out of the historical context. In our Kirikkale meeting we had the impression that that happened during fascism, probably the Rocco Codex of 1930, that also included death penalty. Therefore it’s extremely important to underline that in Italy fascism was won, that the Republic was proclaimed in 1946 and a new Constitution in 1948. If the “Adaption of Turkish Criminal Law from Italy” were a fact, we couldn’t but complain that, but we think we should talk about the changes happened afterwards. Only the Republican Constitution made Italy able to become a supporter of EU and its values. IV CIRCOLO The considered Turkish school books give only a few information about Italy, especially there is missing info about the 20th century. We notice that the level of Turkish Primary school books is the same of our Primary school books. GÜMÜŞHANE BACK Reactions

48. What do we think about our partner’s comments? We think that the information provided in Turkish schoolbooks about Portugal is satisfactory, especially because there are references to all the aspects we have analyzed and the information is correct and updated. We were not expecting much more information, specially when comparing with the other partners, and considering the cultural distance and the fact that Turkey is not a member of the E.U. (of course there is different information in the primary and secondary level – we took that into account). GÜMÜŞHANE BACK Reactions

49. What do we think about our partner’s comments? At primary level is normal. GÜMÜŞHANE BACK Reactions

50. What do we think about our partner’s comments? We find it understandable that there is not much about Sweden in Turkish schoolbooks. It is the same case with our schoolbooks regarding Turkey. We could mention as a matter of curiosity that the Swedish king Charles XII spent five years in exile in Turkey, 1709 – 1714, after having been defeated by the Russians in Poltava, so that is something Swedish schoolchildren at lower school levels read about. GÜMÜŞHANE BACK Reactions