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How to Cite
A Critical Reflection on the Complex Nexus of Ideology, Power and Curricula in Pakistani Schools
Abstract
The present study is a critical reflection on the complex nexus of ideology, power and curricula in the selected textbooks of Islamiaat in Pakistani schools and their impact on receivers’ cognitive and ideological worldview. The study has used Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) by Van Dijk as a principal methodological strategy in order to offer a close critical analysis of Islamiaat text books of the Punjab Textbook Board (PTB) for grades 8, 9 and 10. Informed by the broader epistemological debates about the multilayered and context-bound nature of curriculum, the analysis focuses on the role of syllabi in shaping the mindset of individual learners by simultaneously considering the crucial role of teachers and their pedagogical protocol in imparting the sensitive and complex aspects of Islamic history and Shariah including Jihad and Qital. In the wake of the contemporary stereotyping of Muslims as extremist, the article has also looked into the rationale behind the selection of such content for the high school students which may contribute to the rise of extremism in Pakistani society. The article concludes by proposing a broad-based and comprehensive educational policy in dealing with the serious problem of extremism, hence offering a more heuristic view of how a research in the domain of educational pedagogy can transform Pakistani society in the long run.
Authors
Dr. Asma Aftab
Assistant Professor, Department of English, Government College University, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan
Uzma Naqvi
Visiting Faculty, Department of English, Government College University, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan
Syeda Hibba Zainab Zaidi
Visiting Faculty, Department of English, Government College University, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan
