A New Approach to "world literature" in Ministry of Education textbooks (Comparative analysis of elementary, first and second period)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 M.A. Graduate, Department of Persian Language and Literature, University of Qom, Qom, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Department of Persian Language and Literature, University of Qom, Qom, Iran.

Abstract

Background and Objectives: World literature in school textbooks functions as a critical pedagogical medium for fostering intercultural understanding and global awareness among young learners. This study undertakes a systematic comparative analysis of world literature as presented in Persian textbooks across Iran's three official educational levels: elementary, lower secondary, and upper secondary. Methods Employing an applied, descriptive-analytical framework, the research examines several core dimensions, including the national versus international orientation of selected content, thematic diversity, the balance between poetic and prose genres, and the geographical and chronological distribution of featured authors. Findings: The empirical findings reveal a markedly uneven pattern of representation. Although literary samples from various European, Asian, and American countries are included, French literature overwhelmingly predominates, accounting for the largest share among all represented nations. In qualitative terms, forty percent of the texts are global masterpieces, and sixty-four percent of the authors are internationally celebrated. However, only three works, roughly eleven percent, belong to Nobel Prize winners, while East Asia, Africa, and Oceania are entirely absent. Quantitatively, world literature occupies merely seven percent of the total page space across all Persian textbooks. While acknowledging certain strengths, the study contends that substantial revision is necessary. Given world literature's profound formative impact on children and adolescents, enhancing their empathy and critical thinking, this paper recommends prioritizing canonical masterpieces, diversifying thematic content and generic forms, achieving a more equitable distribution between poetry and prose, and significantly increasing the overall quantitative allocation. These measures would ensure that Iranian students receive a genuinely comprehensive and globally inclusive literary education. Conclusion: World literature has a limited and uneven presence in Persian language textbooks, highlighting the need to reconsider the diversity, quality, quantity, and distribution of selected texts.

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References

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